Written for public administration officials, emergency managers, evacuation coordinators, and community leaders at the local and national level in the US and around the world, this guide addresses pre-disaster communication, especially how to inform communities about disaster risk factors, response plans, and emergency procedures. Using a systems approach drawn from the successes of the public health sector, Coppola, an independent consultant in emergency management, and Maloney (communication, Michigan State U.) provide the tools needed to plan, design, fund, and carry out public disaster preparedness efforts, as well as evaluate outcomes. Brief case studies of several emergency management public education programs are provided at the end. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Recent events worldwide have made disaster preparedness and disaster communication to the public a crucial concern. September 11th, the Indian Ocean tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and other mega-disasters have highlighted not only a woeful lack of community awareness of vulnerability but also the absence of a clear protocol for what to do as events unfold. The first book dedicated solely to the topic of pre-disaster communication, Communicating Emergency Preparedness: Strategies for Creating a Disaster Resilient Public presents the best ways to inform communities about disaster risk factors, response plans, and emergency procedures without fomenting panic or paranoia.

A public awareness campaign is the critical tool to help communities prepare themselves and to mitigate the human and economic impact of disasters. The authors provide an overview and history of public disaster preparedness education and then proceed to explore risk management and the development of a campaign strategy. They include specific instruction on how those charged with developing these programs can obtain funding from donors, foundations, and government grants.

Real Examples of Successful Programs

The second half of the book features a series of case studies which identify various public awareness campaigns that have been successfully conducted in different communities. The text provides program facts and contact information for those who designed and executed the campaigns to enable communities to model their own efforts based on what has worked in the past.

Recognizing that knowledge is the best defense, this comprehensive, practical resource provides public administration officials, emergency managers, evacuation coordinators, and community leaders at the local and national level with the background and tools needed to plan, design, and carry out effective public disaster preparedness campaigns.