Disaster Risk Communication Research Articles

Strengthening Disaster Risk Communication: Insights from Emergency Operation Centers in Saudi Arabia

Effective risk communication is essential for coordinated disaster response, particularly among Emergency Operation Center (EOC) leaders managing crises. This study assesses the perceptions of EOC leaders in Saudi Arabia regarding key risk communication challenges, focusing on clarity, transparency, and consistency. Using a purposive sample of 95 EOC leaders, the study employed a structured survey to gather data on various aspects of disaster communication. Results indicated high ratings for the clarity and accessibility of information, though transparency and consistency scored lower, revealing gaps in cross-agency communication. Notable correlations between trust, reliability, and transparency suggest that strengthening one element may reinforce others, promoting cohesive disaster response. Qualitative responses highlighted the need for standardized protocols, real-time updates, and culturally adaptive messaging suited to the regional context. The findings emphasize practical steps, including centralized communication channels, designated spokespersons, and training programs tailored to EOC leaders’ unique needs. These measures, emphasizing clarity, consistency, and trust, can improve inter-agency coordination and strengthen disaster resilience. This study contributes to the literature on disaster management by providing insights into the Saudi Arabian context, with implications for policy and practice in risk communication.

Disaster Communication in Forest and Land Fire Management in South Kalimantan

The recurrence of forest and land fires in the South Kalimantan region can be attributed to the insufficient implementation of disaster risk communication. Hence, it is imperative for this study to address the topic of disaster risk communication as a means of mitigating forest and land fires in the region of South Kalimantan. This study addresses the scientific subject of why the southern Kalimantan provincial government is still struggling to coordinate the resolve of forest and land fires, despite the implementation of forest and land fire disaster control measures. The research methodology employed in this study utilizes a qualitative approach, namely of a descriptive nature. The data collection approaches employed in this study include interviews, documentation analysis, and literature review. This study aims to elucidate the dearth of educational information pertaining to the prevention and mitigation of forest and land fires within communities. The presence of suitable information and education boards is lacking. Despite the government's extensive endeavors in forest and land fire disaster management in the South Kalimantan region, the absence of an early preventive system pertaining to such calamities remains evident. The proper implementation of educational initiatives pertaining to disaster prevention and early detection has not been effectively carried out. The current state of optimizing information pertaining to public education within the realm of catastrophes remains constrained by the limited involvement of the government in actively engaging with other relevant parties, particularly the media.

Analysis of Disaster Risk Communication Strategies in the Disaster-Resilient Village Program in Sidomulyo Flower Tourism Village By BPBD Batu City

Disaster risk communication is an important thing to convey to the public so that they can recognize the potential and threats of disaster risk in the surrounding area. This research aims to analyze disaster risk communication strategies in the Disaster Resilient Village Program which has been carried out by the Batu City BPBD in the Sidomulyo Flower Tourism Village. This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study method to explore the communication strategies implemented to increase awareness and disaster preparedness among the people of Sidomulyo Flower Tourism Village. Data collection was carried out through observation, in-depth interviews and documentation studies. The research results show that the disaster risk communication strategy can be said to be effective because it is accurate and open. However, the Batu City BPBD is unable to reach all levels of society and has not established relationships with conventional media. This has been explained using five critical assumptions by Haddow and Haddow (2014), namely Customer Focus, Leadership Commitment, Inclusion of Communication Planning and Operations, Situational Awareness, and Media Partnership.

Information and Communication Theories in the Face of the Risks of 1948 to 2024

The objective of the present study was to review the literature with respect to information and communication theory. An exploratory and retrospective documentary study was conducted with a sample of sources indexed in indexed repositories. The results show the prevalence of five reactive dimensions to information, communication, opinion, meme and networks. In relation to the state of the art which highlights the importance of disaster risk communication, this paper highlights the importance of the literature review in order to model the relationships between the hegemonic categories. This paper highlights the importance of professional, academic and labor training based on the review of theories in the period from 1948 to 2024.

