Implementation of a Risk Communication Plan

Implementation of a Risk Communication Plan Following the reported deaths of hundreds of birds in Esperance in Western Australian between December 2006 and March 2007, it was discovered that lead being transported through the towns port were responsible for their deaths. However, much of the community was unaware of this until it became public as part of the investigation into bird deaths in the local environment. Esperance saw itself as an idyllic rural community, with a sound economic basis, but removed from the problems associated with cities, such as pollution. Once the lead problem was identified, residents became very concerned about their childrens health and demanded immediate action. In order to address the concerns of the affected parties, a risk communication plan is essential so as the risk assessment team is able to improve risk understanding among target groups, disclose information about hazards to people whom might be exposed, legitimise risk-related decisions in favor of acceptance or rejection of specific risk sources. It also has the role to breakdown the risk management process to the target audience so that assessors can build up trust in the risk fairness of the management process while at the same ensuring that there is enough individual risk reduction information to improve public protection. Finally the risk communication plan promotes support towards the communicating agency as it provides guidelines for emergency situations and educates decision-makers about public concerns and perceptions. (Sue Lang, Lorna Fewtrell and Jamie Bartram, 2001, p.320) There are multiple stakeholders involved in this crisis, starting with the residents of the community, governmental departments such as the department of water, environment and planning, local businesses, the companies exporting the metals, the port authorities and media. A risk communication (RC) needs assessment was run prior in order to identify the major stakeholders involved in the in this crisis and to identify the issues of concerns of for each group, the goals from the interaction with each group and be able to choose and adequate technique of approach to each type of stakeholder. The RC needs assessment had led to understand that various stakeholders had different issues of interests and concerns and that whether their concerns were, the techniques of approach to them may overlap. The key stakeholders were identified to be the residents of Esperence, health department, water department, port authorities, tourism operators, business owners, the media, local authorities and department of environment, local government and department of planning. The key issues noted during the assessment were the risk to the health of the residents, risks to local businesses such as tourism, relocation of locals, and panic within the community due to health hazards. The table below identifies the issues that meant to be addressed in a risk communication plan and how they are link to the plans goal together with the activities needed to be carried out so as to reach the goals. It should also be noted that descending order of the issues representative of the priority given to each individual issue. (R Brian Pickard, Risk Communication Plan Guidance,   2013 p.24) ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED PLANS GOALS ACTIVITIES Local residents concerns regarding the hazards Provide the residents necessary   and adequate information to address their concerns Provide information to the residents by activities such as distributing information on physical or electrical mediums. Develop and maintain relationships and supports two-way communication with public community groups, and the news media. Concerns of the health department regarding crisis Provide them with the outreach of the crisis; how many people are affected and to which extent. Maintain direct communication for health persons via phone, email or in person. So that they received necessary data as they require it. Level of information between assessors and Department of water Share findings obtain through research to concerned department so it knows where they stand and how they can mitigate the situation Ensure that they receive   tangible information in terms of documents and findings which they can consult and base action plan upon Concerns about treat to local businesses. Assess impact of contamination on local businesses. Hold meeting with the concerned stakeholders and discuss ways by which they are being affected and try find solutions. Department of planning Provide the department expected outcomes in case of an imminent crisis Ensure that they receive   tangible information in terms of documents and findings which they can consult and base action plan upon Nature and types of information being released by the media Audit the quality of information being released to the press. Monitoring of information released through various media outlets; websites, newspapers, television and radio by appointing media trackers Threat to port activities and jobs at stake Assess situation and find possible links between issues and port. Minimize potential risk of activities shutdown. Meet with responsible of activities and discuss Communication at all stages of the program is important. People need to be informed about key developments so they will be able to make the most of the program. Information should be disclosed to community members throughout the program, especially before starting key activities, before making changes to the program and upon encountering delays. The order/timing in which information is disclosed to the various stakeholders depends upon who they represent in the community and the value of their feedback so that when a wider public is informed, the risk assessment plan has already been revised to that it understood by the majority of the stakeholders. The resources to be deployed for the risk communication plan relies greatly on the budget allocated to the assessment. While a great part of the resources remain man power which favors easier communication, builds up trust among the community, provides for skills for data collection and analysis depending upon the budget communication methods such as mass media and dedicated can employed, else inexpensive methods inexpensive, such as sharing information at community meetings, working with community and committees creating simple posters can be used., There are various challenges that might hinder the implementation of this; unwillingness for stakeholders to cooperate, coordinate risk communication messages among multiple communicators who are communicating about the same issue or time constraints. (Cabinet Implementation Unit Toolkit, 2013, p.3). The roles and responsibilities in order to implement the risk communication plan correctly are as listed below. ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES Public Information Officer Implement risk communication plan and directs information disclosure Provide information to stakeholder through various mediums Create and uphold two conversation between all stakeholders .Maintains current information summaries and/or displays on the incident. Responsible to communicate information to   pertinent staff Develop presentations for utility executives Prepare responses to constituent inquiries. Content and Message Coordinator Develops pathways to receive information rapidly from various institutes regarding public health emergencies and works with available subject matter experts to create situation-specific fact sheets and updates. Media Coordinator . Assesses media needs (e.g., briefings, statements) and bridges the gap between the public and sources Direct Public Outreach Coordinator Responsible for public service announcement and initiates telephone information line Partner/Stakeholder Coordinator Sets up communication protocols based on agreements with identified partners and stakeholders. Media Tracker Monitors available internally and externally identifies misinformation, provides, assess the quality of communication, takes action to amend wrong information, tracks press releases, monitors news outlets and web sites, and drives away (stories that may or may not be true)

