Media Relations Practicum

(1 credit-15 contact hours)
August 4-5, 2008, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

This course will describe the current news and entertainment environment regarding health and risk in the United States and offer recommendations and exercises intended to improve professional practice in that arena. Participants familiar with basic risk communication ideas will find the opportunity to practice those concepts useful, while those less familiar with these concepts will find the course to be a useful introduction.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Describe the current terrain of media coverage regarding health and risk.
• Discuss explanations for the typical nature of coverage.
• Begin to address the communication needs for organizations that produce or house information involving health risk and deal with media professionals.
• Begin to investigate pertinent information about an issue or incident involving health risk as a media professional would do.

Course Faculty

Brian Southwell is an assistant professor and Director of Graduate Studies at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota. Brian came to the College of Liberal Arts in 2002 from the East Coast, where he received his B.A. from the University of Virginia and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania¿s Annenberg School for Communication. His work at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta and at Oglivy Public Relations Worldwide in Washington, DC, has helped shape his current research interests in health and science communication and strategic communication in new media environments. An overwhelming number of nominations combined with his consistently positive teaching evaluations earned Brian this year¿s Arthur ¿Red¿ and Helene B. Motley Outstanding Teaching Award.

Mass Fatalities Response: When a Nightmare Comes True

(1 credit; 15 contact hours)
August 6-7, 2008, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

The physical and emotional well-being of survivors and responders, protection of public health, preservation of evidence and fulfillment of public expectations demand that emergency and health care providers are appropriately trained. This course will help prepare emergency and health service professionals to respond effectively to a mass fatalities incident. Topics will include critical planning issues, systematic methods of managing a mass fatalities incident, operational site functions, roles and responsibilities of responders, teamwork and self-care.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• List the different types of disasters and disaster trauma.
• Define a mass fatalities response.
• Describe the chaos of a mass fatalities incident and the need for a systematic method of managing the incident.
• Explain the need for teamwork during a mass fatalities response.
• Identify the critical issues involved in the planning process for a mass fatalities incident.
• List the operational sites and functions of a mass fatalities incident.
• Identify roles and responsibilities of responders to a mass fatalities incident.
• Appreciate the importance of self-care and buddy-care in disaster.

Course Faculty

Peter R. Teahen is the president and founder of the International Mass Fatalities Center and AmericaReady, non-profit corporations providing U.S. public health, military and homeland security agencies with consultation services and training to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. Peter is a licensed funeral director with many years of professional, community and volunteering experience in developing disaster operation protocols as well as providing direct service at disaster sites. He is the government liaison officer and national media spokesman for the American Red Cross Crisis Response Team and was the program manager for a multi-national mental health team during recovery from the Sri Lanka tsunami in 2004.