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Crisis Communication Research Paper

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Over the past couple of years public safety agencies have discovered the importance of crisis communication; meaning that communication is key in crisis situations, whether it be the use of social media or building strong rapport with the public. Understanding that viewing the public as an asset instead of a burden can greatly improve the overall response in a crisis situation and lessen the burden on public safety professionals.
Crisis Communication
Partnership with Public Understanding that the public is a vital part of crisis management is essential for first responders. There are many misconceptions involving the public and their response to crisis; one of these misconceptions is the thought that the public will panic if they are given …show more content…

It makes sense that “the public responds much more positively to spokespersons that acknowledge their concerns and demonstrate human compassion for any harm that may have occurred” (Matthew, p. 241, 2006). This is because if the public believes that said spokesperson genuinely cares they will be less reluctant to questions any orders or actions that may have to take place.
Rules when Interacting with the Media
Do not lie It is important to never lie to a reported for two reasons; one being that said reporter may come to the wrong conclusion, and second being that it may effect a person’s credibility. Although you are there for the benefit of the reporter, it is important to remember that “of there is information that you cannot share, saying so” (Department of health and human services, 2002).
Never Embarrass To a reporter, reputation is everything; therefore, embarrassing a reporter not only impacts their career but also your credibility. In the news world information spreads at an alarming rate, if rumors spread about an individual who wilfully embarrasses there reporter, that individual will be hard pressed to find another reported to talk …show more content…

For example they may broadcast that they are looking for an individual with certain characterises and emphasis for people to stay away because said individual is dangerous. This allows people to be vigilant of that person and at the same time help the police if they happen to come across said individual.
Disadvantages of Social Media
Although social media has improves our rate of communication it is important to remember that it is not flawless. One example is the age demographic, the older generation might not have twitter or Facebook therefore, will not receive an agencies emergency post. At the same time the younger generation (8-16 years) might not be interested in police agencies Facebook pages therefore, they will also not receive an agencies emergency post.
The major flaw in the relationship between social media and police agencies it that they have to establish a relationship. People have to physically like or follow a certain group on Facebook or Twitter it is not automatic. A vast majority of people do not do this, for example the population of Edmonton as of 2011 was 812,200 yet the amount of people who follow the Edmonton police service on Facebook is only 89, 555 which equates to

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