The French and English Revolutions :: European Europe History

The French and English Revolutions THE FRENCH REVOLUTION The French Revolution was effected and caused by many things and people. Some people that had to do with the French Revolution were, Louis XVI, and, Marie Antoinette. Marie played an active role in the Revolution but suffered for her royalist sympathies. King Louis XVI also played an important role in the Revolution, seeing as how he was the king and all. When Louis XVI came to be King, he inherited a France in debt, and he was left with no choice but to raise taxes even though they were already high enough. This had made the people of France very angry. Paris had become furious and chose to make a big scene. This was also one of the causes of the French Revolution. Some believe that the MAIN reason for the Revolution was all based on, Louis, being too young and inexperienced to run an ENTIRE country by himself. He was only when he got married to Marie and he was only 20 when he officially became king of France. As the people of France grew more and more angry with Louis, it had started removing French Officials, such as, Tax collectors, and changing all of the kings appointed men to intendants. Pretty soon there were oaths and things for Louis to sign everywhere. Oaths such as the "Tennis Court Oath", and the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen", and the "Constitution of 1791." Two effects of the Revolution were, change the voting by head, giving the third estate an advantage because they had as many people as the first and second estates, and the beheading of King Louis XVI. This section has shown how the French Revolution was effected and caused by many things and people. THE ENGLISH REVOLUTION The English revolution was also effected by many people and things, just like the French Revolution. Some people having to do with the Revolution were King Charles II, and King James II. Charles and James both were kings of England for their own share of time, influencing the country and its motives. After a short bit, Charles died unexpectedly from natural causes at the age of 55. Then James, brother of Charles, became King. This was a reason for the Revolution in some people's eyes. The change of Charles to James was a stutter in the economy. It caused a major uproar, not against James, but just a lot of commotion and talk amongst the people.

Becton Dickerson

In your judgment, did Becton Dickinson have an obligation to provide the safety syringe in all its sizes in 1991? Explain your position, using the materials from this chapter and the principles of utilitarianism, rights, justice, and caring Becton Dickerson is one of the largest manufacturers of medical supplies,dominates the market in disposable syringes and needles. In 1986, BectonDickinson had acquired exclusive rights to a patent for a new syringe invented byCharles B. Mothball that had a moveable protective sleeve around it. The plastictube around the syringe could slide  down to rarely cover the needle. 992, a nurse, Maryann Rockwood, used a Becton Dickinson 5 cc syringeand needle to drew blood from a patient know to be infected with AIDS. Ms. Rockwood Worked in a clinic that served AIDS patients, and she drew blood from their patients several times a day. After drawing the blood on this particular day,she transferred the AIDS contaminated blood to a retile test tube called a restrainertube by sticking the needle through the rubber stopper of the lest tube, which shewas bolding with her other hand. She accidentally pricked her finger with thecontaminated needle. She is now HIV positive.For removing this problem, on December 23. 1996, the U. S patent officeissued patent number 4,631,05y to Charles B Mitchell for a syringe with a tubesurrounding the body of the syringe that  could be pulled down to cover and  protectthe needle on the syringe. As Mitchell noted in  his patent application, those devicesall suffered from serious drawbacks. One of them would not lock the protectivecover over the exposed needle, one was extremely complex, another much longerthan a standard syringe and  difficult to use, and a fourth was designed primarily foruse on animals.So, it can be said that Becton Dickinson has not an obligation to provide thesafety syringe in all its sizes. The company decided to market only a 3 cc versionof the protective sleeve. For 5 years, B ecton Dickinson manufactured only 3 ccsafety syringes. Utilitarianism, rights, Justice and caring: The principle of Latinityrequires that wherever we have a choice between a  native actions or social policies,we must choose the one that has the best overall consequence for everyoneconcerned. Denton Dickinson had at least four other patents for needle-shieldingdevices.There included ICC, 3 cc, 5cc, and to cc syringe. However, the companydecided to market only a 3 cc version of the protective sleeve. The a cc syringes account for about help of all syringe used, although the larger size 5 cc and 10 ccstringer-are preferred by nurse when  drawing blood. Should manufacturers be held liable for failing to market all the products for which they hold exclusive patents when someone’s injury would have been avoided if they had marketed those products? Explain your answer. Yes, they should be. It is their legal and moral obligation to do so.

