Crisis Communication Crisis Communication Handbook Handbook SEMA's Educational SeriesSEMA's Educational Series 2003:12003:1

Crisis Comm

unication Handbook 2003:1

Crisis CommunicationHandbook

3

Preface 5

What we mean by a crisis 6

To be prepared 14

Once a crisis has happened 34

Crisis management checklist 58

Your notes 62

Content

4

5

The requirement for rapid, accurate in-formation is greater than ever during aserious crisis situation. Handling a crisisproperly demands thorough preparationwork and a well-thought out communicationstrategy.

This book is based on a Swedish crisiscommunication handbook and providesadvice and recommendations on how tostructure information activities, and on howto communicate before, during and after acrisis. The handbook is intended to providea general familiarity with important infor-mation management issues during a crisis.

The handbook can be used as trainingmaterial, guidance material and a referencebook, and is aimed primarily at people whowill be responsible for information during acrisis.

Experience gained from past events andresearch in this field shows that communica-tion issues comprise up to 70 or 80 percentof an emergency management team’s activi-ties during an emergency. This manual can,therefore, also be used by management anddecision-making bodies to gain an overallpicture of what is required of them duringan emergency and of the importance ofinformation-related activities in the overallcontext of emergency management.

Birgitta DarrellHead of section Crisis Communication Swedish Emergency Management Agency

Crisis CommunicationHandbook

© JO

NA

S IN

GE

RS

TED

T/JOH

NÉ

R B

ILDB

YR

Å

The word, crisis, comes from the Greekword, krinein, which means to decide. Itrefers, in other words, to a decisive phasein a sequence of events and was oftenused in the past to describe the phase in the course of an illness that meant adecisive turn for the better or the worse.

It is virtually impossible to captureevery aspect of a crisis in a single defini-tion. What we are talking about here,however, is a situation that overwhelmssociety’s problem-solving resources, that threatens to tear society’s controlsystems apart, and which can hencedevastate the day-to-day lives of a greatmany people.

The type of crisis for which we arepreparing here might be a flood, a break in the power supply, a gas leak, a crash orshipwreck, or the release of radioactivesubstances, for example. It could also bedeliberately provoked by a group, e.g.terrorism, sabotage, boycotts or compu-ter hacking. A crisis can also occur as aresult of misconduct, fraud, or changingvalues and behavioural patterns.

Crisis are usually characterised by happening suddenly, involving manydifferent actors, a need to take decisionsunder severe time pressure and conditi-ons of uncertainty, and by the mediaboth being involved in and describingthe crisis.

The crisis from different perspectivesIt is important to recognise and prepare forthe following, which are the main compo-nents of the crisis concept:➤ An unexpected event➤ That poses a threat or a challenge➤ Which is potentially hazardous➤ Which requires immediate, rapid action➤ Over which management has limited

control➤ Which may have unpredictable effects

and consequences➤ And which is something that will arouse

interest by the general public and media

Recognition of the following aspects is im-portant when defining a crisis from what isprimarily a media information perspective:➤ Something important is at stake➤ It will become a matter of

public knowledge➤ It concerns the general public➤ It has geographical or cultural proximity➤ Someone is ”guilty”

For some individuals, serious crisis ofteninvolve existential problems which mayresult, among other things, in the following:➤ Strong personal feelings➤ Self-perception being turned

upside down➤ Other people’s values becoming

apparent.

6

What we mean by a crisis

7

8

© E

LISA

BE

T ZEILO

N/JO

HN

ÉR

BILD

BY

RÅ

9

Taking the initiative is importantQuite apart from the risk of physicalinjury, the crisis simultaneously poses athreat to the individual’s and organisation’scredibility, and hence often touches onand calls into question that individual’sor organisation’s confidence.

This is why when planning crisismanagement, it is not enough to lookback on previous experiences, or simplyto react passively to certain sequences ofevents with material measures. It is farmore important to try to be creative inpredicting future events, and to be readyto mentally handle them in an activemanner.

Crisis management is very much amatter of handling psychological problemsand of doing certain things in the rightorder. Therefore it has to do with anattitude of mind and a well thought out approach, and with combining thiswith the more materially-orientated activities.

So forward-looking planning and preparingare required to operate during a crisis.➤ Be proactive, not simply reactive.➤ Decide what are the right things to

do, and do them in the right way.➤ Establish fast but clear-thinking,

rational leadership and decision-making.

➤ Gain insight into long-term and short-term values.

➤ Develop the ability to bring in the right advisory and decision-making expertise.

➤ Ensure clear information provision for your own employees, the general public, managers and the media.

➤ Be honest about what is happening and about things that you either do not or cannot know.

➤ Respect the media’s working conditions.➤ Utilise human and material resources to

achieve the most optimal result.➤ Be able to work with the right things,

even when under severe physical and mental pressure.

➤ Work together with and in cooperation with other organisations outside ofyour own.

➤ Take care of yourself and other people so that people and the organisation do not become worn-out.

Crisis management could be said to take place both during preventative andpreparatory phases and during the acutestate and the recovery stage after thecrisis. Those who have been involved in national and international crisis areunanimous – efficient communicationduring crisis is based on comprehensive,insightful preventative and preparatorymeasures, e.g. staff education, trainingand exercises, on correctly dimensioningthe communications technology resources,and on information officers havingestablished an efficiently functioningnetwork before the crisis.

The perceived crisis is the real one

It is absolutely vital in a crisis that themanagement accepts that outside world’s”perception is reality”, and from thisstarting point, they work with people’sconcerns, questions and worries – fromtheir horizon, in other words, not fromthe management’s own.

When people believe they are indanger, it doesn’t help when an authority”in charge” of the situation says that thisis not the case. What is needed are clearactions and information from severalcompletely independent and crediblesources, usually in the individual’s imme-diate surroundings.

This might seem simple, but manage-ment most commonly fails on this pointbecause it is approaching the problem onthe basis of the facts it possesses, and notof people’s impressions and perceptions.Information must, therefore, be based onwhat people want to know from theirviewpoints, and not primarily on whatthe authority wants to say.

It is important to understand thatperceptions of risk and threat shift with the degree of:➤ Voluntarily. Self-accepted risks are

more easily accepted than imposed ones.

➤ Control. When the individual is ”at the controls”, the risk (but possibly not the danger) is regarded as less than when some authority is responsible.

➤ Familiarity. Exotic, peculiar, incompre-hensible technologies trigger stronger feelings than risks with which we are familiar (in the home, car, etc.).

➤ Scale in time and space. We have a tendency to react to dangers that are close to home.

Crisis communication

Crisis communication can be defined as the exchange of information thatoccurs within and between authorities,organisations, media and interestedindividuals, and groups, before, duringand after a crisis.

There are three important dimensionsduring a crisis: the actual crisis, the wayauthorities and organisations handle thecrisis, and the crisis image. The biggestproblems often arise not from the actualemergency, but from the way in whichvarious actors handle or mishandle it, e.g.through poor preparation, difficulties inimprovising and being flexible, incom-plete knowledge of what has happened,actors‚ problems in understanding newroles and functions, etc.

Every actor has his/hers own percep-tion of whether there is a crisis, and ofthe extent of the crisis, its nature andconsequences for the individual and the organisation. Everyone is a decision-maker during a crisis. The authoritiesmust, therefore, be well informed ofdifferent actors‚ perceptions and know-ledge of different processes and situa-tions.

Substantial numbers of actors often

10

11

become involved in conjunction with a crisis: those affected and next of kin,authorities and organisations, local,national and international media, andvolunteers. The crisis will arouse interestand commitment in many people, but itwill also trigger curiosity. In addition toproviding information for all the variousinterested parties, the crisis managementteam must also, for example, create per-haps entirely new routines for receivingvips and keeping the curious away fromthe crisis area.

The media have a crucial roleOne of the most typical characteristics of a crisis is that an intense need for in-formation develops very quickly. It is allabout handling operational information,updates, advice and guidance and massesof questions. It is also about analysingmyths, rumours and decisions – and every-thing has to be done simultaneously.

The huge volume of information that has to be exchanged often results in various information channels beingoverloaded.

The image that various interestedparties have of a crisis is created, to a verylarge extent, by the media. The mediadecide whether they want to cover thecrisis, how they are going to describe it,and in what forms different decisionsand activities are to be presented.