Challenges of disaster risk communication from the perspectives of experts and affected people: A conventional content analysis

Effective risk communication is essential for disaster risk management. It is necessary to understand the present contextual factors to select appropriate strategies to enhance risk communication. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the factors that create challenges for risk communication in Iran. Using a qualitative methodology, this research included 25 managers, rescuers, and event survivors with prior experience responding to disasters. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed using conventional content analysis. Data analysis resulted in the identification of four categories and eleven subcategories related to the factors that facilitated the formation of challenging risk communication. These categories include distrust (distrust in public warnings, public distrust in relief organizations), ineffective information dissemination (ineffective informing authority, irresponsible dissemination of information, negligence in information transparency), insufficient educational communication (limited training capacity, universal education restriction, extensive educational infrastructure), and uncertain warning messages (uncertain content of warning messages, alert channels diversity, delayed warning messages). Multiple contextual elements thus contribute to ineffectual risk communication, the most significant of which is diminished public confidence in relief organizations. Identifying these factors provides a basis for relief organizations to anticipate and plan long-term strategies to improve communication between relief organizations and the public, thereby increasing the preparedness of individuals for disaster response.

A methodology for identifying, documenting and extrapolating potential good practices in disaster risk management

Making evidence-based decisions in Disaster Risk Management is crucial for practitioners. However, it remains unclear how to systematically identify and characterize potential good practices to build upon available experiences. This paper proposes a methodology for identifying, documenting, and extrapolating potential good practices in Disaster Risk Management from the literature with a procedure that consists of five steps. Step 1 involves defining the general premises that guide the search for good practices based on well-established literature within a specific field. Step 2 selects a suitable framework to derive requirements that must be met by the practices. In Step 3, potential good practices are identified through the collection of case studies that encapsulate them, while criteria to select case studies are defined. Step 4 utilises a template to document the practices and their context of implementation. Step 5, finally, compares the practices described in the case studies against the requirements and general premises to extrapolate, among them, those practices that are potentially good (i.e., those that can work in similar contexts). To better illustrate its applicability, the methodology was implemented in the domain of disaster risk and crisis communication. The application of this methodology enables practitioners to capture features of a good practice in a given context and assess their replicability across contexts.

The Black Saturday bushfire disaster: found poetry for arts-based knowledge translation in disaster risk and climate change communication

ABSTRACT This research uses the arts-based research method of found poetry, the creation of poem-like prose from existing text, to share the lived experience of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfire disaster in Australia which killed 173 people. After outlining the processes, this paper applies found poetry to an existing text: Peg Fraser’s book, Black Saturday. Five found poems are shared, each conveying a different element of the disaster experience: “Armageddon,” “Go – GET OUT,” “Bushfire Chook,” “Resisting the Poetry Tree,” and “Lucky”. Compared to normal prose, there is an authentic and vulnerable vibrancy to the language of these found poems, which offer unexpected visceral insight into the bushfire experience – the fear, the heat, the confusion, the anger, and the loss. Poetry, which resonates and draws people in emotionally, has significant potential as arts-based knowledge translation in disaster risk and climate change communication.

The impact of risk communication, trust, and coping appraisal on individual preparedness decisions in geological hazard-prone areas

The favorable development conditions for hazards and the expansion of human activities have made the management of geological hazard risks in mountainous areas increasingly complex. It has been pointed out that deep participation of individuals in disaster governance within risk-prone areas is essential for socialized disaster reduction. There is a relative lack of research on the decision-making processes of individual geological disaster preparedness, in which the complex relationship between risk communication and disaster preparedness decisions deserves particular attention. This study constructed a model of disaster preparedness decision-making based on risk communication and protection motivation theory with risk information, fear, trust, and coping appraisal as factors, and collected and analyzed cross-sectional data in Ganluo County, Sichuan Province, China. The results show that risk information plays a significant positive role in promoting individual disaster preparedness willingness. Additionally, trust and coping appraisal have a significant positive impact on preparedness willingness and play a crucial mediating role in the influence of risk information on disaster preparedness decisions. Based on the model results and the field study, the rationality of the factors' performance in the model results and the reasons for the discrepancy with expectations, as well as the critical time and content of risk communication, are discussed. The research provides references for decision-makers to understand the process of public disaster preparedness decision-making and offers theoretical guidance and practical suggestions for geological disaster risk communication and risk governance.

