Item: Avalanche Canada’s Special Public Avalanche Warning: Development and Evolution of an Effective Risk Communications Tool
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Title: Avalanche Canada’s Special Public Avalanche Warning: Development and Evolution of an Effective Risk Communications Tool
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings 2018, Innsbruck, Austria
Authors:
- Mary Clayton [ Avalanche Canada, Revelstoke, B.C., Canada ]
- Karl Klassen [ Avalanche Canada, Revelstoke, B.C., Canada ]
Date: 2018-10-07
Abstract: In 2005, the forecasters and communications director at Avalanche Canada recognized an impending confluence of avalanche, weather and human factors that we were sure would increase the risk of serious avalanche involvements. We were confident that regular readers of our bulletins were aware of the situation. Our main concern was untrained and uninformed backcountry users, who do little in the way of planning or preparation, would be at significant risk of being involved in an avalanche. As a result, we created the first Special Public Avalanche Warning (SPAW), a communications tool that leverages the power of the mainstream media to amplify our message. This paper discusses the challenges faced in developing this product—specifically those inherent in dealing with the media, as well as objections from the professional community. It describes how SPAW strategy and execution has evolved to become an accepted, well-recognized and effective public avalanche safety communication tool. And it demonstrates that SPAWs complement traditional products such as forecasts, becoming an important addition to the holistic suite of products and services produced by Avalanche Canada.
Object ID: ISSW2018_O17.10.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s):
Keywords: Risk Communication, special public avalanche warning, media,
Page Number(s): 1536-1539
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