Essential Communication Resources for Combating Bioterrorism: Some Practical and Generalizable Recommendations

This study explores the communication resource preferences for employees in a risk-intense setting. Specifically, the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture was surveyed to determine which communication resources they preferred for the prevention of bioterrorism and unintentional infestations of dangerous pests and diseases. The study concludes that both rapid and flexible channels of communication such as e-mail and the Internet and more standard resources such as manuals were preferred. Frequent risk messages such as pest alerts were not considered as valuable. The study also notes that those employees who feel they have adequate communication resources also have more confidence in their ability to limit or prevent a bioterrorism or accidental infestation.