Framing effects in disaster risk communication: the case of coastal erosion in the United States

ABSTRACT Governments have the duty to protect their citizens and to prevent natural hazards from turning into disasters. Therefore, they need to communicate effectively about disaster risk to potentially affected populations. We conducted three online survey experiments among United States residents (total N = 1673) to investigate how satellite images combined with information on past events of coastal erosion affect potential framing effects inherent to disaster risk communication. We found a strong framing effect in a decision scenario about human lives, which was reduced when adding an icon array to show the scenario. However, when validating these findings in a more realistic scenario in the context of coastal erosion, we found no framing effects in a risky choice situation and a goal framing setup. Adding satellite images to the textual description of the scenario made respondents more risk seeking and increased their stated behavioural intention to take preventive measures against coastal erosion. The overall awareness among respondents about the issue of coastal erosion was high, resulting in few risky choices and high levels of stated behavioural intentions. Our findings cast doubt on the strength of framing effects in real world scenarios, especially when people hold strong preferences about the issue at stake.

Disaster risk communication requires dissemination, dialogue and participation

Disaster risk communication requires dissemination, dialogue and participation

Reconnoitering NGOs strategies to strengthen disaster risk communication (DRC) in Pakistan: A conventional content analysis approach

Risk communication is crucial since individuals need to understand how they are at risk and what proper steps to deal with flood events. Sharing information with the public opens the door for two-way communication about risks, wherein you learn about people's perspectives and work together to find ways to mitigate the risks. Beyond government scope, relief organizations play a big part in advising individuals about the likelihood of catastrophic events as they possess the commonalities that define community engagement. In numerous accounts of devastating events, the failure of risk management groups to coordinate their efforts and the public's mistrust of relief agencies are highlighted. One possible explanation for this skepticism could be relief organizations' failures in communicating risks. In addition, individuals' lack of skills and experience with catastrophes has left rural residents unprepared, which is why relief agencies need to raise their efforts or measures to communicate with people about possible risks. If these measures are uncovered, it could improve public communication and provide information for formulating recommendations to prevent fatalities. This study identifies the strategies used by relief organizations in enhancing disaster risk communication across four severely affected districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The qualitative research used semi-structured interviews with 50 participants from relief organizations, local institutions, and affected households. We employed qualitative content analysis and NVivo software to analyze the data. The findings of this study highlighted some significant strategies that relief organizations adopted in this line of work: the administration of educational and information transmission, managing obstacles in communication, and managing inter-organizational communications. The findings validate the potential for relief organizations to become change agents, facilitate communication between the public and relief organizations, and ultimately strengthen community resilience and reduce disaster risks as part of local responses.

Communicating Risk: Developing a Disaster Risk Communication Model for School-Initiated Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Interventions

Informed by the constructivist grounded theory, the research set out with the general goal of understanding disaster risk communication as experienced by extension workers from selected Lasallian schools in the Philippines. The research specifically looked at how research participants from these selected schools define and understand the communication process and purpose in three DRRM phases: disaster preparedness and mitigation, response, and rehabilitation and recovery. Findings show that communication processes are distinctive in the phases of disaster and these processes are affected by inflexible communication system, dated engagement framework, and lack of DRRM training and education. The findings led to the development of a proposed disaster risk communication model for school-initiated DRRM interventions.