The authorities must assume that the crisis image is as real as the crisisitself, and that substandard handling of the image during a crisis can result in

the actual crisis expanding or taking adifferent form and direction. This is why,the crisis and the crisis image must behandled in parallel during a crisis.

Underlying approach

Successful crisis communication is basedon that there is a professionally run in-formation operation already in place. This means, among other things, that the authority has an information policythat lays out the organisation’s under-lying approach, e.g. the requirement for openness, speed, ease of availability,credibility, being proactive rather thanreactive, and the belief that the operati-ons must be based on good planning,cooperation with others, and ongoingevaluation. Various technical resourcesfor issuing and receiving information are also necessary (phones, faxes, it etc.)

The outside world is characterised byan enormous and rapidly growing rangeof information, stiff competition forattention, information that is transmittedincredibly quickly around the clock,often independently of time and place.People have access to new media systemsand hence develop new media habits, e.g.by monitoring the international newsthrough, the Internet or other foreignmedia.

And so it is becoming increasinglyimportant that the authorities develop a systematic method of analysis in whichthey continuously scan the outside world and monitor different events andactors. The cultural diversity and inter-

12

13

national interchange also mean thattoday’s information unit must have amulticultural competence. One of themost important tasks of the professionalinformation officer nowadays often alsoinvolve gathering, compiling, evaluatingand reporting to the management onchanges in the organisation’s outside worldthat must be taken into account as partof the operational and planning work.

The authority’s communication withdifferent interested parties must startwith the recipient. It is the individualrecipient’s requirements, expectations,specific situation and media habits thatcollectively determine the informationthat should be sent. This is true not onlyfor all information that citizens, groups,organisations and companies look for,gather and use, but also for the channelsthey use and for determining what infor-mation they find credible and retain because of importance or interest.

This dialogue with different recipientsdemands that the authority presents itsstarting points, values and intentionshonestly. The authority must activelywork to achieve and maintain a highdegree of credibility – the most impor-tant concept in crisis communication.

The recipients rate the authority’s credi-bility on the basis of four fundamentaldimensions:➤ degree of openness and honesty➤ the organisation’s competence➤ the fairness of their actions➤ the empathy displayed

The information officer analyses, plans,implements and evaluates his/her activi-ties within the framework of the authori-ty’s strategic goals, considerations anddecisions.

The information officer should alsoalways take into account the ethical andmoral consequences of various activities.

So how should an information functionbe built up before crisis etc.? How shouldsuccessful crisis communication beconducted? What must the authoritiesdo before the emergency occurs? Howshould they act during the crisis and howshould they exploit experience gained?These are the questions that are at theheart of this manual.

How well the communication worksduring a real crisis depends on how well,an authority, has prepared itself beforethe crisis and the level of credibilityachieved. This is why a large part of this particular book concentrates ondescribing how authorities can create astructure, build up an awareness ofemergencies and crisis management, and,as part of their planning, take into accountthe sort of problems that usually ariseduring crisis.

When a crisis occurs, authorities mustnot only act quickly, they must alsohandle the massive information flowsgenerated systematically and sustainably,and must establish systems that enablethem both to get their message acrossexternally and to gather valuable infor-mation from outside.

Once the crisis is over, it is vital notonly to learn from the experience gainedbut – and this is the really difficult part –to translate what has been learned intonew routines, plans and exercises.

Authorities‚ internal organisationsmust be characterised by an awareness ofpotential crisis and how to handle them.The tendency in an crisis is for everyoneaffected to become a decision-maker, soit is vital to establish clear guidelines onthe measures that need to be taken andthe resources required before the crisis isupon us.

A special information department withfour main duties is needed to achieve anoverview, and to ensure cooperation andefficiency. These duties are:➤ Analysing the information requirement

and the range of information provided➤ Assisting in strategic assessments and

decisions➤ Producing information➤ Receiving and distributing internal and

outgoing information

The tasks of the information department are very extensive and diverse. The precisestructure of the information departmentcan, of course, vary greatly, dependingon the overall scale of the operations andits resources. The number of people wor-king within each unit does, of course,depend on both the nature and scope ofthe crisis and the availability of person-nel. It is not unrealistic to assume thatseveral of the functions described belowwill be handled temporarily by a singleperson. It is, however, important to dis-cuss requirements and scope internally.

Credibility can be an absolutely criticalfactor in a crisis situation. This is why thecrisis preparedness work should prioritiseestablishing a high degree of credibility.

This brochure will systematically re-view every aspect required in good crisispreparation and will provide concreteproposals for structuring and planningthe information department.

14

To be prepared

15

16

© E

LISA

BE

T ZEILO

N/JO

HN

ÉR

BILD

BY

RÅ

Crisis awarenessThe authority’s management team sho-uld actively support the emergency plan-ning work in word and deed. This maymean allocating resources, management’sparticipation in project groups, stressingthe need for good planning in variouscontexts, and taking part in the variousexercises held.

All our expertise utilised within theauthority’s organisation must work to-gether. This is particularly importantwhen it comes to the people responsiblefor crisis planning e.g. emergency coor-dinators and people responsible for in-formation.

A high level of emergency awarenessdemands, among other things, that on-going attention is paid to crisis manage-ment within the authority’s internal or-ganisation so that everyone, whateverfield they happen to work in, takes it onboard.

Crisis often mean that the usualhierarchical decision-making models areunable to function due to their time-consuming normal bureaucratic, so therule system implemented under normalcircumstances must be simplified. Theexperience gained in these situationsmust be translated into an awareness on the part of managers and otherpersonnel, so that everyone involved inan emergency can work flexibly towardsa common goal, improvise and set asideany thoughts of personal prestige.

Crisis awareness requires internal supportIf an organisational support base is to be established, it is very important thatthe management and the informationdepartment share the same set of funda-mental principles with regard to whatgood crisis information can bring to theorganisation.

These principles may, for example,involve the need for external analysis,definition of relevant informationobjectives and of how they are to bemeasured, and the need to know andunderstand the consequences of the wayin which the media evaluate and conveynews. Information-related activities are a strategic resource for every aspect ofthe operations and must not be allowedto become a budgetary extra!

The goals of the information-relatedactivities must be thoroughly integratedwith the overall objectives of subordinateauthorities. Both these goals and theplanned activities must form part of a special crisis communication plan. The information function should berepresented at the most senior levels ofthe authority in question.

It is almost impossible for an authority to carry out strategic assessments of how to handle the crisis image if the Head ofInformation is not part of the manage-ment team.

17

Crisis communicationThe quality of the day-to-day contactwith the outside world is critical indetermining how well the informationdepartment can handle its tasks during a crisis. Firstly, the department must havea systematic and ongoing analysis of theoutside world, and secondly, the authori-ty must make every effort to create a net-work incorporating everyone who maypotentially be involved in different typesof emergencies. The authority must alsohave a correctly sized and versatile com-munication technology capacity that canexpand rapidly in the event of a crisis.

External analyses provide early warningsAn external analysis fulfils a number offunctions. Not only does it give the aut-hority the opportunity to detect warningsigns at an early stage, it also ensures thatthe authority is aware of facts, principles,opinions and behaviour on the part ofexternal parties and which maynecessitate adjustments by the authority.

New parties might, for example, haveentered the arena, while others may havewound down their activities. Journalistsmay have changed the way they work asa result of new technology or of increa-singly diverse media habits among thepopulation.

And thirdly, external analyses generatethe potential for focus studies of parti-cular issues, and for seeing how they arereceived and handled over the course oftime by a range of parties, e.g. charitableor international organisations, or

18

researchers at universities and colleges of further education.

Networks of extra resources

The point of a network is to build know-ledge of and confidence between diffe-rent important parties with whom theinformation department needs to coope-rate during crisis.

The network is particularly necessaryin contacts with other authorities. Theparties need to discuss the allocation oftasks, responsibilities and roles, demar-cations, and changing linguistic use andterminology. Discussions should be held on the forms to be taken by tele-communications and data technology-related cooperation and on the fundamen-tal principles that guide the respectiveauthorities‚ information activities, e.g.the degree of openness to the outsideworld.

This network should include bothhorizontal contacts, e.g. between localauthorities, and vertical ones, e.g.between a local authority and a govern-mental authority. The network should be activated during a crisis to ensure that everyone who needs it gets the same information in real time and thatdialogues can be conducted betweendifferent parties before the informationis released to the media.

