Warning message construction: Choosing your words: Key considerations for writing effective warning messages (Australian Disaster Resilience Handbook Collection, Guideline 1)

This guideline is a companion document to the Public Information and Warnings Handbook (AIDR 2018). 1 It provides guidance on key considerations for writing effective warning messages, a proposed structure for a warning message, specific language to use when constructing messages, and suggestions for constructing warning messages for non-English speaking audiences. The words and principles identified in this guideline have been developed from related literature and from the preferences of community members. It is not, and cannot be, a totally prescriptive template for writing a warning message. Rather, it offers specific advice on effective words to use in constructing a warning message. It is not intended that this guideline contradict or determine local guidelines and systems; rather, it is intended to provide advice about word choices that are most effective in conveying particular concepts. It is expected it will provide practical word choice advice to complement existing systems relating to the issuing of warnings. Where groups of words are provided to convey changing degrees of seriousness or probability, these groupings reflect intuitive ‘levels’ for the community. They can be selectively integrated with existing categories or scales, in use by statutory providers of warnings. It is recommended that consideration of appropriate wording against a variety of scenarios and incident levels be regularly undertaken as part of planning, preparation and training programs. In this way, the information provided in this guideline can be considered in conjunction with the local circumstances and expertise of the emergency services to develop the best possible ‘template messages’, which can be quickly amended and used in times of emergency. As further information and research becomes available, future publications in the Australia Disaster Resilience Handbook Collection may provide additional guidance on how words and phrases can be supported by colour, symbols, and graphics such as maps to make warning messages more effective