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Crisis ManagementPre-Planning and Fire

PreventionFor Managers and Property Owners of High Occupancy

VIDEO CLIP

West Hills Apartment Fire – It can happen to you

People don’t judge

good guys on whether they’ve made

mistakes, but how they’ve fixed them.

-Johnson & Johnson and Tylenol.

Objectives1. Logistical and practical media relations tactics to

help communicate during a crisis, like a fire2. Suggestions for communicating with internal

customers, key business leaders and associates 3. How to predict and prepare for crises 4. How to gather facts and quickly centralized the

information flow, providing on-scene media with frequent news updates and responding to other media inquiries by telephone

5. How to develop a working plan to help execute and track results of the crisis communications plan

6. How to generate buy-in and support from CEOs and executives for developing a crisis communication plan

Operational Priority 1: Limit the problem.

I.This is our job.

Operational Priority 2: Communicate with those most affected - victims, families, relatives, etc.

I.Take action quickly to resolve or stabilize victim issues

II.Address the needs of victims and begin repairs or remediation of destroyed or damaged property ASAP

III.Vocalize and act with empathy and sympathy constantly

Operational Priority 3: Communication with

employees.

Operational Priority 4: Communicate with those indirectly affected

I.Government, Neighbors, community leaders, customers, suppliers, etc.

Operational Priority 5: Communicate with the self appointed

I.News media

Crisis?A significant

disruptionwhich

stimulates extensive news media coverage

and public scrutiny that disrupts the organization’s

normal business activities.

-Institute for Crisis Management

Common elements of a crisis?

• Sudden• Demands quick response• Interferes with organization

performance• Uncertainty / stress• Threatens reputation, assets, bottom

line• Escalates in intensity• Scrutiny• Alters organization

Some Types of Crises

• Sudden - Without warning• Smoldering - “goes public”

• 63% Smoldering• 37% Sudden

Why have a CC Plan? 1. To provide a brain for moments when you

might not have one.2. Ensure accurate, timely, consistent

information3. Eliminate and minimize rumors and

misinformation4. Protect your org’s reputation with

stakeholders5. Maintain credible relations with

community, officials, media6. Identify and clarify responsibilities

AHEAD OF TIME throughout the org7. Provide guidance for decision-making.8. Initiate change / preemptive strikes and

reputation insurance

Technology’s roleReputations are made or

lost within the first 24 hours. Now – the first 5

minutes.

Be prepared

• It is possible to list and prepare for those potential negative scenarios

• It is possible to set up a communication system that can be activated in almost any emergency situation.

General principles that can positively affect your actions and communication in a crisis

situation:

Before the crisis, successful communication will depend,

in large part, on the preparations you make long

before the emergency occurs.

Having a system in place will allow you to deal with the situation at hand, and not

waste precious time trying to decide how to communicate.

An effective crisis communication plan puts you in control of what may be a very volatile and confusing

situation.

Elements of CC Plan• Executive summary• Objectives• Target audiences / stakeholders• Crisis team roles and responsibilities• Crisis audit/inventory/research

Crisis Audit• What crisis situations have similar

organizations had in the past year?• What are the prospects for lawsuits,

government investigations?• How long will it be before they get the

problem behind them? • How would we have done if it had

happened to us instead of them? • What can be learned from their

experiences? • Have we made any changes in the way we

do business as a result of what happened to them?

Elements continued

• Appropriate lists• Key messages• Strategies• Drill and rehearsal plan• Drill feedback and

improvements• Evaluation strategies

Tips and Techniques: Crisis Planning and

Management

Before the Crisis

Develop a crisis management team

• Determine in advance a team to deal with crisis communication situations.

• Assign at least one individual to be a crisis communications team leader and have a back up.

• Decide which team members will gather information, notify families of victims, deal with emergency officials, and communicate with volunteers and staff.

• Determine a primary and secondary spokesperson to communicate with the media in crisis situations.

• Give these spokespeople media interview training if possible.

• Appoint people to monitor coverage in specific media outlets.

Organize Your Team

• Designate a crisis communications team • There are many audiences to whom you

will need to simultaneously communicate your company's messages, and time is limited.

