Risk communication Useful terms and definitions

[Robertsino]

https://www.who.int/risk-communication/ ... itions/en/

Useful terms and definitions
Below are some frequent terms and definitions that are used for practicing and testing risk communication skills.
Orientation exercise
The purpose of an orientation exercise is to discuss, consider and update existing emergency planning documents, organizational structures and early warning systems and to familiarize key personnel with emergency procedures and their responsibilities in implementing them. This may be done through lectures, panel discussions or general discussion and can include visual presentations. All personnel with a role in the emergency plan or procedure should participate. The exercise can also include a review of past cases, if any, for lessons learned.
Pre-screening of the national capacity, “Stress test”
Stress tests look at existing outbreak management capabilities of an organization, system or other entity. Frequently done as a pre-screening review, stress tests look at how an entity performed during a stressful situation in order to identify the gaps and needs for improvement.
The findings from a stress test provide information to the national authorities for scaling-up preparedness programs and capacity, and serve as the basis in designing preparedness exercises.
Table-top exercise (TTX)
A table-top exercise involves convening key emergency response personnel to discuss a simulated or imaginary emergency situation.
Designed as an exercise for filtering relevant information and making key decisions, participants are tasked to review and discuss the risk communication and related actions they would take at specified stages of the emergency. This allows for testing of emergency risk communication plans in an informal, low-stress environment.
Table-top exercises are often used to clarify roles and responsibilities and to identify additional threat mitigation and preparedness actions.
The exercise should result in action plans for continued improvement of the emergency plan. The scenario and script must provide very detailed information to recreate the events and facilitate understanding and monitoring of actions.
“Time jumps” can be used to simulate a long period of time in the imaginary emergency within a few hours. Table top exercises require minimal resources and money, and there are no major security risks since it takes place in confined space.

https://www.who.int/risk-communication/ ... x.pdf?ua=1

Drill
Drills are coordinated, supervised activities that are normally used to test a single specific operation or function; their role is to practise or perfect one small part of the response plan. In the context of risk communication, this type of exercise is useful to practice lines of communication, develop and gain official approval for key communication materials and practice spokespersons skills such as speaking with the media, using social media, engaging communities and other communication strategies.
It can also be used to practice and perfect emergency response safety measures such as proper hand washing, donning and doffing of personal protective equipment, accessing antivirals etc. Drills can be stand alone or organised and intertwined into the overall intensive training or program.
Simulation exercise (SimEx) a.k.a. Functional exercise
A simulation exercises is a fully simulated, interactive exercise that tests the capability of an organization or other entity to respond to a simulated emergency, disaster or crisis situation. Simulation exercises are normally run as field exercises and include a scenario that is as close to reality as possible. The scenario takes place in real-time, and requires a variety of resources to operate – both human and material.
SimEx’s are exercises for practical operations in which the participants’ actions are evaluated. The actions that are taken and the way decisions are made in response to the particular situation will determine the development of the exercise. Security plans may be needed should there be exposure to real physical risks and psychological support should be on hand due to the emotionally taxing situations that may arise.
Simulation exercise can be sector-specific or involve inter-sectoral coordination. For risk communication, simulation exercises have to integrate risk communication actions into other public health emergency response such as epidemiologic, information management, patient care, disease prevention and control, coordination of response, amongst others.

Full-scale exercise
A full-scale exercise simulates a real event as closely to reality as possible; designed to evaluate the operational capability of systems in a highly stressful environment that simulates actual response conditions. This type of exercise involves all the named responders in the plan, and requires deployment of personnel and equipment.
Common features on all of the above
Use of scenarios, developed from a script prepared in advance.
Produce evaluation, validation and updating of preparedness and response plans.
Facilitate training, evaluate tools and processes, and look at the decision making process and overall teamwork.
Require prior needs assessment with stakeholders to clarify the context and setting in which the exercise will be carried out.