Disaster Messaging Work Group

The RDPO Disaster Messaging Work Group (DMWG) collaborates to create consistent, cohesive, and trauma-informed disaster messaging that meets the language, disability, and cultural needs of the whole community. 

Chair: Laura Hall, Regional Disaster Preparedness Organization
Vice Chair: Bonny Cushman, Regional Water Providers Consortium

DIASTER MESSAGING INDEX

View our Disaster Messaging Index - a monthly compilation of resources related to disaster messaging, including general risk communication, hazard-specific communication, language and disability access, emergency alert and warning systems, etc.

If you have resources to share, send them to Laura Hall.

ABOUT THE DMWG

WE ASPIRE TO:

  • Represent our diverse region (geography, disability, income, race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, language background, housing status, age, etc.). 

  • Make all disaster messaging accessible. It is ethical, equitable, and inclusive to prioritize language and disability accessibility. It also aligns with the Regional Disaster Preparedness Organizations Guiding Principles and Equity Goals. 

  • Consider past trauma. Many of our communities are living with constant trauma, and many have been impacted by disasters recently or at some point in their lives. We do not show traumatic images of disasters. 

  • Co-create messaging with partners who represent communities most impacted by disasters. Include them in discussions before, during, and after content creation.

  • Avoid fatalism. Use positive, motivational, informative, and accurate messaging based on current social science. Recommended reading: Unthinkable by Amanda Ripley and The Big One podcast, Episode 8.

  • Employ cultural responsiveness and humility. Avoid anything that doesn’t translate easily to other languages and cultures. Use humor/lightness, but also use extreme caution with jokes. They must be easily translatable to other languages and non-dominant cultures and not offend anyone.

  • Use the Ironic Process Theory. Present the actions we want to see, not the opposite.

DMWG PROJECTS

CURRENT

  • Local Media & Disasters

  • Critical Safety Messaging

  • PublicAlerts.org usability testing, rebranding, and promotion

  • Systems & Standards in Public Information & Warning, including updates to Regional Joint Information System ConOps Plan

UPCOMING

  • K-12 School Messaging

  • Regional alert and warning signup portal alignment

PAST

COLLABORATION

The DMWG chair participates in a number of initiatives in order to inform DMWG work and advocate for the disaster messaging needs of the Portland Metro Region.

  • Local partnerships: Public Information Officers Work Group, Emergency Alert & Warning Work Group

  • Oregon partnerships: OR-ALERT Sub-Committee on Alerts and Warning Recommended Practices (SCRAP), Disability in Emergency Management Advisory Commission (DEMAC), OHA Disaster Resilience Learning Collaborative (DRLC)

  • National partnerships: Language & Accessibility in Alert & Warning Workgroup (LAAWW)

CURRENT MEMBERS

As OF JANUARY 2025

  1. Afiq Hisham, Washington County

  2. Alice Busch, Multnomah County

  3. Alita Fitz, Washington County

  4. Aly Hoffman, Multnomah County

  5. Andrew Hahn, Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency

  6. Angela Carkner, RDPO

  7. Audrey Zunkel-deCoursey, City of Portland

  8. Bill Conway, Clackamas County

  9. Bill Stephins, Kaiser Permanente

  10. Bonny Cushman, Regional Water Providers Consortium

  11. Brenna Cruz, Clackamas County

  12. Calvin Hoff, Multnomah County

  13. Dakota Karlsen, Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency

  14. Dan Douthit, City of Portland

  15. Diego Basabe, Multnomah County

  16. Erin Wecker, Oak Lodge Water Services

  17. Erin Zysett, Oregon Department of Emergency Management

  18. Felicia Heaton, City of Portland

  19. Gabriel Hernandez, Multnomah County

  20. Gail Zuro, Multnomah County

  21. Heather Sielicki, 211info

  22. Iden Campbell, Council for the Homeless

  23. Jacinta Cruz, Health Preparedness Organization

  24. Jamie Bash, Oregon Health Authority

  25. Jaymee Cuti, City of Portland

  26. Jennifer Stacey, Port of Portland

  27. Jessica Kosydar, Columbia County

  28. Jessica Meza-Torres, City of Portland

  29. Kate Szrom, Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officers

  30. Kelle Landavazo, City of Gresham

  31. Kimberlee Ables, Metro

  32. Laura Hall, RDPO

  33. Lauren Frank, Portland State University

  34. Lorraine Churchill, Portland Community College

  35. Lucy Rowing, Oregon Health Authority

  36. Lydia Ledgerwood, Multnomah County

  37. Mark Pacheco, Columbia County

  38. Mary Ellen Winterhalter, Clackamas County

  39. Melissa McKinney, Regional Public Health Preparedness & Response Programs

  40. Pilar Montejo, Regional Public Health Preparedness & Response Programs

  41. Regina Ingabire, City of Portland

  42. Richard Higgins, Multnomah County

  43. Roberta Mesa, Care Oregon

  44. Sandy Glantz, City of Troutdale

  45. Shaun Brown, Columbia County

  46. Shirley Blake, Oregon Department of Emergency Management

  47. Stephanie Yao Long, City of Portland

  48. Tatiana Elejalde, City of Portland