• Organize a group of knowledgeable personnel and divide your team by audiences, such as employees, customers, partners and media.

• Consider front line employees for phones, message, etc.

Reputation Management/Community Relations

• Build your reputation within the community.

• A solid reputation can also serve you well in times of crisis.

• The public is more apt to forgive missteps if a company has made an ongoing effort to be a good landlord.

• Communicate with your tenants.

Decide on Spokesperson Strategy

• Comfort level• Skill• Appearance

• Know other Spokespeople• Train and practice

Who would be our spokesperson(s) in a crisis

situation?• Who would be the alternate if they were not available or not appropriate for that kind of crisis situation?

• How good would they be in handling tough questions from reporters?

• How much confidence do we have that they will be credible and convincing?

• How would disclosures be handled at one of our facilities if they had a crisis? Who would be the designated spokesperson?

Other Considerations

• How much information would we give out if we had a crisis?

• Who would decide what to say?

• What would be the approval process? How long would it take?

Develop policies

• Minimize crisis situations• Try to anticipate potential

emergency situations and develop policies to avoid them.

• In many crisis situations you will be asked by the media what policies you have on that particular situation.

• You do not want to be put in the uncomfortable situation of stating that you have no policy.

Identify potential issues

• Conduct Crisis Audit / Inventory

Identify potential crises

• Hold a brainstorming session with key members of the organization to identify those scenarios that might result in unfavorable publicity for your chapter.

Assemble and organize resources

Have up-to-date and accessible information. • current list of crisis team members and

alternates with work and home telephone numbers

• each team member should carry the list• updated media lists• insurance company contacts• lists of emergency services such as fire,

police, hospital and ambulance• a means to communicate with volunteers and

staff (fax lists or a telephone network)• copies of policies for potential crisis

situations.

Coordinate planning with other crisis planners in the

organization

• Every organization should have three crisis plans: • A crisis operations plan• A crisis communication plan• A business recovery plan.

What is our corporate emergency response plan

like? • When was it last updated?• Has it ever been used or

tested to see if it works?• How well does it tie in with

the response plans of our other facilities?

How would we contact our management and

employees so they would hear from us before

learning about it from the news media? • How about our customers,

suppliers and other key audiences?

• How would we do it, and how long would that take?

Have a Plan!

• Make it personal to your organization

• Use as an outline• Goal – minimize damage• Get your staff working

together• Recognize the role of

communication

VIDEO CLIP

BBQ Fire Footage

During the Crisis

Bring the situation under control, if possible. Always

protect people first and property second.

During the crisis

• Focus on the situation• gather accurate information• communicate quickly.

Example:

A careless employee leaves oily rags in the

storeroom/laundry room of an apartment

building. Spontaneous

combustion occurs. Luckily the fire is discovered and

extinguished quickly by one of the building

maintenance men.

Level 1

Can be handled by on-duty personnel

responsible for responding to and managing this kind

of situation.

Level 2

Can be handled by the personnel who

respond, with support from other employees on duty or who may have to

be called in from their homes.

The fire is out but heat and smoke damaged equipment and furniture in the storeroom.

The employees and tenants are upset.

Level 3

Requires additional resources and people beyond the regular personnel. These

managers and employees may be

from other facilities or the Corporate office,

and may be supplemented by

outside vendors or consultants

The fire was not discovered in time and spreads outside the storeroom/laundry room.

The fire department is called and puts out the blaze but it has severely damaged the rooms and four units.

Two TV news stations cover the story and report that the fire was thought to have been caused by a careless employee.

Level 4 The situation is out of control and will impact an extended area and numerous people indefinitely. Business will have to be curtailed or discontinued and employees diverted from their normal duties until it is resolved. Other employees may have to be furloughed, vendors ordered not to make deliveries, etc.

Tenants will need to be relocated.

Note:Local emergency response agencies will be actively

involved. State and federal agencies also may be called in.

•The fire spreads throughout the office building. High winds send cinders into nearby neighborhoods causing additional fires and forcing the evacuation of residents in the area. The fire department calls in all available equipment from the city and surrounding areas to control the numerous fires.

TV stations feed the story to their networks and it is carried on the evening news programs, with the suspected cause of the fire mentioned in the reports.

