Answer: Public officials must be prepared to communicate effectively with the public and the media
to deliver messages that inform without frightening and educate without provoking alarm
whenever acts of terrorism, mass violence, natural or other disasters, and public health
emergencies occur.
The purpose of this primer is to provide a resource for public officials on the basic tenets
of effective communications generally and on working with print, online, broadcast, and
social media specifically. The primer is not encyclopedic in nature, but rather an easyto-use pocket guide on the basic skills and techniques needed for clear and effective
communications, information dissemination, and message delivery.
Although this primer identifies principles relevant to and consistent with effective risk
communication practices, it is neither the definitive nor the final word on the subject.
Differing circumstances may raise unique questions that must be dealt with in unique ways.
While this primer cannot provide you with all the answers, it can prepare you to make the
decisions that will lead you to effective answers.
This guide focuses on the following areas:
• A brief orientation and perspective on the media for public officials, including
discussion of how the media thinks and works, and on the public as the end-recipient
of information
• Techniques for responding to and cooperating with the media in conveying information
and delivering messages before, during, ect.