Crisis communication: learning from the 1998 LPG near miss in Stockholm.
The authors examine current trends in urban risks and resilience in relation to hazardous material transports in general, and crisis communication and the Stockholm liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) near miss in 1998 in particular. The article discusses how current dynamics affecting urban areas, such as the decay in terms of increased condensation and limited expansion alternatives combined with industry site contamination and transports of hazardous materials on old worn-out physical infrastructure, work together to produce high-risk factors and increase urban vulnerability in large parts of the world today. Crisis communication takes a particularly pronounced role in the article as challenges in communication and confidence maintenance under conditions of information uncertainty and limited information control are explored. The LPG near miss case illustrates a Swedish case of urban risk and the tight coupling to hazardous material transports. The case also serves as a current example of Swedish resilience and lack of preparedness in urban crises, with particular observations and lessons learned in regards to crisis communication.
Castenfors
K
K
Swedish Defence Research Agency, S-172 90 Stockholm, Sweden.
Svedin
L
L
D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D002947:Cities; D003142:Communication; D004189:Disaster Planning; D005579:Fossil Fuels; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014186:Transportation
D005579:Fossil Fuels; D015386:Hazardous Substances