Do the right thing

• put the public interest ahead of the organization's interest.

• Your first responsibility is to the safety and well being of the people involved.

• Face the public and face the facts.• Never try to minimize a serious problem

or "smooth it over" in the hopes that no one will notice.

• Conversely, don't blow minor incidents out of proportion or allow others to do so.

Communicate quickly and accurately

• Focus attention on the most important aspects of the problem and moves process forward

• Media have an obligation to provide reliable information to their audiences

• They will get that information whether or not you cooperate.

• If you won't comment on the situation, you can be sure someone else will.

Analyze the situation to judge its newsworthiness. Don't

create a crisis by jumping the gun.

Good crisis management calls for

open, honest communication with

various target audiences.

Avoid panic

• control the flow of information.

• establish and maintain your credibility as an information source by communicating openly and honestly.

Part of the challenge and opportunity of the crisis is to show those affected that the organization is using a reasonable, caring process

to resolve the crisis.

• You can show this process best when you are willing to communicate openly.

What kind of information?

• You will need to find answers to some basic questions including: what happened? when did it happen? where did it happen? how many people are involved? where are those people now? how dangerous is the situation? What happens next?

Notify the families of those involved

• Handle with the utmost kindness, sensitivity and discretion - always in person.

• Members of your crisis communication team should be assigned this task.

• Never release the names of dead or injured to the media before informing members of their immediate families.

Keep internal public informed

• Communication with members of the organization.

• The best policy? • release information to people in

the organization before, or at least at the same time, it is released to news media.

Communicate with Media

Communicate with the media

• Release information about the situation as quickly as possible.

• Comments should be of a general nature until all the facts are in, but then it is far better to get the full story out as soon as possible.

Your spokesperson

• should be forthright in dealing with media questions.

• Tough questions: • money estimates of damage• insurance coverage• speculation as to the cause of

the incident• allocation of blame• anything "off the record"

Your spokesperson

• Avoid "no comment" because this answer can imply a lack of cooperation, an attempt to hide something or a lack of concern. There are more appropriate responses when he or she either doesn't have or is not at liberty to give certain information.

Some examples might be:• "We've just learned about the situation and are

trying to get more complete information now.“• "All our efforts are directed at bringing the situation

under control and taking care of our tenants, so I'm not going to speculate on the cause of the incident.“

• "I'm not the authority on that subject. Let me put you in contact with…”

• Keep a log of media calls and return calls as promptly as possible. A log can help you keep track of issues being raised by reporters, and give you a record of which media showed the most interest.

Some Strategies

• Return calls first to radio and television stations, then to newspapers.

• Reporters provide few surprises in a crisis situation.

• They want to get the basic information easily and quickly, usually with some kind of human interest angle.

Print vs. Broadcast Reporters

• Print usually will need and use more information

• Print more interested in basic facts for today's edition and background and implication for tomorrow's edition.

Broadcast journalists, on the other hand, will want less but will be in more of a hurry and

will seek more updates.

More strategies

• Sometimes the media will be on the scene. In other situations you will need to initiate contact.

• This should be done as soon as the basic facts are in hand.

• The initial contact should be followed with a formal statement, including any updated information and plans for what happens next.

Media will expect:

• complete honest information• background material• some indication of how the

you plan to proceed• information about the impact

on your staff and tenants• regular updates and after-the-

crisis follow up

Many times the situation doesn't warrant media

attention.

Gather the facts - who, what, where, when, why, how, what

next.

If necessary, activate your crisis management team. Act quickly; spare no expense to

distribute the information you determine the media and

others should have.

Give the media as much information as possible;

they'll get the information (perhaps inaccurately) from

other sources.

Don't speculate. If you don't know the facts say so and promise to get back to the media as soon as possible.

Then be sure to do so.

Protect the integrity and reputation of the

organization.

Report your own bad news. Don't allow another source to

inform the media first.

Media Policy / Procedures

• Briefing area considerations• Visuals• Ground rules• Control the interview process• Id a logger• Treat equally

On Location Considerations

•No pre-interviews•Don’t show up early or late•Limit time•Repeat questions•Advise when it’s the last question•Have notetakers

•Space - trucks/ppl•Environment

•Incline/ barriers, backdrop

•Safe and central

Post Crisis Debriefing

• Good Interview/Bad Interview • Identify all the WRONGS• Review the RIGHTS

After the Crisis

VIDEO CLIP

Reunited with Rescuers – the long-term impact on

victims

Perform an act of goodwill during or immediately after a crisis when appropriate and

possible.

