Disaster Messaging Work Group

The RDPO Disaster Messaging Work Group (DMWG) collaborates to create consistent, cohesive, and trauma-informed disaster messaging that meets the language, disability, and cultural needs of the whole community. 

Chair: Laura Hall, Regional Disaster Preparedness Organization
Vice Chair: Bonny Cushman, Regional Water Providers Consortium

DIASTER MESSAGING INDEX

View our Disaster Messaging Index - a monthly compilation of resources related to disaster messaging, including general risk communication, hazard-specific communication, language and disability access, emergency alert and warning systems, etc.

If you have resources to share, send them to Laura Hall.

ABOUT THE DMWG

WE ASPIRE TO:

  • Represent our diverse region (geography, disability, income, race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, language background, housing status, age, etc.). 

  • Make all disaster messaging accessible. It is ethical, equitable, and inclusive to prioritize language and disability accessibility. It also aligns with the Regional Disaster Preparedness Organizations Guiding Principles and Equity Goals. 

  • Consider past trauma. Many of our communities are living with constant trauma, and many have been impacted by disasters recently or at some point in their lives. We do not show traumatic images of disasters. 

  • Co-create messaging with partners who represent communities most impacted by disasters. Include them in discussions before, during, and after content creation.

  • Avoid fatalism. Use positive, motivational, informative, and accurate messaging based on current social science. Recommended reading: Unthinkable by Amanda Ripley and The Big One podcast, Episode 8.

  • Employ cultural responsiveness and humility. Avoid anything that doesn’t translate easily to other languages and cultures. Use humor/lightness, but also use extreme caution with jokes. They must be easily translatable to other languages and non-dominant cultures and not offend anyone.

  • Use the Ironic Process Theory. Present the actions we want to see, not the opposite.

DMWG PROJECTS

CURRENT

  • Local Media & Disasters

  • Critical Safety Messaging

  • PublicAlerts.org usability testing, rebranding, and promotion

  • Systems & Standards in Public Information & Warning, including updates to Regional Joint Information System ConOps Plan

UPCOMING

  • K-12 School Messaging

  • Regional alert and warning signup portal alignment

PAST

COLLABORATION

The DMWG chair participates in a number of initiatives in order to inform DMWG work and advocate for the disaster messaging needs of the Portland Metro Region.

  • Local partnerships: Public Information Officers Work Group, Emergency Alert & Warning Work Group

  • Oregon partnerships: OR-ALERT Sub-Committee on Alerts and Warning Recommended Practices (SCRAP), Disability in Emergency Management Advisory Commission (DEMAC), OHA Disaster Resilience Learning Collaborative (DRLC)

  • National partnerships: Language & Accessibility in Alert & Warning Workgroup (LAAWW)

WORK GROUP MEMBERS

The DMWG includes 48 active members from the following agencies:

  • 211info

  • Care Oregon

  • City of Portland

  • City of Gresham

  • City of Troutdale

  • Clackamas County

  • Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency

  • Columbia County

  • Council for the Homeless

  • Health Preparedness Organization

  • Kaiser Permanente

  • Metro Regional Government

  • Multnomah County

  • Oak Lodge Water Services

  • Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officers

  • Oregon Department of Emergency Management

  • Oregon Health Authority

  • Portland Community College

  • Portland State University

  • Regional Disaster Preparedness Organization

  • Regional Public Health Preparedness & Response Programs

  • Regional Water Providers Consortium

  • Washington County