Prepare one post addressing the following questions. Responses should be limited to 750 words (+/- 200 words). Ensure all references are cited. Use 200 to 250 words per item as your rule of thumb.
1. Discuss the importance of crisis communication, including how elected officials and government leaders (federal, state, local, and/or tribal) influence the success or failure of a response. What must be considered when framing the initial statements addressing a disaster or crisis and initial actions taken? Why is it important to leverage the Public Information Officer (PIO) in a disaster response? Discuss the role and function of the PIO.
2. Capturing and utilizing lessons learned through after action reporting, hotwashes, or other collection methods provide the basis for collecting lessons and observations for future planning and preparedness. What should post-disaster or post-crisis response evaluations include and why? What are the main barriers to applying lessons learned from previous crises or disasters to the next event, and how can the barriers be overcome?
3. What are the challenges that you see facing policy makers and government leaders in shaping public opinion and perception during a crisis or disaster?
4. Crisis and disaster situations often create ethical dilemmas for decision makers. How does the leader’s ethical framework impact the response effort? How important is a leader’s credibility and prior reputation in developing a crisis response communication strategy? Briefly discuss how leaders should handle an “ethical crisis” when wrongs are committed during crisis or disaster response actions. Is denial helpful? How might a strong Christian ethic assist in decision-making?
After posting your responses, review your classmates’ responses. Choose one classmate’s post and add to their discussion. Your response should be no more than 250 to 300 words based on academic references (cite your references)
Note: AI is strictly prohibited for use
All citations must include page number
References:
Boin et al – The Politics of Crisis Management – Chapters 5-7
Valcik & Tracy – Case Studies in Disaster Response & EM – Chapter 16
NOTE: This is a discussion post not an essay. In government/political science