Risk Communication at the Neighborhood Level Following Superstorm Sandy

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The decades-old discussion continues as to why practitioners and researchers cannot seem to connect so that research findings might have a greater influence on risk communication practice. An even greater gap exists between practitioners of risk communication and the public audiences with whom they are
attempting to communicate. “Good risk communication can rally support, calm a nervous public, provide needed information, encourage cooperative behaviors, and help save lives” (Covello, 2006, p. 25). One way to improve risk communication, especially in vulnerable communities, is to train community volunteers to create and implement their own risk and crisis communication structure. Training on risk communication was initiated, and continues, in New York and New Jersey in neighborhoods impacted by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. This case study reports the training provided to several neighborhood volunteer organizations to improve risk communication and immediate disaster response going forward.