Utilizing information technology towards reducing forest and peatland fire risk in Riau Province, Indonesia

Forest and peatland fires have become a seasonal challenge experienced in Riau Province. This disaster causes huge economic and environmental losses, accompanied by its alarming impact on human health. The haze as a result of land burning in this province is known to disrupt activities in neighbouring countries causing political and diplomatic tensions. To reduce the risk of forest and peatland fire, the Riau Regional Police developed the Lancang Kuning Nusantara (LKN) digital application. This study examines the general role of the application in reducing forest and peatland fire risks. A qualitative descriptive approach is adopted in analysing the primary data obtained through focus group discussion. Data from secondary sources were also obtained. Results from this study indicate that the use of the LKN digital application in Riau Province has helped immensely in the area of disaster risk communication and logistics support.

A disaster scene simulation system in 3D for oil transmission stations: Design and implementation

The disaster scene in three-dimensional (3D) plays a crucial role in disaster emergency management and risk communication of oil transmission stations. However, existing research for the disaster scene mainly focuses on reproducing the disaster environment and rarely predicts the damage state of the disaster-affected object. This paper proposes an object-oriented modeling method that utilizes a multilevel decomposition pattern for disaster scenes. This method combines earthquake vulnerability assessment with 3D visualization technology to predict and characterize the damage state of critical infrastructure in oil transmission stations. To enhance earthquake risk perception, a simulation system is designed and developed, which allows for the construction of virtual scenes and quick simulation of disaster scenes in 3D. The case application shows that the system improves the 3D modeling efficiency of disaster scenes and enhances public awareness of earthquake risks. The simulation system can provide technical support for seismic mitigation planning and emergency management decision-making at oil transmission stations and has good application prospects.

Models and components in disaster risk communication: A systematic literature review.

Risk communication is considered a major factor in disaster risk management by the concerned policymakers and researchers. However, the incoherence of variables affecting risk communication in various studies makes it difficult to plan for disaster risk communication. This study aims to identify and classify the influential components in disaster risk communication. This systematic review was conducted in 2020. Databases included PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. In searching for articles, there was no limit on the date of publication and the language of the article. The research addressed both natural and man-made disasters. The Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA) checklist was followed throughout the research, and the quality of the papers was assessed using the mixed methods evaluation tool (MMAT). In searching the articles, 3956 documents were obtained, of which 1025 duplicated articles were excluded. The titles and abstracts of the remaining documents (2931) were examined, of which 2822 were deleted, and the full text of 109 documents was studied for further assessment. Finally, after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria and reviewing the full texts, 32 documents were considered to extract the data and for quality assessment. On studying the full text of the obtained documents, 115 components were found, which were classified into five groups (message, message sender, message receiver, message environment, message process) and 13 subgroups. In addition, the obtained components were classified as those proposed by the authors of the article and those obtained from disaster risk communication models. Identifying the effective components in the disaster risk communication gives a more comprehensive view of risk communication to the disaster managers and executives and provides the decision-makers with an important platform to be able to use the components of risk communication and increase the impact of messages and ultimately increase people's preparedness for disasters in planning operations for the risk communication.

Process and components of disaster risk communication in health systems: A thematic analysis.

This study has clarified and explained all the main components and measures of risk communication that can be used for planning scientifically.

Components of health system preparedness in disaster risk communication in Iran: A qualitative study

