Considering the Anthrax Attacks - Coursework Example

Conference 1#: Lindsay Congressional Research Service Report

The development of new technologies that emerged during the mid-1990s has led to the establishment of internet-based applications referred to as social media. This includes blogs, discussion forums, youtube channels, Facebook, and Twitter. Most importantly, social media has played an increasing role in emergencies and disasters. This report summarizes how social media has been used by emergency management officials and agencies.

It also evaluates the potential benefits and consequences of using social media in the context of emergencies and disasters. Generally, in the anthrax attacks, social media would have been used as a medium for conducting emergency communications and issuing warnings, receiving victims’ requests for assistance, monitoring users’ activities and postings to determine situational awareness, and using downloaded images to create damage estimates among others(1). For instance, in the attacks, social media would have been used to pass notifications by the use of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), emergency warnings, and alerts to citizens.

Besides, social media would have been used to alert emergency officials on the anthrax attacks by monitoring the flow of information from different sources to help in the reduction of the number of casualties. Conference 2#: Environmental Protection Agency Publication Risk communication refers to the interactive process of exchanging information and opinion among individuals, groups, and institutions involving multiple messages about the nature of risk. It is a science-based program for communicating accurately and effectively in cases of extreme stress and concerns.

Moreover, risk communication skills are imperative for the successful management of crises. One way to achieve effective risk communication, especially in the case of an anthrax attack is through message mapping. This refers to the tool of risk communicator that involves the use of clear and credible messages without any mental noises. The key elements of message mapping involve the identification of potential stakeholders in this case anthrax spread by a terrorist. Identification of stakeholder questions for instance “how first will the antidote spread?” leads to developing key messages by observing the templates and principles to target the specific audience. After this one develops supporting facts and later tests and practices these messages to confirm their effectiveness. Finally, the message maps are delivered using the appropriate information channels for instance in this case the local authorities can be used to alert the citizens. Besides, the most important rule in the seven general rules of communication is to meet the needs of the media because information travels faster through it.

Considering the anthrax attacks, the rule of listening to people was violated because rumors circulated in the media about assumptions and what people thought about the attacks some of which were false hence violating the rules.