Re: Talking to the "public"

[sandy_perle@email.fpl.com]

     Very well stated. I have the dubious honor to communicate with the 
     media during our 4 annual emergency exercises, and, in the event we 
     ever have a real situation whereby the Emergency News Center is 
     activated. I would also like to add the following to your excellent 
     list:
     
     1. Always talk in layman's terms when explaining the situation. What   
        happened, how did it happen and what do we currently know.
     
     2. Don't speculate about anything. Only talk in terms of known facts.
     
     3. Don't use acronyms. The public doesn't understand them.
     
     4. Always listen to the question and think about what you are going to 
        say before you do begin to talk. 
     
     5. When describing radiation exposure always try to put it in          
        perspective with other know radiation exposure. For example,        
        various types of x-rays, background radiation, regulatory limits    
        for both radiation workers as well as for the general public,       
        nuclear medicine procedures and diagnostic as well as therapeutic   
        procedures.
     
     6. If you don't know the answer to a specific question, say so, then   
        find out an answer and provide it to the group ASAP.
     
     
     
     Sandy Perle
     Supervisor Health Physics
     Florida Power and Light Company
     Nuclear Division
     
     (407) 694-4219 Office
     (407) 694-3706 Fax
     
     sandy_perle@email.fpl.com


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Talking to the "public"
Author:  radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu at Internet-Mail
Date:    10/30/95 8:17 AM


Greetings to all!
Here are my thoughts on public perception and radiation.

snipped to minimize data transfer!

H.Wade Patterson
1116 Linda Lane
Lakeview OR 97630