By Allison G. S. Knox
Contributor, EDM Digest

In November 2017, the Mount Agung volcano in Bali began threatening to erupt, prompting Indonesian government officials to evacuate people from the area, among other emergency measures. Last week, the airport was finally closed, preventing people from coming to Bali.

From an emergency management standpoint, closing the airport was particularly important for managing crowds and reducing the overall number of people affected by the disaster. It was not surprising that a number of people expressed their frustration on social media sites; many travelers had their vacations suddenly cancelled by the airport closure. In many instances, some individuals sounded irritated at the thought of being inconvenienced by a volcanic eruption.

Are citizens in need of further training and education regarding emergency management efforts? Perhaps by improving educational awareness, there would be less public irritation and better understanding of emergency management principles.

Education Improves Public Understanding of How Emergency Management Works

Education can be the answer to helping a community understand the needs of emergency management or any other public policy. It is important for officials to effectively educate the public so they are aware of first responder needs.

For emergency management, educating the public can potentially reduce misperceptions and the number of unhappy messages posted on social media. Education can serve to manage negative feedback.

But such efforts are useful only when a large segment of the population can be educated. That is difficult when emergency-related issues don’t always pique citizens’ interest.

It is also difficult to sum up all of the numerous issues that arise during an emergency. It can be difficult for first responders to accurately convey all of the management and logistical needs involved in an emergency situation to people who are not trained.

Educating the public does not necessarily mean they will always agree with a decision made by public safety agencies. But that education could go a long way in preemptively managing the overall public reaction to an incident, especially if citizens understand how public safety decisions are made.