Follow up

• Make amends to those affected and then do whatever is necessary to restore your organizations reputation in the community.

• Change internal policies or institute new ones to minimize a repeat of the crisis situation.

• Revise your crisis communication plan based on your experience.

After The Crisis

• Declare an end to the crisis• Follow up - Stay in touch with the

community after a crisis, especially with those directly affected.

• Keep the media informed of any updates in the situation, or let them know the crisis has ended

• Review internal policies to try to avoid a repeat of the crisis situation.

Perform an act of goodwill

• Do this during or immediately after a crisis when appropriate and possible.

Have a formal debriefing

• Debrief members of your crisis communication team.

• Analyze the outcome and the media coverage - both positive and negative.

• Revise your crisis communication plan to reflect what you have learned.

Assessing the Severity of a Sudden Crisis

VIDEO CLIP

Archstone Apartment Fires – Victim Impact, Media

Public Information

• Process of informing the public about operations of and actions taken by fire department during emergency.• Media• Speakers• Presentations

Public Education

• Process of changing people’s attitudes and behaviors related to safety• School presentations• Community events• Speakers• News Stories• Public service announcements

Public Relations

• The process of developing positive relationships between the fire department, its members, and the people it serves.• News• Public service announcements• Articles• Presentations (school, public, etc.)• Events• Customer Service (day-to-day)

What is news?

• Whatever the media says it is• Hard News

• effects large number of people• departure from the norm

• Soft News• human interest, feature, changing

social values, social mores

Elements of News

• Conflict• Immediacy• Proximity• Scope/Scale• Oddity• Drama• Emotion• Action

Media wants to tell a story

• What happened?• Anyone hurt or killed?• What’s being done about the

problem?• How large will the problem get?• Who is at fault? What was the

cause?• How will it affect the rest of us?

The 5 W’s + H:

• Who• What• Where• When• Why• How

Things to Remember When Dealing with

the Media

•Always avoid being outwardly hostile

Things to remember...


•Anything you say can and will be used against you


•Let the cops do their job at a scene. •You focus on yours!

•Never give your personal opinion


•Always convey to media that you are trying to help them



•Reporters generally don’t write the headlines. •“Grabbers” get attention

•Content of article is reporter’s focus

•Be careful of gestures and body language


•Avoid the appearance of a cover up


• Remember chain of command.


• You Are Always “ON”• Assume all calls

from reporters are taped•Don’t feel

obligated to respond immediately

•Fulfill your commitments


•Be careful of facial expressions and humor


•Ask for clarification if you don’t understand the question.


•Short and sweet. • But avoid Yes/No• Danger in rambling!


•Be accurate•If you don’t know - say so.


•Only speak to your own experiences, tasks, what you just did...


•Don’t volunteer negative information or opinions.



•Don’t use phrases or words that will offend anyone.

•Be PC!

•Use analogies, anecdotes, to help people understand.


•Use visualization.


•Be aware of surroundings. They want action but not NOISE.


•No OFF THE RECORD

“An open foe may prove a curse; A pretended friend is worse.”

-Farmers Almanac


•You have the advantage•You have the information!



•No smoking, sunglasses etc.

•No meaningless expressions (etc. so on and so forth)


•Remember … you’re always on camera/ record when reporters are around.


•Posture


•Sincere and enthusiastic


•Look at interviewer - NOT CAMERA


•Be careful of off-the-cuff comments. They could become part of a news story.


•Treat reporters with respect - they’ll usually return the favor.


•Avoid using jargon / lingo. Use common words that everyone can understand.


•Don’t be defensive or lose your cool. • You may have the last word at

the interview, but they’ll have the last word in public.


•If you make a mistake, tell them and then correct it.


•Don’t be led down the “he said/she said” road.


•Keep your sense of humor and perspective!


Role Play Exercise

Questions?

Documents

Download the Powerpoint Crisis Communication presentation