Profile of Demeter the Greek Goddess

Demeter is a goddess of fertility, grain, and agriculture. She is pictured as a mature motherly figure. Although she is the goddess who taught mankind about agriculture, she is also the goddess responsible for creating winter and a mystery religious cult. She is usually accompanied by her daughter Persephone. Occupation: Goddess The family of Origin: Demeter was a daughter of the Titans Cronus and Rhea, and so a sister of the goddesses Hestia and Hera, and the gods Poseidon, Hades, and Zeus. Demeter in Rome: The Romans referred to Demeter as Ceres. The Roman cult of Ceres was initially served by Greek priestesses, according to Cicero in his Pro Balbo oration. For the passage, see Turas Ceres. In Graeco Ritu: A Typically Roman Way of Honoring the Gods [Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, Vol. 97, Greece in Rome: Influence, Integration, Resistance (1995), pp. 15-31], author John Scheid says the foreign, Greek cult of Ceres was imported to Rome in the middle of the third century B.C. Ceres was also referred to as Dea Dia in connection with a three-day May Ambarvalia festival, according to Tibullus and the Ambarvalia, by C. Bennett Pascal, in The American Journal of Philology, Vol. 109, No. 4 (Winter, 1988), pp. 523-536. Also see Ovids Amores Book III.X, in an English translation: No Sex -- Its the Festival Of Ceres. Attributes: The attributes of Demeter are a sheaf of grain, a conical headdress, a scepter, a torch, and a sacrificial bowl. Persephone and Demeter: The story of Demeter is usually combined with the story of the abduction of her daughter Persephone. Read this story in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter. Eleusinian Mystery: Demeter and her daughter are at the center of the widest spread Greek mystery cult -- the Eleusinian Mysteries -- a mystery religion that was popular in Greece and in the Roman Empire. Named for the location in Eleusis, the mystery cult may have started in the Mycenaean period, according to Helene P. Foley, in The Homeric hymn to Demeter: translation, commentary, and interpretive essays. She says that substantial remains of the cult begin in the 8th century B.C., and that the Goths destroyed the sanctuary a few years before the start of the fifth century A.D. The Homeric Hymn to Demeter is the oldest record of the Eleusinian Mysteries, but it is a mystery and we dont really know what transpired. Mystery Cults of the Ancient World Review Myths Involving Demeter: Myths about Demeter (Ceres) re-told by Thomas Bulfinch include: ProserpineThe Rural DeitiesCupid and Psyche Orphic Hymn to Demeter (Ceres): Above, I provided a link to the so-called Homeric Hymn to Demeter (in public domain English translation). It tells of the abduction of Demeters daughter Persephone and the trials the mother went through to find her again. The Orphic hymn paints a picture of the nurturing, fertility goddess. XXXIX.TO CERES. O Universal mother, Ceres famdAugust, the source of wealth, and various namd: 2Great nurse, all-bounteous, blessed and divine,Who joyst in peace, to nourish corn is thine:Goddess of seed, of fruits abundant, fair, 5Harvest and threshing, are thy constant care;Who dwellst in Eleusinas seats retird,Lovely, delightful queen, by all desird.Nurse of all mortals, whose benignant mind,First ploughing oxen to the yoke confind; 10And gave to men, what natures wants require,With plenteous means of bliss which all desire.In verdure flourishing in honor bright,Assessor of great Bacchus, bearing light: Rejoicing in the reapers sickles, kind, 15Whose nature lucid, earthly, pure, we find.Prolific, venerable, Nurse divine,Thy daughter loving, holy Proserpine:A car with dragons yokd, tis thine to guide, 19And orgies singing round thy throne to ride: 20Only-begotten, much-producing queen,All flowers are thine and fruits of lovely green.Bright Goddess, come, with Summers rich increaseSwelling and pregnant, leading smiling Peace;Come, with fair Concord and imperial Health, 25And join with these a needful store of wealth. From: The Hymns of OrpheusTranslated by Thomas Taylor [1792]