Chilean Miners

Chilean Miners

You have to know your audience when delivering an important communication. Sometimes it is to soften the emotional turmoil. Sometimes it is to reassure the audience that something will be taken care of or that they will be safe. Often it is to motivate the audience to lean the way you want them to.

On Aug 5, 2010 a Chilean copper mine collapsed trapping 33 Chilean miners nearly half a mile underground for 69 days. This tragic international incident affected more than just the trapped miners, but their families and co-workers were affected extensively also. The stress of having a family member or an associate from work in a dangerous situation can cause stress and stressors differently for the two groups. To write a communication to each group, the family and the co-workers of the trapped miners, takes two different approaches.

Family

Family members of the trapped Chilean miners would be affected by their loved ones being trapped in many ways. This includes anxiety, anger, and even fear of what the future may hold. The stress from the incident could cause physical and mental problems in family members. Lack of sleep and a proper diet would be foremost on the list of signs that family members are suffering from being over stressed. Other signs could include detachment and anger at the situation.

Anxiety or worry about whether their loved ones, the trapped miners, would survive the whole ordeal would be an all too real issue. This worry would be present even with the promise of escape for the miners. Worry over if they are eating and drinking properly. Worry over if they will survive. Worry over how they are holding up mentally as well as physically. All these worries would hound the family of the miners.

A communication to the family members should be reassuring of the safety of their family. It should be informative of all the positive actions taken to insure the miners make it out safe. Any pertinent information including a timetable for extraction, physical and mental help, and when communication opens up should be passed on to the family.

Co-workers

Co-workers would feel some of the same stress as family members, but it would vary in certain areas. Yes, they would be worried over the health and condition of the trapped miners. But they would also have the thought "that could have been me" run through their head. Concern over how the company will prevent this tragic incident from reoccurring in the future. Even a personal evaluation of their career choice could be caused by the accident.

Putting themselves in the miners' shoes would be a major concern that could cause some to not be able to go in a mine again. Lack of confidence in their company, especially since this is not the first incident occurring can cause unrest.

The communication to the miners would include a reassurance that the miners were fine. It would include the steps going to be taken to ensure that the incident is not a reoccurring one. It would also include all efforts to preserve their mental readiness and a short plan on how they will extract the trapped

...