The First Strike: Messages and Models

Background:  Communication in a radiation emergency must be delivered in a timely manner under difficult circumstances, including the potential loss of traditional channels. The complex nature of radiation can make efforts especially challenging.

Program background:  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has worked to create and refine audience-centric, plain language messaging about radiological and nuclear disasters. Content includes messages, fact sheets, infographics, glossary, trainings, and tools including a radiation hazard scale and thermometer tool.

Evaluation Methods and Results:  Messages and tools were tested with in-person focus groups to ensure usability and clear, concise language. Feedback was used to refine the content. Messages were incorporated into two national interagency communication plans, CDC’s web site and a “First Strike Communications Plan” for use by CDC during emergency events including a national exercise in April 2017. In drills leading up to the exercise, CDC pilot tested the First Strike Plan for clarity and ease of execution. Findings of the message testing include the following:

• Radiation concepts, terms, and risks are poorly understood, even among well-educated people.
• People do not like vague instructions, nor do they like messages that convey uncertainty.
• People resist “reassuring” messages.
• Many people will not shelter-in-place—will seek family and children even when it increases their risk.
• People will be more likely to take protective actions if they understand why.

Conclusions:  Communicators during a radiation emergency should consider giving prioritized action items in each message, tailoring messages for each phase of the emergency, providing hope without over-reassuring, and using visuals, among other findings. During an emergency event, communicators must be prepared for all scenarios with ready-to-go messaging for each phase of response and recovery.

Implications for research and/or practice:  The presentation will help the audience understand how subject-specific technical information can be turned into useful, actionable messages during an emergency, and provide knowledge about how to prepare the public health communication workforce for a radiation emergency.