The information unit also needs anetwork of suppliers, e.g. photographers,printers, transport services, workshops,interpreters and translators etc. It also needs its own personnel to handle

switchboards and information desks, andexternal call centres to take some of theload when switchboards and informationdesks are under abnormally heavy strain.

There is also a need for a network fromwhich the information unit can recruitpersonnel to various units or functionsthat need reinforcement during a crisis,e.g. to the analysis unit, and made up of people such as information officersfrom major companies or pr consultants,journalists, university researchers, inter-national relations experts, personnel withinthe authority with specialist skills, andpotentially, agreements or contracts withpersonnel from voluntary organisations.

Pre-prepared registersThe authority should build up in advan-ce a number of registers, designed for useboth when searching for key personnel(such as interpreters) and when distribu-ting information to special groups (e.g.employees‚ families).

The registers should be structured in away that enables them to be used veryquickly to disseminate information viagroup faxes, Intranets, e-mail, fliers orletters.

One overall requirement – regardlessof the matter covered by the register orthe channel used to convey the informa-tion it contains – is that the informationcan be distributed quickly – in somecases, very quickly.

19

Examples of registers:➤ Subcontractors such as photographers,

artists, printers, courier vans.➤ Employees as a whole and divided

into sub-groups.➤ Employees‚ families.➤ The media, and media sub-groups,

such as local, regional, national and international media.

➤ News media on the Internet.➤ Authorities and key people within

these authorities.➤ International contacts.➤ Interpreters.➤ Stand-bys.

Remember that a register is a freshproduct. If the registers are to work, there must be routines for continuouslyupdating them. Remember also the lawsthat apply to the drawing up of registers.Outsourcing the register function tospecialist companies is another option.

The authority should use the distribu-tion channels already established and in use today. Websites can provide anefficient means of mass distributinginformation.

Communications technology skillsIf authorities are to be able to conduct a dialogue with the outside world duringa crisis, they must have built up a com-munications technology capacity capableof handling the massive volumes of callsand contacts that can develop very rapidly.

The information unit must haveaccess to skilled personnel who are

responsible for ensuring that the com-munications technology systems work.This means both the ability to handlethe systems for which the unit itself is responsible, such as computers, faxes,telephone switchboards and the skill toconsult with other parties in the field andcontract in services from telecommunica-tions technology companies, Internetoperators, call centres for example.

These technical systems should have avery substantial capacity. Access to powerreserves in several alternative systems isalso a must. The authorities must havechannels both for mass distribution ofinformation and for messages aimed atonly a few recipients.

Even if a large number of questionsrequire the same answer, there is a simul-taneous requirement for very specificinformation on the part of certain indi-viduals or groups.

Channels, which are independent oftime and place and systems that take intoaccount recipients with special require-ments due to physical or psychologicalhandicaps, must also be established.

Credibility

The most important precondition forhandling a crisis successfully is that anauthority can enter the crisis situationwith a high degree of credibility alreadyin place. Without this, the authority’sanalysis, assessments, decisions andrecommendations will not be takensufficiently seriously when individuals,groups, organisations and companies,

20

associations and the media are takingdecisions.

So what does an authority have to doto be credible in the eyes of the outsideworld?

Credibility is built from four compo-nents: openness, competence, fairness andempathy.

1. Openness means that the authoritypresents facts, know-how and sources,and its considerations openly and, amongother things, that it is honest about theinterests that the authority is tasked withrepresenting. It must be willing to enterinto a dialogue with the outside worldand to take on board new concerns.

2. In-house competence includes the out-side world being able to look back onprevious positive experiences of variousactivities on the part of the authority.This presupposes that the authoritypossesses genuine competence and thatthere is a very close match between whatthe authority says and what it does.

3. The authority is perceived as fair whenit discusses both positive and negativeaspects of its activities, and when itaccepts that other evaluations and prin-ciples exist. The authority must also be very open about its own decision-making process.

4. It is important to people caught up in a

crisis resulting from an accident, disaster,criminality etc. that the authority’s

personnel are perceived as having astrong desire to understand and appre-ciate the seriousness of the situation forthe person affected, and that the personneldisplay empathy.

High levels of credibility are built bytaking all four of these factors intoaccount. If this credibility exists, theauthority has considerable freedom toact once a crisis has occurred. But itmust act quickly.

21

Building up credibility

The following list of factors that build upcredibility may be of use when trainingpersonnel in crisis management.

➤ Know-how. A combination of theoreticalknowledge and the sort that comes from experience is most valuable.

➤ Character is a dynamic comprising several factors that we normally value more highly than others: honesty and fairness, for example. Most people want to know the truth, as far as possible, even if it might be unpleasant. No one wants to get information from people who lie deliberately. We must, however, respect the fact that there may be some information that should be kept secret and stay within a smaller circle of people. Another aspect of character, therefore, is what one could call personal integrity, i.e. the strength of character to resist tempting pressure of various kinds, e.g. bribes or other forms of personal gain.

➤ Extrovert characteristics are important.

Such as the willingness and ability to communicate, being open and receptive to arguments and views, and actively seeking out information, not simply responding when you receive it.

➤ A fourth factor has to do with

professionalism. This means being composed in terms of the attention you give to your tasks and the way you concentrate on them, and knowing what is happening and what is

important through your internal and external know-how organisation. Another aspect of professionalism is that a clear structure, a pattern, can be detected in what you do, that there is a ”storyboard”, a pattern to your decision- making, and that there is a consistency to your actions over time, i.e. that you actually make good decisions which have a good democratic support base, and that you make sure they are implemented, even if these decisions encounter opposition from time to time.

➤ The fifth factor is linked to the previous

one and has to do with being consistent

and not contradictory in your logic,

speech and actions. Inconsistency is an irritating characteristic and can also lead to what are known as double messages.

➤ The sixth and final factor is that you

demonstrate a social sensitivity andempathy for the people around you. It’s a matter of fundamental respect for other people and their integrity, of showing empathy for people having a hard time, and of genuinely caring about other people and their lives and activities.

22

23

© LE

NA

KO

LLER

/JOH

NÉ

R B

ILDB

YR

Å

24

Organising crisis managementProposed basic structure for the informa-tion department during a crisis situation:

ManagementA clearly designated manager who is partof the crisis management group shouldhead the information activities. Thisperson is responsible for ensuring thatinformation issues are taken into acco-unt and that the information flow to andfrom the authority functions satisfactori-ly. The management should also makesure that the importance and role of theinformation activities are clearly under-stood by everyone involved.

Analysis unitThe analysis group is a unit with nodirect part in the operational work, andwhose primary task is, instead, to assistthe management by providing the sourcedata on which they base their decisions.

The group is, in particular, responsiblefor assessing the type of informationneeded by different parties, before, duringand after a crisis. Every individual, house-hold, and local, regional and centralorganisation – whatever its operationalsphere or ownership structure and who-ever its principal may be – is facing itsown, unique situation and has its ownunique information requirement. Theauthority’s crisis communication must,therefore, always be based on thesedifferent recipient’s situations.

The group should continuously analysethe course of events, different parties‚

contributions, and the image of the crisis among the general public and themedia.

The main focus of these assessments is on how these aspects will develop inthe longer term and on assessing theconsequences for the authority.

The analysis unit should also be re-sponsible for following up on the goalsestablished by the authority for contactswith the outside world. The authorityshould, for example, calculate how manyincoming calls hear a busy tone, howlong it takes before the unit replies, theaverage length of the calls, the volume of calls and the variations throughoutthe day.

Incoming calls and the replies givenshould be noted in a database, or in someother way. An analysis should be carriedout of the most common questions, andswitchboard operators and other peopleshould then be supplied with details thatallow them to answer these questionsquickly (e.g. an automatic voice responsefunction).

Frequently asked questions should be noted and the answers posted on thewebsite, passed on to the media to ensurethat a number of requirements are metas quickly as possible.

Group members should be recruitedboth internally and externally. Informa-tion Officers at major companies, profes-sional communication consultants, uni-versity researchers, international relationsexperts are all possible suitable candi-dates.

25

Producing unitIt is also vital to have a group prepared tostart producing different types of messagesand communication to internal and externalparties immediately.

