160
X. Jin
Reducing threats and uncertainties caused by disasters demands emergency
management professionals and government officials to provide immediate and accurate information (Seeger et al. 1998). When the public is engaged in this communication process, it becomes more important to interact with and disseminate information
to the affected community. Accurate and timely information will not only reduce the
public’s uncertainty but also implement crisis coping strategies (Jin 2020). Social
media offers real-time information (Morris et al. 2010; Sin and Kim 2013) and
provides a platform where emergency management institutions and the public could
have interactive communication.
With this in mind, this chapter focuses on disaster and risk communication in the
social media context. In particular, this chapter highlights the importance of understanding disaster and risk communication by analyzing rich and real-time social
media data with topic modeling. This chapter reviews the literature on disaster
risk communication and introduces the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) model that is an emergency management guideline implemented in
the United States. Furthermore, this chapter proposes to embrace big data tools
in research and discusses the application of topic modeling in disaster and risk
communication contexts. This article also presents a case study of communication
surrounding Hurricane Maria on Twitter to illustrate the methodology, theoretical,
and practical implications for disaster and risk communication.
9.2 Disaster and Risk Communication
Standard risk and emergency management can only help mitigate isolated risks (Jin
and O’Hair 2020). Nevertheless, such standard management approach has limited
effectiveness in reducing disaster risk that creates “serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic
or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected
community or society to cope using its own resources” (United Nations International
Strategy for Disaster Reduction 2009, p. 9).
Disaster, risk, and crisis are interrelated. As the United Nations International
Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR 2009) posited, disasters are often seen
as outcomes of continuous risk conditions. Disaster risks contain various potential losses “in lives, health status, livelihoods, assets, and services” that are hard to
determine (UNISDR 2009, p. 10). Risk and crisis are parts of a connected process;
risk frequently escalates into a crisis that involves threat and requires urgent action
(Reynolds 2002).
To reduce disaster and risk, the Sendai Framework highlighted four priorities:
“Understanding disaster risk. Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage
disaster risk. Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience. Enhancing disaster
preparedness for effective response and to ‘Build Back Better’ in recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction” (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015,
p. 14).
X. Jin
Reducing threats and uncertainties caused by disasters demands emergency
management professionals and government officials to provide immediate and accurate information (Seeger et al. 1998). When the public is engaged in this communication process, it becomes more important to interact with and disseminate information
to the affected community. Accurate and timely information will not only reduce the
public’s uncertainty but also implement crisis coping strategies (Jin 2020). Social
media offers real-time information (Morris et al. 2010; Sin and Kim 2013) and
provides a platform where emergency management institutions and the public could
have interactive communication.
With this in mind, this chapter focuses on disaster and risk communication in the
social media context. In particular, this chapter highlights the importance of understanding disaster and risk communication by analyzing rich and real-time social
media data with topic modeling. This chapter reviews the literature on disaster
risk communication and introduces the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) model that is an emergency management guideline implemented in
the United States. Furthermore, this chapter proposes to embrace big data tools
in research and discusses the application of topic modeling in disaster and risk
communication contexts. This article also presents a case study of communication
surrounding Hurricane Maria on Twitter to illustrate the methodology, theoretical,
and practical implications for disaster and risk communication.
9.2 Disaster and Risk Communication
Standard risk and emergency management can only help mitigate isolated risks (Jin
and O’Hair 2020). Nevertheless, such standard management approach has limited
effectiveness in reducing disaster risk that creates “serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic
or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected
community or society to cope using its own resources” (United Nations International
Strategy for Disaster Reduction 2009, p. 9).
Disaster, risk, and crisis are interrelated. As the United Nations International
Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR 2009) posited, disasters are often seen
as outcomes of continuous risk conditions. Disaster risks contain various potential losses “in lives, health status, livelihoods, assets, and services” that are hard to
determine (UNISDR 2009, p. 10). Risk and crisis are parts of a connected process;
risk frequently escalates into a crisis that involves threat and requires urgent action
(Reynolds 2002).
To reduce disaster and risk, the Sendai Framework highlighted four priorities:
“Understanding disaster risk. Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage
disaster risk. Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience. Enhancing disaster
preparedness for effective response and to ‘Build Back Better’ in recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction” (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015,
p. 14).