CDC Responds

As part of the CDC's response to the anthrax attacks of 2001 and other terrorism-related concerns, the CDC Office of Communication put together a special tailored version of CDCynergy devoted to Emergency Risk Communication. This edition of CDCynergy outlines three phases of crisis and emergency communication planning and implementation: pre-event, event, and post-event phases.

This useful planning tool provides practical, easily-accessible templates, checklists and source documents that health communicators can use during all phases of crises: before, during and after.

The interactive CD ROM features step-by-step, what-to-do and how-to-do-it tutorials. These guide the user— whether novice or expert— in developing and implementing an Emergency Risk Communication plan. The disc also features "video consultants", a wealth of current references and resources, and four fact-based scenarios that test the user's handling of crisis situations.

In addition to CDCynergy, CDC has conducted trainings in crisis and emergency risk communication. These trainings are designed for public health workers and contractors, both inside and outside the government. The goal of the trainings is to develop and disseminate tools and curricula to help professionals prepare for and respond to public health emergencies. Train-the-trainer materials are available for those who wish to conduct trainings sessions within their own organizations or networks.

To capture the lessons learned during the anthrax attacks of 2001, CDC sponsored a special issue of The Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives (Fall 2003). The issue presents articles on health literacy, media monitoring, and other topics related to public health-related crisis communication, and commentaries from public and private sector communication experts.