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Title: Risk communications and the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program

Conference ·
OSTI ID:282336
 [1]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

One of the greater challenges the Army faces is effectively dealing with the concerns of the public, local officials and the news media on the disposal of aging chemical agents. This paper describes the method developed for the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP). The purpose was to provide a fairly comprehensive document on risk communication research and recommended practices as they related to the CSEPP. Using the communications perspective suggested by Covello and colleagues, the existing practices of communicating risk information about chemical weapons and the associated efforts in emergency planning, storage and eventual disposal are described. Risk communication problems specific to the CSEPP are then examined and described via scenarios. A framework is developed that distinguishes between the major components of risk communication, flow and intent. Within this framework, the research and recommendations are summarized as to direction of flow -- dialogue, or two-way interaction, versus monologue, or one-way communication -- and that of intent -- exchange versus persuasion. The findings and recommendations are synthesized and related to risk events for the CSEPP as posited in the scenarios.

OSTI ID:
282336
Report Number(s):
CONF-9505224-; ISBN 1-56555-079-X; TRN: IM9638%%134
Resource Relation:
Conference: International Emergency Management and Engineering Society, Nice (France), 9-12 May 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of The international emergency and engineering conference 1995: Proceedings. Globalization of emergency management and engineering: National and international issues concerning research and applications; Sullivan, J.D. [ed.] [Optimal Systems, Inc., Dallas, TX (United States)]; Wybo, J.L. [ed.] [Ecole des Mines de Paris (France)]; Buisson, L. [ed.] [CEMAGREF, Saint-Martin d`Heres (France). Div. Nivologie]; PB: 600 p.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English