Journalists may need background mate-rial, texts, images, graphics and films ofprocesses, statements from those responsi-ble, statistics, lists of information detailingthe consequences of the crisis.

Interested parties need ongoing infor-mation on the way the crisis is developingand answers to the most common questi-ons, descriptions of the situation, adviceand recommendations, lists of organisationsthat can assist etc.

This unit needs wide-ranging skills inthe field of in-house production or rapidprocurement of a large variety of products,conveyed through several different channels.

Media relations unitThe overall purpose of a media unit is tobe the media’s primary source of up-to-date and reliable information on the crisis.

The interaction with the media is in-credibly important in a crisis situation.This is why a good cooperation must beestablished during ”normal conditions” so that the authority already has goodpersonal contacts in place, if and whensomething happens.

The media unit has three main duties:1. Facilitating journalist’s work.2. Actively conveying the authority’s view ofthe crisis and the way it is developing.3. Analysing media’s content.

26

© M

ATS

HA

LLGR

EN

/JOH

NÉ

R B

ILDB

YR

Å

27

1. Facilitating journalists workUse periods when conditions are normalto get to know the journalists who coveryour field. Remember that journalists areconcerned with news and compete withother journalists to report it first.

Prepare basic informationDuring a crisis, journalists need not onlynews material, but basic information too.The media want source data, operationaldescriptions, guidelines and plans, closingaccounts, job descriptions etc. This meansthat the authority must produce plans,outline graphics, photos, video features,fact sheets in advance.

This general background information must be ready before the crisis occursand should be stored in a way that makesit easily accessible and easy to work with.In addition to using traditional printedand audio-visual products, the authoritycan also create a digital archive on theInternet to which the media can turn for access to directly usable material.

If the authority does not want tohandle the archiving and distribution in-house, there are companies that speciali-se in providing these services and thatshould be brought in on a contractualbasis to provide support during crisis.

It is important to know how the mediaworks with news:➤ The message – the news should preferably

be formulated under a headline.➤ The information after the headline is

designed to capture people’s interest

and to encourage them to read or listen further.

➤ Brief, simple language.➤ Pictures, graphics make it easier to

understand complicated information.➤ Similes can be used to clarify matters.➤ Journalists try to predict the general

public’s questions and to answer them in their news item.

➤ Journalists will quickly be looking to

provide advice to the general public.

If you can help the media by providingsupport for this approach, it will allowyou to get your important messageacross quicker and more reliably.

2. Getting the authority’s viewpoint across

The authority needs to be able to get itsviewpoint on the crisis, its development,consequences for different parties, internaldecisions, statements by politicians andofficials across, quickly and clearly.

The authority should also take activesteps to draw the media’s attention toimportant aspects of its crisis manage-ment. This can take the form of a dailybriefing on the authority’s view of thecourse of events and of things planned orexpected to happen during the day, and,at the end of the day, of a summary ofwhat has happened.

The authorities can also provide exam-ples of aspects of emergency work, e.g.the use of databases, different methodsof analysing data gathered, application ofvarious kinds of equipment, experiences

28

of people at the heart of the emergency,guided tours of the emergency area.

There may be times when in-houseassessments and analyses, and measuresproposed for various parties must bepresented unambiguously on the autho-rity’s terms. When this is the case, theauthority should consider complementingthe information supplied to the media’seditorial departments with advertisementsin both printed media and commercialbroadcast media, as well as via their ownwebsite on the Internet. The unit shouldalso prepare and support people who willbe interviewed and support those whodo not wish to be interviewed (e.g. nextof kin or people affected).

3. Analysing media’s contentThe media should be regarded as animportant co-actor during all types ofcrisis! They are namely the fastest meansof getting a message across to the generalpublic. The media are often the first whocan present changing circumstancesduring a crisis. They monitor, analyseand criticise, describe and present.

It is important for authorities tomonitor how the image of the crisis ispublicised and commented on in themedia, because the general public’sperception of what is happening isshaped by the media’s descriptions.

A special group should, therefore, beset up to read and listen to what is written,said and shown in the various media. Thematerial gathered in this way should beanalysed from a number of viewpoints:

➤ Is the image correct?➤ Which actors appear?➤ What statements are made?➤ How is your authority portrayed?➤ Is the course of events described correctly?➤ Does it offer any new information for the

crisis management team?➤ Are the media passing on rumours?➤ Are there any factual errors?

The analysis should assess the way inwhich the crisis image in the mediaaffects the way in which the emergencydevelops and is managed, and shouldidentify trends and potential problems.

The analysed material can be used in a variety of ways. It can not onlyprovide daily overviews of the media’smonitoring of events for the authority’sown personnel and other parties in-volved, it can also initiate actions on the part of the authorities aimed atcounteracting inaccuracies, factual errorsor false rumours, and to make recom-mendations to the crisis managementteam.

The Internet as an information forumThere should be a special function with-in the unit that focuses on the Internet.The primary task of this function in acrisis situation is the rapid and ongoingupdating of the media-orientated web-sites.

They can include a description ofevents, analysis of incoming questions,presentation of the management’s assess-ments, new parties and addresses, state-

29

ments by people responsible, details ofmeetings and conferences.

From the reverse viewpoint, the func-tion should also analyse how the crisis is being described and discussed on theInternet so that they can pass this infor-mation on to the analysis unit.

Information centre unitThe purpose of this unit is to act as anintermediate link between the authorityand the general public.

The information centre has three main tasks:➤ Answering the general public’s questions.➤ Providing details of the authority’s

assessments, decisions and measures.➤ Drawing attention to a variety of

incoming information from the outside world that needs to be passed on to the crisis management team.

The unit should consist both of numer-ous people who have direct contact with events and of a coordinating andanalytical group that is responsible forthe contact with the crisis management team and other cooperating authorities.This group should also update personnelmanning the phones and be responsiblefor ensuring that the entire unit canfunction on a long-term basis, primarilyby planning personnel’s working hours.

The information centre should bestructured to receive and answer externalcontacts, irrespective of the channel used. This means using not only the

30

phone, but faxes, letters and messages via websites or e-mail.

The information centre must, as aresult, have a generously sized switch-board capacity with well-developedfunctions for queuing. The informationcentre should have its own phone num-ber that bypasses the authority’s regularswitchboard. Many authorities may findit useful to have an agreement with callcentres, i.e. specialist companies that canhelp the authority by off-loading inco-ming calls.

Depending on the type of crisis andwhen it occurs, it may be appropriate to reinforce the information centre withpeople from different cultural and lingu-istic backgrounds. Details of interpretersshould be included in the registers thataccompany the emergency plan. Thevoluntary organisations are usually inter-ested in providing charitable assistanceduring crisis, so they can also be a goodsource for recruiting stand-bys.

Internal information unitIf the authority is to be able to deal with the outside world in a coordinatedmanner, internal information must flowbetween different units, irrespective ofthe geographical distance, time differen-ces, cultural characteristics and dutiesinvolved.

This internal coordination must bediscussed, approved and practised inadvance.

Employees must, if possible, receiveinformation before the media – and

31

certainly no later than them. This asks agreat deal in terms of the development of internal information systems foreveryday use but which can also be used during crisis – when speed is even more critical. If the authority is to be able to compete at all with the media when it comes to being first toinform its personnel, there must bespecialist staff in the information unitwho have this as their primary task andwho have immediate access to all newinformation.

Employees must receive ongoinginformation on what is happening, and on their particular authority‚s tasks and activities. Particular attentionmust be paid to the employees‚ next of kin, so that they can simultaneouslyhandle the crisis and rest assured thattheir next of kin know what is going on.

Coordination unitThe unit has three main tasks:➤ Firstly, it must help to ensure that

coordinated information is distributed

as efficiently as possible during the

crisis. This will help to reduce the overall information flow by avoiding double or triple amounts of information, e.g. due to information repetition.

➤ Secondly, the unit should work

to coordinate the information passed

between the authorities so that mis-understanding, double messages or contradictory information is kept to the minimum level possible.

➤ Thirdly, the unit should supply

cooperating authorities with ongoing

details of its own authority’s asses-sments, evaluations, decisions and measures, together with information on the crisis development.

