Welcome to the Cornell Risk Communication Research Group (RCRG). The RCRG consists of faculty, students, staff and collaborators who conduct research in the areas of environmental, health, risk and science communication. Our collaborators include representatives from the Departments of Communication, Entomology, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Veterinary Medicine and others.

 

Resources from DHHS

(1) Communicating in a Crisis: Risk Communication Guidelines for Public Officials.  Published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2005.

"Communicating effectively during a crisis takes planning; preparation; an understanding of communications protocols, messaging and the media; and the ability to manage the flow of information. Each is a challenge that can be met effectively, to the benefit of those receiving messages in times of crisis.Communicating in a Crisis: Risk Communications Guidelines for Public Officials is a brief, readable primer that can help you do just that.  It describes basic skills and techniques for clear, effective crisis communications and information dissemination, and provides some of the tools of the trade for media relations. It can help you prepare for meeting the important responsibility of communicating with the public both directly and successfully during a crisis."

Available for free: http://www.riskcommunication.samhsa.gov/index.htm

(2) Communicating about Pandemic Influenza. DHHS, in cooperation with the White House Homeland Security Council (HSC) and the CDC, has recently released several pandemic influenza preparedness plans. Public communication is an important component of these plans:

National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza (November, 2005)

National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza - Implementation Plan (May, 2006)

Interim Pre-Pandemic Planning Guidance: Community Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Mitigation in the United States (February, 2007)