Risk and Crisis Communication

Book excerpt: Risks are all around us. From catastrophic weather events to gun violence, from infrastructure failings to financial devastation...we live with the threat of risk every day. How do we get those who are at risk, or who have already been impacted by crisis, to do what they need to do to minimize the risk? We need to get information to the right audience, get them to take the risk seriously, and get them to act in a manner that makes sense. There is a distinction between crisis communication and risk communication, and that is an important point that is discussed throughout the text. Risk and Crisis Communication explores the different types of crisis and risk communication, the manner in which it affects different audiences, various ways of understanding these communicator efforts, and best practices in communicating in a manner that minimizes harm.