This exchange of information can beachieved by relocating personnel from the authority’s information unit to acommon emergency management teamor other authorities, or by creating aspecial Intranet where cooperatingauthorities continuously post information,relating both to their own activities, andto information scheduled for issue oralready issued to the outside world.

Documentation unitThis unit is responsible for noting im-portant decisions and information activi-ties in chronological order. This is vitalin order to avoid the spread of doublemessages or messages not in phase withthe course of events.

Simple, easy to operate rules should be formulated and straightforwardforms, instructions etc. developed beforeand during the crisis. This is not a job to be taken lightly but one carried out in the shadows, and one that is oftenneglected, but its importance is con-siderable and it should, therefore, bestrongly supported by the managementteam. Overall responsibility should, if possible, be assigned to a single indi-vidual.

Once the crisis is over, the documenta-

32

GE

TTY IM

AG

ES

33

tion provides important source materialfor evaluation work and in generatingproposals for improvement.

The authority’s outgoing informationmust be registered and saved. Thismeans taping radio and tv interviews,saving all press releases, saving not onlyall important questions to and answersfrom the information centre but statisticstoo, and documenting all contacts withother authorities etc.

Correspondingly, incoming informa-tion, such as clips of media coverage,material from other authorities, statisticsdetailing the number of incoming calls,homepage hits, the number of e-mailsreceived etc., must also be saved.

Multicultural service unitThis group reflects all of the other taskscovered by the information unit. Theparticular task of this unit is to highlightand resolve the communication problemsthat can arise due to different culturalcharacteristics and qualities of a particulargroup affected by the crisis.

The unit should also take into accountspecial requirements that arise, e.g. as aresult of the religious or ethnic affiliationof a group affected.

The group should also be available to the information centre and shouldtake part in discussions with othercountries‚ representatives. Their respon-sibility includes producing and reviewingmaterial in easily understood languageand for those with visual or auditoryhandicaps.

The group should establish formal and informal networks with organisati-ons, associations and other alliances thatrepresent groups with different culturalaffiliations.

The start of a crisis is the organisation’sweakest and most vulnerable moment. If the media paints an inaccurate or dist-orted picture at this stage, correcting itlater is very difficult. The public expectsthe authorities to do something. And tobe seen to be doing something.

Ask yourself, ”If I were an ordinary citizen,

what would I want the organisation to be

doing and saying?” The answer to this question

is usually the right answer!

And don’t forget to think about who isaffected by the crisis and about who hasthe greatest need for information first.

Information vacuumAuthorities of all kinds are often faced bywhat is known as an information vacuum,i.e. no one knows the sort of informationthat needs to be provided on importantissues. In other words, it is impossible to sayclearly and precisely what will happen iffinancial, technical and social circumstanceschange in a variety of ways.

Once a crisis has occurred, this situati-on can arise once or more than once.And this places huge demands on who-ever is supposed to handle a situation likethis, because this vacuum can lead tomore tangible problems, particularly ifthe situation is also characterised by risksand threats.

In a situation like this, the risk of ru-mours, conspiracy theories, myths etc.

increases, which can, in turn, lead tosome people starting to take various mea-sures that may seem irrational or inad-equate to others.

The problem of a total or partial in-formation vacuum must, therefore, behandled with various types of factual in-formation that also include reasonableand satisfactory advice and instructionsfor the general public. Measures relatingto the sort of things people are worriedabout, for example.

The reverse problem with risk com-munication is usually – and primarily –that it is difficult to get people involvedif they don’t feel affected in some way.

This is why ongoing information acti-vities must be intensified in a number ofdifferent quarters with the aim both ofinvolving people in important problemsor activities, and, wherever possible, ofremoving the uncertainty and concernthat an information vacuum entails.

One more time – cooperation is important

The problem demands very extensivecooperation between the most importantinformational bodies in society. Buttoday’s information society demands thatauthorities cooperate extensively andthat, as far as possible, they try to con-sult and coordinate with regard to theirinformation.

34

Once a crisis has happened

35

36

© E

LISA

BE

T ZEILO

N/JO

HN

ÉR

BILD

BY

RÅ

37

If this does not happen, incomprehen-sible, confusing or contradictory infor-mation can all too easily be issued fromdifferent quarters on identical or similarmatters during an crisis or under severestress. The effects of this, unsurprisingly,can be extremely negative, with increasedlevels of concern. This is why consultati-on and cooperation are an importantarea of operations in the elimination ofrisks associated with splintered and ope-rationally divided information.

The need for expert help is anotherimportant point that must also be takeninto account during the initial phase of acrisis or in times of severe stress. This isparticularly true with regard to expertknowledge of various aspects of the situa-tion (technical, legal, medical etc.) andwhich can be of assistance to both mana-gement and the information personnel.

Informing next of kin

This group must have a very high priorityin terms of the authority’s informationwork.

While the crisis is in progress, next ofkin need information on what is happe-ning and what the authorities are doingon their behalf, and help in being put intouch with hospitals, the police and vari-ous emergency groups, for example.

The personnel who may be responsiblefor informing next of kin of severeaccidents must be thoroughly preparedand trained for this task. Worried next of kin calling in must be met with genuinecommitment and respect. When a death

has occurred, it is always the police whoinform next of kin.

Today’s society is multicultural, whichmeans that information activities mustbe planned and implemented on the basisof any special linguistics and culturalneeds that may exist.

Generating reliable information onwho has been affected by an accidentand how, as quickly as possible, andthereby reducing the circle of concernednext of kin, is, of course, very important.

It is also extremely important to checkall information thoroughly in these con-texts, before issuing it to next of kin orthe media.

Personnel tasked with talking to con-cerned individuals or the next of kin ofthose affected must be given specialtraining or experience in handling thistask. The activity should be coordinatedwith those responsible for staff welfare,churches, the police, medical and socialservices.

Next of kin will demand to know thefollowing immediately:➤ Was he/she there when it happened?➤ Is he/she injured?➤ If he/she is injured, where is he/she now?➤ How bad are the injuries?➤ Where can I see him/her?➤ Which hospital is he/she in?➤ Can you help me get there?

38

Once the peak of the crisis is past, anumber of specific and serious questionswill be asked by next of kin and thoseaffected. These questions will relate tohousing, food and clothing, work and in-surance, sick leave and medical care etc.And in worst case scenarios, taking careof the dead, saying goodbye to them, andfuneral arrangements.

The authority should concentrate inparticular, within its area of responsibility,by always handling questions and infor-mation from next of kin and those affect-ed in a positive manner. In many cases,direct channels can be created.

Stages of shock that must be recognised and taken into account, during and afteremergencies:➤ Shock and anger➤ Denial➤ Guilt➤ Inactivity➤ Healing begins➤ Experimenting with thoughts and

courses of action➤ Acceptance➤ Success➤ Growth in confidence

Inform people in a way that is relevantwithout scaring them

Information issued to the public or tolarge groups of people with distinct andspecific information requirements must bebased on professionally investigated andanalysed requirement criteria. Gettingimportant information across to the pub-

39

lic is reliant on the informationcorresponding to an interest or need that these people are known to have.

The problem descriptions must, there-fore, be relevant and concrete, and shouldpreferably be targeted, not at a mass ofanonymous citizens, but at a specificgroup, and should be structured so that aperson can identify with this group. If theinformation meets this requirement, italso becomes possible, within this frame-work, to build in the sort of informationthat is considered important from thenarrower perspective of the authority oroperations.

All information should be factual andits content should be as practical andconcrete as possible. If there are any risksthat need to be borne in mind, and ofwhich the public should hence be noti-fied, the information should includereferences to other measures that may beappropriate in terms of avoiding hazards.Here too, the overall aim should be toensure that information and measuresare described as concretely as possible.

It is best to avoid using all forms ofmetaphorical language or comparisonsthat could be misinterpreted whendescribing risks and hazards.

It is important at all times to providedetails of contact points that individualscan approach with their inquiries and toensure that these points are staffed bypersonnel capable of answering questionsif the public do contact them.

It is also vital to ensure that thisorganisation is staffed to a sufficient level

(including reliefs) that it can cope with ahuge information requirement during arelatively short space of time, e.g. aftergeneral information has been issued viathe media.

Consider implementing fixed information routines

When a crisis situation continues over an extended period of time with intensemedia monitoring throughout, it may bea good idea to try and come up with mo-re fixed times for information release,e.g. two or three times a day. This makesit easier for everyone involved to submittheir source data in good time to allow itto be processed and incorporated intothe information released to the media.

