Seven Challenges for Risk Communication in Today’s Digital Era: The Emergency Manager’s Perspective

Ashley D. Ross (), Laura Siebeneck, Hao-Che Wu, Sarah Kopczynski, Samir Nepal and Miranda Sauceda
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Ashley D. Ross: Department of Marine and Coastal Environmental Science, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
Laura Siebeneck: Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76201, USA
Hao-Che Wu: Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76201, USA
Sarah Kopczynski: Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
Samir Nepal: Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76201, USA
Miranda Sauceda: Department of Marine and Coastal Environmental Science, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX 77550, USA

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 24, 1-22

Abstract: Risk communication plays a vital role in transmitting information about hazards and protective actions before and after disasters. While many studies have examined how risk communication and warnings influence household responses to hurricanes, fewer studies examine this from the perspective of the emergency manager. Given the rapid advancements in technology and the adoption of social media platforms, as well as the increasing prevalence of misinformation during disasters, a fresh investigation into risk communication challenges and optional strategies is needed. Therefore, this study addresses three research questions: (1) What channels do emergency managers rely upon to communicate with the public before, during, and after a disaster? (2) How do emergency managers assess and ensure the effectiveness of their messaging strategies? (3) How do emergency managers manage misinformation? The challenges experienced by emergency managers related to each of these issues are also explored. Data were gathered in July–October 2024 through interviews conducted with eleven local emergency managers located in communities along the Texas Gulf Coast. Based on the findings of a qualitative data analysis, this paper presents seven distinct risk communication challenges faced by emergency managers throughout the evacuation and return-entry processes that span the communication aspects of channels, messaging, and misinformation.

Keywords: emergency management; risk communication; digital era; misinformation; communication channels; protective action decisions; hurricane evacuation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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