Choosing powerful words that signal risk and encourage action

This research was conducted as part of the "Effective risk and warning communication during natural hazards" project, which explored whether emergency communications - such as alerts that are sent out during bushfire or flood emergencies - can be adapted to better support community understanding, decision-making and protective behaviour. Researchers used risk communication and behavioural theories to determine whether risk and warning communications can be reinforced or adapted to better support community understanding, decision-making and protective behaviour during bushfire and flood emergencies.

There are two Hazard Notes presenting findings from this research, each relating to specific elements of Emergency Alerts and warnings that can be adapted to strengthen effectiveness:

• This Hazard Note (Hazard Note 110) reports on how words and phrases can be used to signal risk and trigger behavioural response during bushfire and flood emergencies.
• Hazard Note 111 examines the effectiveness of different Emergency Alert structures for bushfire and flood, which were co-designed with the Victoria State Emergency Service and Emergency Management Victoria.