Targeting communication in disasters

This article presents the case why targeting citizen's needs matters in disaster communication to not only establish trust between citizens and organisations working with disaster risk management organisations but also to improve citizen engagement during disasters.

Key takeaways from the study are:

• Targeted communication is an effective strategy to meet diverse information needs for efficient and inclusive disaster risk management. 
• Targeting communication helps in building citizen trust and encourages citizen engagement in disaster risk management. 
• Use of digital media must be inclusive and ensure that the most vulnerable citizens have access and know how to use different forms of media. 
• Understanding population diversity, vulnerability, the local context and incorporating this into existing disaster risk management actions is key.