BackgroundRisk communication is a cross-sectional (Communication inter organizational, media and community level) and long-term process that plays a very important role in disaster management. Past disasters have showen that the health management system has not performed well in this area; it has taken a passive approach and had late and inadequate response. Therefore, the present qualitative study was conducted to identify the components of health system preparedness in disaster risk communication in Iran. MethodThe present study employed the qualitative content analysis method with the Graneheim approach and was conducted from October 2021 to March 2022. Twenty-one participants with practical experience or theoretical knowledge in the field of risk and public communication were purposefully selected. Participants took part in in-depth semi-structured to interviews data saturation. ResultsIn the first version, 452 initial codes were identified. After removal of duplicate codes and purification 190 codes ultimately remained. The components of disaster risk communication were classified into 5 categories and 19 subcategories: Situational analysis (information situation assessment, risk monitoring and warning, Functional and process situation, audience analysis),Establishment and risk communication management (Risk information, communication, planning and policy making, Process management and implementation, content of information), Education and training (senior and middle managers training, Expert training, training of media owners, public education), Monitoring and evaluation (monitoring and control, documentation), Logistic (human resources, funds, infrastructure, coordination and organization) Discussion and conclusionThe findings of this study show that the management of disaster risk communication and improvement of its process are critical for Iran and it should be considered as the first steps to disaster risk reduction based on the disaster management cycle. This dynamic process has various and board dimensions such as communication, planning, and coordination, which have been discussed in detail. This one-dimensional view of risk communication should be removed and all its dimensions considered by policy makers.

Effect of individual characteristics, risk perception, self-efficacy and social support on willingness to relocate due to floods and landslides.

People may have to leave their home, environment, region and country because of disasters or disaster risks. Effective and efficient disaster risk reduction activities involving the community can reduce disaster risks and enable people to reside more safely and peacefully in their environment. The objective of this study was to investigate whether individual characteristics, risk perception, self-efficacy and perceived social support were correlated with the willingness to relocate due to floods and landslides. The data were collected from 947 people residing in Gümüşhane Province (Türkiye) using a survey. In the study, a total of ten models were tested with the help of ordinal logistic regression analysis. Consequently, the participants' willingness to relocate due to landslides was determined to be higher than the willingness to relocate due to floods. University students and people with chronic diseases and flood and landslide experiences had a greater willingness to relocate. Residence duration and informal social support were negatively correlated with relocation willingness. Those who believed that they could protect themselves in the event of a flood and landslide were more likely to relocate. Among risk perceptions, probability increased relocation willingness mostly due to floods, while fear increased relocation willingness mostly due to landslides. This study attempted to provide policy makers and scientists insight into disaster risk reduction and disaster risk communication related to relocation.

Mapping the Global Evolution and Research Directions of Information Seeking, Sharing and Communication in Disasters: A Bibliometric Study.

This paper aims to grasp developments and trends in research on information communication, information seeking and information sharing in disasters during 2000-2021. By using bibliometrics software CiteSpace and VOSviewer, the development trends of publications, disciplinary, journals, institutions and regional cooperation are mapped. Keyword co-occurrence analysis is used to further identify the evolution of the research hot points and visualize the research orientation and frontier. The results indicate that the field of information communication in disasters has received growing attention from various disciplines. Results of institutions and regional cooperation show that worldwide cooperation is still lacking and needs to be strengthened in future studies in this field. The key findings are five main research orientations in this field based on keyword co-occurrence, which are public information coordination research, public information behavior and perception research, health information communication research, risk communication and social media research and information technology in emergency management. The findings of this paper can be helpful for academics and emergency managers in disaster information management and risk communication by giving them a comprehensive understanding of people's information communication, seeking and sharing.

Whispers of Nature: A Project Proposal on Women Participation in Crafting a Locally Adaptive Risk Disaster Communication Plan

The purpose of this project proposal is to unearth the narratives of women in Barangay San Jose which will form the basis for developing a locally adaptive risk disaster communication plan. Despite the dismay, sadness, and horryfing stories of women participants, the community-crafted communication plan will be an authentic expression of gender representation where women’s voice highlights a direct role in designing a pro-active risk disaster communication plan foregrounded on perceptions, experiences, and lessons learned under the three different phases of risk response: pre-disaster, during disaster, and post-disaster reponses in environmental disruptions. Thus, the proposed narrative-based communication plan will be utilizing descriptive phenomenology highlighting the lived experiences and interpretations of the women of Barangay San Jose. Following the crafting of the plan, its implementation will rest on the concerted efforts between the government, civic groups, stakeholders, and the community people in order to make the “Whispers of Nature” a truly authentic mirroring of women participation in disaster risk communication planning.