Responding
effectively to a pandemic event pivots on a number
of key capabilities, with swift, prudent communication
among the most important. The September 11, 2001,
terrorist attacks in New York and at the Pentagon,
and the devastation caused by hurricanes Katrina
and Rita in New Orleans, underscored how response
and recovery can be hampered severely by shortcomings
in the ability of key personnel to communicate
with each other.
In those cases, and in many similar but smaller-scale
emergencies around the country, incompatible
communication technologies, or incomplete and
inaccurate information, contributed to problems
in launching an effective response. Should
a pandemic event develop, such as the spread
of a new influenza strain, communication capabilities
before and during the event will be critical
to saving lives and preventing disastrous impacts
on the economy of the United States. |
This article was published
in the
Fall
2006 issue of Perspectives.
Please refer to our Terms
of Use policy regarding acceptable
use of content on the ICF International
Web site. |
|
 Natural disasters and terrorist
attacks occur at a specific point in time and in a
specific location. Emergency resources are then deployed
primarily to respond and recover.
Pandemic events are
fundamentally different, and the implications for strategic
communication planning and execution are enormous.
Infrastructure will be intact, but absenteeism could
approach 40 percent in businesses, organizations, and
government agencies that normally provide support and
services. A pandemic event could last for weeks and
then return in waves, sparking fear and anxiety in
citizens as they try to protect themselves and family
members. This anxiety is likely to increase as people
seek medical and other services that are both understaffed
and overwhelmed.
"Traditional crisis communication
plans will be inadequate,” said Tony Silva, an
ICF International senior vice president in strategic
communications. “Organizations
in the public and private sectors will pay a high price
if their plans and procedures are not adjusted well before
a pandemic event occurs."
Another key distinction
of pandemic events is the vital role of individuals
rather than emergency responders or medical personnel.
Disease is spread individually and, as
a result, communication about risk and the importance
of specific behaviors is fundamental to controlling
and containing an outbreak. The ability to communicate
with clarity, assurance, and authority is essential
and must be planned for as comprehensively as any
other aspect of a pandemic event response, which is
affirmed in the federal implementation plan. “The
public will respond favorably to messages that acknowledge
its concerns, allay anxiety and uncertainty, and
provide clear incentives for desirable behavior.”1
History shows that pandemic disease outbreaks can
move with ferocious velocity around the globe. A
pandemic influenza can make its way across the country
within two months of the initial human contact in
a foreign land. Such rapid spread can create tremendous
difficulties for public health officials, who must
coordinate an effective response, and has complex
implications for developing and implementing a valuable
communication strategy.
Three primary areas of concern
for any public or private organization that wants to
be prepared for pandemic influenza or other outbreak
are the public’s:
- perceived risk
- understanding of individual responsibilities
- ideal
behavioral response
The public reaction to pandemic
influenza will depend on the quality, credibility,
and timeliness of the communication. Considering the
speed of a pandemic event, advance planning and established
procedures will distinguish those organizations that
respond adequately and those that fall short. According
to federal planning documents, “…the need
for timely, accurate, credible, and consistent information
that is tailored to specific audiences cannot be overstated.”2
Federal officials add: “Recognizing that more
that 85 percent of the critical infrastructure
is owned and operated by the private sector, the development
of public-private partnership is paramount to
securing our Nation’s assets.”3
The majority of response actions will have to
be coordinated down to the community level, making
strategic communication imperative for private
sector organizations, as well as state and local
government agencies.
Both public and private organizations that want to
be fully prepared for pandemic events will need
to incorporate the following factors into their planning.
These include an ability to:
- identify and train a pool
of spokespersons
- develop several layers of redundancy
(i.e., cross-training) for personnel responsible
for gathering and disseminating information
- create specific
plans and procedures that anticipate a 40-percent
absentee rate lasting several weeks (i.e., workload
shifting to and among homebound employees)
- provide guidance in
the absence of complete or detailed information (i.e.,
having up-to-date “tip
sheets” on influenza mitigation)
- update
and verify information as it becomes available
(i.e., access to key information sources
like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
- communicate critical
information to key audiences across multiple platforms
to compensate for potential interruptions in normal
communication procedures
- communicate in multiple languages
- coordinate messages
among public and private organizations
- establish a clear
distinction between messages designed for the health
of the organization and messages targeted at the
health of the individual
"One of the biggest shortcomings of traditional
disaster and crisis communication plans,” said
Silva, “is the assumption that all
staff are available and that all the
services the public normally depends on will
be functioning. While the phones and e-mail will
be operational, the people who are needed to
gather and share critical information might be
out of their offices for weeks, which will have
a devastating impact on the communication capabilities
of potentially every organization in the country.”
Another shortcoming is
the failure to use the time we have now to develop and even begin implementing
an effective crisis communication strategy.
A wealth of information on individual and organization-wide
actions that can and should be distributed
is already available. For example, every organization
should have available tip sheets on topics such as
social distancing, coughing etiquette, and basic health
procedures. Materials should be assembled in
advance, distributed to key personnel within organizations,
and updated regularly as new information becomes
available.
Employees within an organization
and the public at large need to have confidence in
the messages they receive. Individuals will expect
clear and specific information about how to care
first for themselves and their families. Once these
fundamental concerns are addressed, people can feel
more confident about fulfilling essential functions,
such as reporting for work and maintaining the underpinnings
of a sound economy and essential public services.
The President’s
National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza
|
Three Pillars |
Three Strategic Goals |
The Planning Imperative |
“The President announced the National Strategy
for Pandemic Influenza on November 1, 2005. The
strategy provides a high-level overview of the
approach that the U.S. Federal Government will
take to prepare for and respond to a pandemic,
and articulates expectations of non-federal entities
to prepare themselves and their communities. The
strategy contains three pillars:
(1) preparedness
and communication;
(2) surveillance and detection;
and
(3) response and containment.”
(Ch.
1, p. 1) |
“The overarching strategic goals of
the
strategy are to:
(1) Stop, slow, or limit the spread of disease;
(2) Mitigate disease, suffering, and death;
and
(3) Sustain infrastructure and mitigate impact
to the economy and the functioning of society.
These
goals are not sequential but mutually supportive.
The objective of the strategy is to accomplish
all three goals, to whatever extent possible,
at all times during a pandemic.”
(Ch. 6, p. 100) |
“The Implementation Plan (Plan) for
the strategy makes it clear that every segment
of society must prepare for a pandemic and will
be a part of the response. The Plan further recognizes
that the federal government must provide clear
criteria and decision tools to inform state,
local, and private sector planning and response
actions, and that federal agencies must be prepared
to supplement and support state and local efforts
where necessary and feasible.”
(Ch. 1, p.
1-2) |
For more information on how ICF’s emergency
response and communication expertise can help your
organization meet federal guidelines for preparing
an effective strategic communication plan, contact info@icfi.com or
1.703.934.3603, or visit icfi.com/pandemic.
1National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza:
Implementation Plan. May 2006, p. 8-9.
2National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza:
Implementation Plan. May 2006, p. 20.
2National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza:
Implementation Plan. May 2006, p. 168.
|
