WMO

Flood Communicationfrom the Global Perspective

Workshop on Flood Communication and Information Exchangein the Dniester River Basin

Lviv, Ukraine, 27-28 May 2013

Presentation outline

What is Communication? Six Ws Questions:

Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

Examples Challenges and Conclusions

What is Communication?

Interactional Communication Model (Schramm, 1954)

Six Ws Questions about Flood Communication

Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

Six Ws Questions: Who?

Main partners in Flood Communication: Flood managers Population Media Experts

(i.e. social and

behavioural experts)

Six Ws Questions: What?

Information to be included Location Time Advice on behaviour Explanations about warning level scales

Data, especially real-time data Uncertainty

Six Ws Questions: When?

FC as an ongoing activity Before flood events: Prevention

Education of the population Training of staff

During flood events: Warning Real-time data Advice on what to do/not to do

After flood events: Relief Relief measures and compensations Feedback Future strategies

Six Ws Questions: Where?

FC as a multiscale activity Regional level

Cross-border exchange of information Common training Coordination

National level Special attention to remote areas

Local level Interaction with people directly affected

Six Ws Questions: Why?

Effectiveness of Flood Management is closely related to Risk Perception

“Intuitive risk judgments of individuals and social groups in the context of limited and uncertain

information” (Slovic, 1987)

Risk perception can differ from objective risk

Six Ws Questions: Why?

Social Amplification of Risk Framework

Filters in the communication chain of risk events amplify or attenuate their perception, in turn causing all kinds of secondary social, political, and economic consequences on perception of a more consistent risk.

Factors influencing amplification or attenuation of risk:Personal characteristicsSituational factorsRisk characteristics

Six Ws Questions: How?

Development of a Communication Strategy Communication Plan

Objectives Target audience and its perceptions and needs Means and technology

Dissemination Plan Timing and Frequency Horizontal Coordination Vertical Coordination

Ex-post Evaluation Process evaluation Impact evaluation

Six Ws Questions: How?

Features of an effective message

Be intelligible Be positive Be clear on uncertainties Be inclusive

Examples

Negative Genova, Italy, 4 November 2011

6 victims, due to inadequate preparedness and wrong communication

Positive www.vigicrues.gouv.fr,

Vigicrues: Information sur la vigilance "crues ", French Ministry of Ecology,

Sustainable Development and Energy National and local information Interactive map Legend Maximum level of alert Advice on behaviour Link to "Carte de vigilance de Météo-France"

15

Serbian Dept. of the Interior’s brochure

Public education Synthetic information Suitable for different

kinds of public What to do/not to do

16

Available at: prezentacije.mup.gov.rs/svs/HTML/Vanredne%20situacije_Cirilica_FINAL.pdf

17

Flood Patrol, Smartphone App,

Philippines’ Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH)

Real-time data and warnings Crowdsourcing Interactive map Legend

18

Discover Floods, Booklet

APFM and Project WET’s KIDs Activity

Addressed to childrenUse of images and coloursSimple languageEducational games and activities

19

Available at: http://www.apfm.info/?page_id=1530

Challenges and Conclusions

Statutory liability Inclusiveness and coordination Adaptation to the audience

Thank you for your attention!