Act – don’t reactIf uncertain sequences of events are to beinfluenced, a personal effort to influencethem is required. Because anyone whomakes no effort to do so will, instead,end up being completely controlled bythe events‚ own dynamic and otherpeople’s activities.

This is why it is important to imple-ment your own information activities,rather than waiting for things to happen.

Authorities must, in other words, bePROACTIVE, not simply REACTIVE!

Simple, definite information plans,implemented consistently, affect thesequence of events, not only in the me-dia, but within your own organisationand in cooperative or adjacent activities.

40

When a crisis occurs out of the blue, theInformation Director responsible mustimmediately activate those units assigned to and prepared for this job. (See Part 2: To be prepared).➤ Establish a clear division of work for

previously specified tasks if there are still unfilled positions.

➤ What demands may be made of the information function? If external resources are required for long-term activities, they must be called in at an early stage.

➤ In what way might these demands change

over time, centrally, regionally and locally?

➤ What are our immediate and long-term aims

with regard to different target groups?➤ What resources do we have and what

limits are there? Are experts needed?➤ What do our own personnel and the

general public know, and what is being reported in the media?

➤ What immediate conclusions can we draw and what decisions can we take, here and now?

➤ Which information strategy should we choose, i.e. what do we want to say, and how are we to get this information across to the people who need it?

➤ What type of information should be prepared at this stage, both internally and externally, and what requirement is there for cooperation with adjacent operations?

➤ What are the time constraints – what is the deadline for doing things?

➤ Are there any economic restrictions?

Start very quickly

An authority should aim to be able toprovide information quickly about a crisisthat has arisen, whenever it occurs – 24hours a day, 365 days of the year. Thismeans that, in principle, an InformationDirector must always be contactable andthat it must be possible to initiate thefollowing measures on very short notice:1. Alert your organisation.

2. Appoint an Information Director.

3. Activate the information personnel, according to prepared lists.

4. Announce contact names to the media and others.

5. Open all information channels.

6. Tailor the switchboard to handle increased information pressure and issue instructions.

7. Set up ongoing monitoring of the authority’s homepage, including the ability to monitor the traffic, gather information and answer questions.

8. Open the Information Centre.

9. Contact other authorities.

Make time by seeking to gain theinformation advantage➤ Find out everything you can internally.➤ Carry out a thorough review with the help

of independent institutions.➤ Find out additional background

information as quickly as possible.➤ Create a picture quickly of the information

issued by the media – start taping radio/tv broadcasts.

41

Prepare and make the plan operational➤ Inform relevant authorities and

decision-makers.➤Ensure that all relevant information

goes through the information function.

➤Appoint a few people who are tasked

exclusively with thinking and planning long-term. Make sure that they do not get dragged into any activities where the stress level is acute.

➤ Check that the people you really want

to receive your information are getting it (it is people’s perceptionsand understanding that are critical, not what you have actually sent out!)

➤Resist all impulses to become irritated and shout at journalists in a stress situation. It is always the people who are rude who lose credibility in the media.

Meanwhile, convene the crisis team to discuss the following issues:➤ What is the nature of the crisis?➤ Who is affected?➤ What implication?➤ Are there deeper and more serious

problems behind it?➤ Will there be other effects that emerge

over time?➤ What is the worst-case scenario?➤ What is at stake?➤ Who else is involved?➤ What will the media/general public

think/do/demand?➤ What are the time constraints?

➤ Where can we get help?➤ What happens after the acute stage?➤ What should the focus of our information be?➤ Can the emergency be limited?➤ Who can influence us?➤ Who else should be contacted?

42

Contact the crisis management teamThe person with overall responsibility forinformation should initiate cooperationwith the in-house crisis managementteam.

Contact should also be made with the unit responsible for the overall crisismanagement team information, e.g. the Swedish Government Offices, othercentral authorities, county councils ormunicipalities.

Start the external analysisListen to the radio, watch tv, checkincoming calls to the InformationCentre, check with other authorities,gather information from employees,monitor traffic on the Internet etc.

Avoid becoming trapped in animpossible situation

The scope and nature of the crisis areoften unclear not only to the generalpublic, but to the media and authoritiesduring the first, chaotic stage. So it isimportant to avoid locking up the aut-hority’s future profile or actions throughoverly strong and definite statements.

Do not promise more actions andmeasures before you have the basis for an evaluation of the crisis as a whole. Mis-guided ambition all too often results inauthority personnel allowing themselvesto be pressured early on into promisingmore than they are subsequently able todeliver.

This is often based on an exaggeratedperception of people’s expectations and

on inexperience. It is also easy in aninterview situation to be pressured intousing exaggerated words and values todefine the situation.

This misguided ambition can also lead to the authority adopting excessivelystrong language and measures far tooearly in the proceedings, with the aim of calming the population and showingthat the authority has control over thesequence of events.

Handling an acute situationIf you must appear in front of the mediabefore you have managed to plan itthoroughly, you can base the informationyou provide on the following template:➤ Summarise quickly everything you

know for sure.➤ Do not speculate about anything else.➤ Never lie.➤ Display a human side, involvement

and empathy.➤ Forget all thoughts of personal prestige.➤ Comfort, encourage and give hope,

without exaggerating.➤ Describe in concrete terms what is being

done and what will be done.➤ Promise ongoing information.

43

© E

LISA

BE

T ZEILO

N/JO

HN

ÉR

BILD

BY

RÅ

44

A few hints on promoting cooperationThe authorities should bear the followingin mind, to ensure that contacts with themedia work as well as possible:➤ Accredit the media’s representatives➤ Adapt the information activities in line

with the media’s rhythm and terms.➤ Be proactive in your contacts with the

media.➤ Monitor what is said, written and

shown in the media.➤ Give the media good conditions and

space in which to work.

The information unit’s active responseThe information unit should set up aclearly indicated and marked area for themedia’s representatives, close to the geo-graphical site of the crisis. An InformationOfficer who is kept sufficiently up-to-date that he/she constitutes a resource forjournalists and photographers should bestationed there.

During the acute phase of a major crisis,it is not unusual for the media’s sourcecritical work to be forced to take a backseat to the often most pressing need toquickly convey information on what ishappening. This often means that theradio and tv will be broadcasting live fromthe scene. The Information Officer istasked with making it easier for the media,in cooperation with whoever is responsiblefor safety (the emergency services, police,armed forces, medical services), to takephotographs quickly and safely, to visit thescene of the accident, and to gain accessto people whom they can interview etc.

45

The information unit must constantlystrive to keep the media as up-to-date aspossible about the latest events. This isdone firstly, on an ongoing basis throughverbal and written information, second-ly, via interviews with those responsible,and thirdly, via press releases and pressconferences.

The ongoing information provisiondemands that the information unit hasaccess to the latest news at all times, fromnot only the overall crisis managementteam, but from its own authority’s crisismanagement team and from the ongoingactivities. The information should thenbe passed to the media centre, the sceneof the accident or equivalent, the in-formation centre and the Internet.

Interviews with authority representativesWhen the media ask for interviews, theauthority should, wherever possible,oblige them, even during the acute phaseof the crisis. If the authority does not getits version of the events and its own roleacross, the media will very quickly findother people willing to give their versionof what is happening.

These alternative descriptions can,where deficient or inaccurate informationis unfortunately provided, lead to theauthorities having to allocate substantialresources to counter the rumours, half-truths, confusions etc. that have thenstarted to circulate.

The fundamental rule is, therefore:always agree to interviews!

So who should be interviewed? The

media are keen to have the most seniorperson responsible comment. This mightbe a Director General, or the crisis teamleader, or the Chairman of a Board ofDirectors. The media also want access topeople who have been actively involvedin handling the crisis, e.g. the police,emergency services personnel, psycholo-gists, doctors or financial, technical andlegal experts.

The person to be interviewed shouldbe prepared by the information unit asto how the interview will proceed andthe way journalists work. The more in-experienced the interview subject is, themore training and background informa-tion will be needed.

Things to bear in mind during interviewsBefore the interview takes place, the aut-hority’s representative should find out the name of the journalist, who he/sheworks for, and when and where the inter-view will be used. The interview subjectshould clarify their position and the roleand responsibility of the authority.

