Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
actual emergency response be necessary, cooperation and commitment supply the
means for orderly, timely decision making. It takes time to lay the groundwork
among the members to establish an approach to cooperative problem solving.
Industry should provide personnel to local planning teams and community plan-
ners should be invited to industry planning meetings.
PUBLIC INFORMATION
Public information has two roles in contingency planning: education about the
plan itself and notification of an emergency condition. The first is a public rela-
tions function and the second a necessary part of the plan itself.
Public Education
Residents and businesses in industrial areas are increasingly aware of potential
threats to their well being from industrial and transportation emergencies. The
more information citizens have about environmental conditions and potential
threats in their communities, the better equipped they are to participate in
measures for their own protection. The hazards in a community and what both
industry and the jurisdiction are doing to minimize the risks must be made
known clearly and explicitly to the public. Perception and truth can be the same
in the public eye.
People react differently to the same risk, depending on their backgrounds
and their level of risk acceptance. Voluntary risks such as smoking and not
wearing a seat belt are usually accepted, whereas the involuntary risks of expo-
sure to asbestos, contaminated drinking water, or a toxic plume are not. Health
risks, especially long term, are of primary concern to those who resent risks
not of their own choosing. While risk comparisons may be valid, it is bet-
ter to focus discussion on preventive measures, emergency preparedness, and
containment and remediation procedures. The public gets most of its informa-
tion through the media, which can sometimes oversimplify complex situations.
The key is to present essential factual information in readily understandable
terms.
When the first round of planning is complete and the plan is initially approved
by the planning committee, a familiarization program should be undertaken so
that citizens will understand their expected actions. Presentations to community
groups are good, but they may not reach all that could be affected. Experience
has shown that readily accessible emergency information presented positively
and in an attractive format is remembered and used. For example, one possible
method is the creation of an attractive calendar distributed annually to households
and commercial establishments that contains simple instructions for citizens to
follow. Another option is to provide the information on one- or two-page inserts
in local telephone directories. Public confidence is enhanced when citizens have
the factual information needed to make intelligent decisions.
