Citizens and the culture of inclusive policy-making

By including citizens in the process of drawing up guidelines and strategies for effective disaster communication, practitioners may also be able to utilise citizens’ local knowledge and collective memory in the development of a ‘culture of inclusive policy-making’ in disaster management: “In Parma, the Protezione Civile safety plans were shared with the population during creation, to give people the chance to contribute to them and use the citizen’s direct experience through years. Technicians are very capable [in their jobs], but the involvement of citizens who know what happens by memory and is in the meantime is involved in the creation [of guidelines]… makes populations [more] aware of what to do. And if this is not happening, they should publicize the plans once they get them in order to have people know what to do in case of emergencies” (G3; R8 - see source document for full reference).

Cultural Factors: Communication, Individual/collective memory

Hazards: Natural hazards, Man-made non-intentional hazards or emergency situations, Man-made intentional hazards

Disaster Phases: Response, Recovery

Types of Actors Concerned: National civil protection body, Local authorities

Recommendations:

• Inform citizens about the risk they may face and about possible actions and measures, they can take to reduce vulnerability and better prepare themselves
• Use cultural factors to improve the effectiveness of disaster communication