Public safety messaging during super bowl LVI: A pilot study and modified framework

Abstract

Objective The Super Bowl is one of the most widely attended sporting events and requires proper communication to ensure emergency preparedness for everyone in the city. This pilot study used Super Bowl LVI as a setting to inform future research evaluating the effectiveness of the public health messaging during mass-gathering events. Methods This pilot study modifies past theoretical frameworks and research tools to create a novel survey instrument focused on public safety message effectiveness. This survey was sent to all of those that opted-in to the Joint Information Center’s notification platform during Super Bowl LVI. Results The results show that message comprehension, source credibility, and perceived risk might not be associated with proactive behavior for public safety messaging. However, modality preference results showed that individuals might prefer to receive public safety and emergency alerts by text message. Conclusions Factors that influence proactive response towards public safety messaging might differ from emergency alerts. This pilot study has yielded results from a major mass-gathering event that can be used to understand errors that arise during public health and emergency preparedness and strengthen future disaster planning and research.

Social mass gathering events influence emergency medical services call volume

“…The individual risk classes are related to the physical activities performed at the event as well as other factors such as the potential consumption of alcoholic beverages and psychotropic substances (9,13). An important cornerstone of keeping the population safe is the avoidance of the overuse of EMS resources serving a community (1,(14)(15)(16)(17). The implications are manifold and range from routine emergency medical care and infectious disease control at the event venue to the communication between participants, organizers, and healthcare officials (14)(15)(16).…”

“…An important cornerstone of keeping the population safe is the avoidance of the overuse of EMS resources serving a community (1,(14)(15)(16)(17). The implications are manifold and range from routine emergency medical care and infectious disease control at the event venue to the communication between participants, organizers, and healthcare officials (14)(15)(16). In this context, it is yet unclear whether the nature of an event can be used as a surrogate for the strain of an entire EMS system on the day the happening occurs.…”