Try, if possible, to create time to gothrough and attempt to predict everypossible question, and to prepare answersto them. Journalists want details of deathsand injuries, of damage, costs, whoseresponsibility it is, of whether somethingsimilar has happened before, of responsi-bility and authority, and of what theauthority is going to do to ensure itdoesn’t happen again etc. Make sure thatyou have the facts and figures at handand draft short, concrete answers to the

46

questions that the media can be expectedto ask.

Decide, before the interview, whichpoints the authority most wants to convey.

It is often best to start with informationon the health and well-being of peopleand animals, followed by the consequencesfor the environment, surrounding areas,property, economic aspects etc., and afterthose, any potential consequences for yourown authority.

Assume that everything said duringand in connection with the interviewmay be published. Do not reveal anyprivate or confidential information.

Interviews with the broadcast mediaInterviews with the broadcast media areusually very short in conjunction withthe broadcast – maybe no more than 30seconds – but they can be crucial inestablishing confidence and respect for along time to come. You should, there-fore, strive to create time for preparationand training for these important occasi-ons.

Go over the following questions carefully:➤ Which programme is involved?➤ Who is doing the interview?➤ Is it being broadcast live or taped?➤ How long will the interview last?➤ During an interview in someone’s home:

think about the décor to be conveyed!➤ When will the interview be broadcast?➤ Who else will take part in the programme?

Will it be a debate?➤ Are there any other circumstances to be

considered with regard to the actual programme, clothing etc.?

➤ What questions will they ask you?➤ How much does the journalist know

about the facts?

You may also be confronted with a micro-phone and camera ”in your face” on thedoorstep. Train yourself mentally, nowand again, to handle these encountersbefore they happen! An interview thathappens unexpectedly and when you areunprepared is difficult to handle if youhaven‚t considered the most importantquestions beforehand.

Try to practice in advanceIf you have the time, you and yourcolleagues should go through a range ofdifferent questions that may be askedand the correct answers in each case.Write down both the questions andanswers in a structured form. Go throughthem by yourself a few times before the interview. It’s easier for your visualmemory to remember something you,yourself, have written! Always try to bepositive. Decide on the two or, at themost, three most important messagesthat you want to convey. Try at all timesto be focused, concrete and concise.

Concrete advice for an interviewee:➤ During the interview, you must be open

and honest.➤ Take every question seriously.➤ Listen to the whole question.➤ Think before you answer.

47

➤ Answer the question – and nothing more.➤ Never say more than you know to be

the case.➤ Stick to the areas in which you work and

are competent.➤ Stick to the facts and avoid answering

hypothetical questions.➤ Never speculate on the cause of events or

on the actions of other authorities.➤ Counter inaccuracies and untruths

immediately.➤ Don’t answer questions based on

inaccurate or misleading assumptions.➤ Correct inaccurate assumptions in the

question before answering it.➤ Use everyday language and avoid jargon.➤ If you are unable or unauthorized to answer,

the question – explain why.➤ Avoid saying, ”no comment”.➤ Be friendly and diplomatic and avoid

getting annoyed.➤ Never argue with the journalist.

Follow up on how the interview turnedout in its published form. Does the aut-hority need to issue additional, comple-mentary information on matters that thejournalist chose not to focus on or inclu-de? If there are any serious misapprehen-sions or incorrect quotes that must bedealt with, it should be done as quickly aspossible while the issue is still topical.Avoid demanding corrections of minor,individual errors.

48

© M

AG

NU

S FO

ND

/JOH

NÉ

R B

ILDB

YR

Å

49

Negative and inaccurate publicity

Always demand corrections of clear factualerrors. Refer, if possible, to experts in thefield. Ask to talk to the journalist whohas painted an ”imbalanced” picture andgo through how your perception differsfrom theirs. Don’t be aggressive!

It is important to differentiate betweenfactual matters and values, but if all thefacts are presented, value differences tendto decrease. Demand that differing valuesare accepted and presented, impartially,as far as possible.

Interviews with those affected and next of kin

The media will always want to interviewthose affected and the next of kin. Makesure that the authority has sufficient in-sight into the situation of those affectedand the next of kin during the acute phasethat they can be given the support nee-ded if they, themselves, are willing to giveinterviews, and that the authority willrespect their wishes if they choose not to.

The information unit can be an im-portant intermediary link in this context,e.g. by asking those affected and next ofkin, on the media’s behalf, if they arewilling to meet the media, and by prepa-ring the people in question for the situa-tion they can expect to face, and providingsupport and advice.

It is unfortunately not uncommon forthose affected and next of kin who haveagreed to interviews during the acutephase to regret having done so at a laterstage. This is why an in-depth and insight-

ful discussion is vital before the interview– something that is, of course, often verydifficult to achieve during the acute phaseof a crisis. If you can see that someone ismarkedly affected by a sequence of eventsand is in shock, the authority shouldadvise them against participating in aninterview.

Call in psychological assistance if theauthority is either tasked with takingcare of next of kin and those affected forany length of time, or forced to do so bycircumstances, and allow those providingpsychological help to take part in inter-views with those affected.

Although an interview can be extremelystressful for the person being interviewed,it can also be extremely valuable for thepublic at large. An interview during theacute phase can fulfil an explanatory roleand can help with the subsequent hand-ling of the crisis. The information unitshould, therefore, actively help to promotea solution that is satisfactory for both themedia and for those affected and the nextof kin.

Press conferencesRegular meetings with all of the mediaare a must in conjunction with majorcrisis. The frequency and timing of thesepress conferences depend on the nature ofthe crisis, its intensity, physical dispersaletc.

The press conference is an opportunityto find out how the media see the crisis,to eliminate misunderstandings and con-fusion, to display empathy and to emerge

50

as the source of the most detailed, completeand up-to-date information on the crisis.

Before the press conference, considerwho is going to take part. Only includepeople with a specific knowledge of thecrisis or who are responsible for strategicdecisions and hence able to make state-ments on the authority’s behalf. Don’tinclude too many people.

Choose one person in a position of re-sponsibility and who has communicationskills to chair the press conference.

Decide when the conference is to startand when it is to end. Keep control overwho is admitted to the press conference.

Start the press conference with a shortintroductory statement during which theauthority describes what has happened,how the authority has responded, what ithas decided, what resources have been al-located, what will happen next, and whatthe authority regards as most importantat that precise moment.

The floor should then be thrown openfor questions. The issues involved whenanswering questions are, in principle, thesame as those involved in an interviewwith an individual journalist (see previoussection).

The media should be given the oppor-tunity to obtain the information providedat the conference in written form, as dia-grams, photos etc.

After the conference, there should betime for individual interviews, e.g. for tvand radio. If the people in charge do nothave time to give several interviews, youcan use a pooling approach, i.e. the media

51

agree to let a team interview and film theperson in question, with the results thenhanded over to all interested media. Thisapproach should, however, be the excep-tion, rather than the rule. Try to createthe time for interviews with all the media.

Press conference➤ Do not call a press conference if you have

nothing significant to say and which must be announced quickly to a wide-ranging audience.

➤ The person who will be answering questionsduring the press conference should be allocated time for training and a review of potential questions.

➤ Let someone other than the person who will be answering the questions call on individual journalists during the conference.

➤ Discipline during the Q & A session,

is improved by having someone go round with a microphone.

The Internet as a media channelThe vast majority of journalists use thelatest information technology to searchfor, process and produce information.When it comes to individual authorities,it is vital to build up homepages anddatabases that enable the authorities,where ever possible, to facilitate thejournalists‚ work during crisis.

The websites should be structured sothat the media can access the informationaimed directly at them immediately. It isimportant that this information is updatedcontinuously so that those journalists

and editorial departments who want tocan follow the sequence of events via theNet. The website can also include data-bases that give access to backgroundinformation, statistics, graphics, models,statements, press releases, organisationstructures, facts and figures on productionand processes etc.

Press conferences and interviews, forexample, can also be presented on thehomepage as a valuable complementarysource of information for those journalistsunable to attend in person.

Journalists should also be given theopportunity to contact authorities, e.g.by requesting information, askingquestions, or interviewing them.

A very quick, reactive and well-runhomepage helps journalists to find muchof the information they need, which inturn means that both they and theauthorities can work more efficiently.

