Seismic Shifts: Communicating Risk to Coordinate Multi-Agency Disaster Preparedness
Tracks
Norfolk Room
| Tuesday, July 15, 2025 |
| 2:40 PM - 3:00 PM |
Overview
Caroline Rowe, University Of Otago
Details
Key Presentation Learnings:
1. Real-world examples of effective risk communication that drive disaster preparedness, using emotionally resonant strategies like storytelling and evocative visuals.
2. Insights into how boundary organisations bridge scientific expertise and stakeholder needs, supporting cross-boundary collaboration to enhance preparedness efforts.
3. Challenges in sustaining long-term disaster preparedness, particularly within strained emergency management systems, highlighting the need for continuous collaboration and iterative communication strategies
Speaker
Caroline Rowe
Phd Student
University Of Otago
Seismic Shifts: Communicating Risk to Coordinate Multi-Agency Disaster Preparedness
Abstract
The Alpine Fault runs 600 kilometres along the South Island of New Zealand, posing significant seismic threats to the country. The fault is known to produce large magnitude earthquakes approximately every 300 years. The last major earthquake occurred in 1717, and experts consider the next one to be highly likely within the next 50 years. This impending event has catalysed efforts to improve readiness and resilience. In 2016, a collaborative programme called AF8 [Alpine Fault Magnitude 8] emerged, bridging the boundaries of science, policy, and practice to facilitate multi-agency collaboration and drive disaster preparedness. Over the last 8 years, AF8 has demonstrated success in meeting its intended outcomes.
This applied research investigates AF8’s communication and engagement strategies. Thematic content analysis, surveys, and qualitative interviews are used to explore how AF8 developed reliable, relatable, re-tellable, and relational communication to build relationships, foster engagement, and drive preparedness within the emergency management sector.
Findings demonstrate that AF8 has improved both individual and organisational preparedness, by using a range of emotionally resonant communication techniques, including storytelling, certainty framing, evocative visuals, and messages of positivity and agency. These methods bring seismic risk to life, making messages vivid and memorable while encouraging both individual and collective preparedness. These techniques are underpinned by the efforts of boundary spanners, intermediaries who navigate the complex landscape of multi-agency collaboration and align scientific expertise with the needs of stakeholders.
The research highlights how AF8’s approach to communication and engagement has strengthened trust, networks and relationships, and prompted mitigation actions. It also underscores the challenges of achieving sustainable organisational change within a strained emergency management system. AF8 offers valuable lessons for refining risk communication strategies, fostering collaboration, and enhancing disaster preparedness in the face of increasing global disaster risks.
This applied research investigates AF8’s communication and engagement strategies. Thematic content analysis, surveys, and qualitative interviews are used to explore how AF8 developed reliable, relatable, re-tellable, and relational communication to build relationships, foster engagement, and drive preparedness within the emergency management sector.
Findings demonstrate that AF8 has improved both individual and organisational preparedness, by using a range of emotionally resonant communication techniques, including storytelling, certainty framing, evocative visuals, and messages of positivity and agency. These methods bring seismic risk to life, making messages vivid and memorable while encouraging both individual and collective preparedness. These techniques are underpinned by the efforts of boundary spanners, intermediaries who navigate the complex landscape of multi-agency collaboration and align scientific expertise with the needs of stakeholders.
The research highlights how AF8’s approach to communication and engagement has strengthened trust, networks and relationships, and prompted mitigation actions. It also underscores the challenges of achieving sustainable organisational change within a strained emergency management system. AF8 offers valuable lessons for refining risk communication strategies, fostering collaboration, and enhancing disaster preparedness in the face of increasing global disaster risks.
Biography
Caroline has returned to research after a career in communication and stakeholder engagement, most of which has been spent in the health and local government sectors. During that time, she has supported several emergency responses to natural disasters, including the Canterbury and Kaikoura earthquakes. She is researching the impact of communication and engagement of an Alpine Fault earthquake science and preparedness program. Caroline is researching how effective the communication and engagement has been with emergency management agencies as they seek to prepare themselves and support their communities to build resilience ahead of an Alpine Fault earthquake.
