9 Understanding Social-Mediated Disaster …
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To achieve these goals, a number of studies have focused on disaster and risk
communication (e.g., Jin, 2020; Lachlan et al. 2014; Lin et al. 2016a, b; Spence
et al. 2015; Sutton et al. 2008). A majority of disaster and risk communication
research has been primarily built on cost–benefit analysis (Jin and O’Hair 2020; Zinn
and Taylor-Gooby 2006). In addition, social-mediated risk communication studies
merely analyzed the tweets posted by official accounts that have been shown less
active on social media (Jin, 2020; Lachlan et al. 2014; Lin et al. 2016a, b). Nevertheless, the knowledge gap between the public and emergency management experts
leads to the public’s uncertainty regarding management implementation. It is essential for disaster and risk management institutions to understand the public’s concerns,
uncertainty, and requests in a timely manner.
Particularly, the communication patterns of disaster vary across stages and hence
require emergency management institutions to utilize different communication strategies (Reynolds and Seeger 2005). The United States Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) adopted the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC)
model to train emergency management and risk communication practitioners to
build effective communication in emergencies, such as hurricanes. The next section
reviews the CERC model’s guidelines with a particular focus on the resolution stage’s
communication tasks.
9.2.1 Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Model
The CERC model integrates disaster and risk communication with crisis communication and assists relevant stakeholders to manage emergencies (Reynolds and Seeger
2005). According to the CERC model (Reynolds 2002; Reynolds and Seeger 2005),
there are five stages of crisis development: precrisis, initial event, maintenance, resolution, and evaluation. Each stage requires emergency management institutions to
utilize different communication strategies. For example, the major tasks of disaster
and risk communication in the precrisis stage include designing risk messages and
warnings, as well as other preparations. The priority of the initial event stage is to
reduce uncertainty and build reassurance. The maintenance stage requires more interactive communication between the public and emergency management institutions.
For the resolution stage, disaster and risk communication highlights the importance
of having open discussions about the causes of the crisis and relevant stakeholders’
responsibility and responses to emergencies. Effective disaster and risk communication in the resolution stage will aid the public to fully understand the risk and help the
relevant stakeholders to recover a positive reputation (Lachlan et al. 2016; Reynolds
and Seeger 2005).
Previous studies have explored the social-mediated communication patterns of
disasters during precrisis, initial event, and/or maintenance stages (Lachlan et al.
2016, 2014; Spence et al. 2015), while the open discussions of disasters in the resolution stage have been less studied. Inspired by the CERC model, this chapter concentrates on the social-mediated communication patterns of a disaster in the resolution
161
To achieve these goals, a number of studies have focused on disaster and risk
communication (e.g., Jin, 2020; Lachlan et al. 2014; Lin et al. 2016a, b; Spence
et al. 2015; Sutton et al. 2008). A majority of disaster and risk communication
research has been primarily built on cost–benefit analysis (Jin and O’Hair 2020; Zinn
and Taylor-Gooby 2006). In addition, social-mediated risk communication studies
merely analyzed the tweets posted by official accounts that have been shown less
active on social media (Jin, 2020; Lachlan et al. 2014; Lin et al. 2016a, b). Nevertheless, the knowledge gap between the public and emergency management experts
leads to the public’s uncertainty regarding management implementation. It is essential for disaster and risk management institutions to understand the public’s concerns,
uncertainty, and requests in a timely manner.
Particularly, the communication patterns of disaster vary across stages and hence
require emergency management institutions to utilize different communication strategies (Reynolds and Seeger 2005). The United States Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) adopted the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC)
model to train emergency management and risk communication practitioners to
build effective communication in emergencies, such as hurricanes. The next section
reviews the CERC model’s guidelines with a particular focus on the resolution stage’s
communication tasks.
9.2.1 Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Model
The CERC model integrates disaster and risk communication with crisis communication and assists relevant stakeholders to manage emergencies (Reynolds and Seeger
2005). According to the CERC model (Reynolds 2002; Reynolds and Seeger 2005),
there are five stages of crisis development: precrisis, initial event, maintenance, resolution, and evaluation. Each stage requires emergency management institutions to
utilize different communication strategies. For example, the major tasks of disaster
and risk communication in the precrisis stage include designing risk messages and
warnings, as well as other preparations. The priority of the initial event stage is to
reduce uncertainty and build reassurance. The maintenance stage requires more interactive communication between the public and emergency management institutions.
For the resolution stage, disaster and risk communication highlights the importance
of having open discussions about the causes of the crisis and relevant stakeholders’
responsibility and responses to emergencies. Effective disaster and risk communication in the resolution stage will aid the public to fully understand the risk and help the
relevant stakeholders to recover a positive reputation (Lachlan et al. 2016; Reynolds
and Seeger 2005).
Previous studies have explored the social-mediated communication patterns of
disasters during precrisis, initial event, and/or maintenance stages (Lachlan et al.
2016, 2014; Spence et al. 2015), while the open discussions of disasters in the resolution stage have been less studied. Inspired by the CERC model, this chapter concentrates on the social-mediated communication patterns of a disaster in the resolution