Monitor what is said, shown and writtenMedia monitoring should start as soon as a crisis occurs, for a number of reasons.

The media are very quick and verygood at finding information. This meansthat the crisis management team canobtain very valuable information on theway the crisis is progressing by monito-ring the media.

A crisis image affects everyone involved.And it is largely conveyed by the media.This is why it is vital at an early stage topay attention to every aspect of the crisisscenario development, e.g. as a result of imprecise information, of important

52

information not getting across, of messa-ges being misinterpreted, of rumoursbeing spread, of authorities contradictingeach other, or of attempts on the part ofother actors to hinder the crisis manage-ment or discredit a particular authority,etc.

It also important to pay attention toyour own authority’s image. By beingquick off the mark with complementaryinformation, interviews, corrections offactual errors the authority can play anactive part in creating its preferred imageof its own role and activities.

What does monitoring mean?➤ That the information unit constantly

monitors what is said, written and shown in the media and on the Internet.

➤ That the unit has a proactive problem-solving

function that immediately gets to grips with incorrect information, confusion, rumour spreading etc. which, in the opinion of the authority, hampers or hinders the crisis management process.

➤ That the unit is tasked with immediately informing the crisis management team of any information in the media which could affect the continued course of events.

➤ That the unit generates summaries

containing overall descriptions of the media’s coverage and submits it to the crisis management team, their own employees and others involved in the emergency, e.g. other authorities or voluntary organisations.

➤ That the unit tapes, cuts out and documents

what is said, written and shown. This not only has an immediate value during the crisis, it is indispensable in connection with subsequent evaluation work.

Information for different groupsThere are two main types of actors whomthe authorities must take into accountduring a crisis, namely the actors definedby the authority, and those who definethemselves as actors in a given context.

The first group includes the authority’sown employees, other authorities andorganisations, those affected and next ofkin, the media and volunteers.

The second group includes all thoseindividuals, groups, organisations, associ-ations, temporary groupings, interestedparties etc. who act more or less indepen-dently during a crisis and who come tothe authorities‚ attention.

The information requirement for manyof these groups is highly specific and theauthority must be able to conduct a dia-logue with them via direct channels. This increases the effectiveness of theinformation. The recipients receive theinformation they need directly withouthaving to constantly monitor the media.And the authority can target the peoplerequesting the information directly with-out having to rely on it being conveyedby the media.

The authority should, therefore, duringevery crisis, both designate the groupsthat it wants to reach, and pay attention

53

to and meet the information requirementof a range of spontaneous groups. In bothcases, the aim must be to use channelsthat are as selective as possible.

Groups with special informationrequirements

There are a number of groups who requireinformation via special channels and/orwhich is structured on the basis of thesegroups‚ preconditions.

➤ Information for the visually or hearing

impaired can be conveyed using talking newspapers, text-tv or telephone voice response services, for example.

➤ Some groups in society can only be reached by information in their native languages or within the framework of a particular social or religious culture, which means that the information unit must have access to translators and interpreters.

➤ During a crisis, the information unit mustalso remember that there are people who are in the country on a temporary basis, e.g. tourists and conference delegates. Not only do they not speak the local language, they are also often substantially ignorant of the local situation, the structure of society’s aid organisations, and where they should turn for information.

➤ There are also situations where differences in culture, religion, views on sexual equality, of people in authority etc. demand special adaptation, e.g. when choosing who provides information and when formulating that information.

54

The organisation’s own employees

Well-informed employees are, for anumber of reasons, a prerequisite ofsuccessful information managementduring crisis.

Well informed employees are the bestsalespersons of the capacity of the autho-rity’s capability of the crisis.

As representatives of the authority, theemployees have the chance to explain,describe, analyse and attest to the autho-rity’s actions and information.

The contacts they have with the out-side world, both as employees and asprivate individuals, mean that they canform part of the authority’s externalanalysis and hence provide feedback inthe form of valuable information on theway in which the emergency is develo-ping, on the way people see the authorityetc.

The employees have an automaticright to be well-informed on what theirown authority is doing. Their families‚health and well-being and their ownfutures may be at stake.

This is why the employees‚ familiesshould also be taken into considerationin the context of the information work,particularly if a family member issignificantly affected by the crisis.

Demands for internal informationmust, therefore, be met, and resourcesmust be created accordingly.

55

The internal information must be:➤ Fast➤ Open➤ Honest➤ Detailed➤ Easily accessible➤ Clear

The information should describe the role of the authority and the employees inthe crisis and the crisis consequences forthe authority and the employees.

By placing both the authority’s andthe individual’s work in an overall crisiscontext, the internal information can helpto generate a strong sense of cohesion.

The internal information must belightening fast if the employees are notto end up in a situation they hate – find-ing things out via the media, acquaintan-ces or ”word of mouth”. Such a situationwill also, incidentally, damage the mana-gement’s credibility.

Adaptation of information to differentpersonnel groups may be necessary inlarger organisations. The informationissued to employees must be adapted inline with their work situation, field ofcompetence, decision-making powersand training.

The employees may be in a variety oflocations over the course of the day andwith varying access to communicationstechnology equipment. They also needdifferent types of information, e.g.updates, source data for decisions, analy-ses and conclusions, preferences and sug-gested solutions to problems, etc.

The information unit must, therefore,create a chart showing which informationis to be conveyed to different personnelgroups via different channels.

Volunteers

A large number of individuals, groups and organisations often come forward asvolunteers during a crisis. The authority may have cooperated with some of them and asked them for help during crisisbefore. Other groups emerge spontane-ously, lack formal competence, areunused to working with the authority,and have no previous emergency workexperience.

They may want to provide help in the form of advice and instructions, toinvestigate the scope and nature of thecrisis, to take part in the rescue workand/or to try and coordinate activities by issuing instructions and resolvingconflicts. These groups count on society’ssupport and may come into conflict withthe authorities due to a combination of a

56

huge desire to help and an ignorance of responsibilities, roles and authorityinvolved.

The spontaneous desire to help shouldbe affirmed and gratefully noted, but atthe same time, a thorough assessmentmust precede any decision by the autho-rity to incorporate voluntary workersinto the crisis work and crisis manage-ment.

The authority must gather informationon these volunteers and ensure that they are kept up-to-date with the crisisdevelopment and any need on the partof the authorities for the services they are offering.

VIPsA crisis attracts prominent individuals. Their presence can provide moral sup-port for the crisis work and can also betaken as an indicator of society’s financialand material support. These individualsdo, however, demand considerable atten-tion and a great deal of energy on thepart of personnel already under verysevere pressure as a result of handling the crisis.

In a worst case scenario, this may ne-cessitate temporarily interrupting thework to ensure both that satisfactorylevels of safety are in place and that themedia’s requirements can be served.

The information unit must be preparedto handle vips. It is important that theirvisits or presence are organised in a waythat supports the crisis management with-out taking too much time from its work.

The information unit should allocateresources that enable it to handle all thepractical arrangements, meetings withthe media, and any press conferencesand site visits, and should also allocate alimited amount of time for consultationand meetings with the crisis manage-ment.

57

© P

HILIP

LAU

RE

LL/JOH

NÉ

R B

ILDB

YR

Å

Desired conditions for crisis informationThe information produced by governmentauthorities during crisis should help toensure that everyone actively involved inthe crisis, the media and the populationin general are given a picture of events thatis as correct and up-to-date as possible.

Crisis information should, therefore,help to create the best possible understan-ding of the situation and its various con-sequences, so that the parties involved inthe crisis and those individuals affectedare best able to take decisions in the areasfor which they are responsible or whichaffect them in some other way.

Furthermore, that part of the public sector not directly affected by events shouldbe able to have its need for factual andupdated information on the crisis fulfilled.

Being prepared❑ Emergency awareness❑ Organisational support base❑ Goals❑ Information department structure❑ Dialogue with the outside world❑ Credibility

Before the crisis❑ Build personal relationships with

journalists❑ Create a natural partnership with

other authorities❑ Build up a high level of credibility

❑ Build up networks❑ Carry out ongoing external analyses❑ Establish an internal awareness of

crisis communication❑ Hold role-playing exercises❑ Ensure that functioning systems are in

place for dialogues with the outside world

Crisis communication kit❑ Crisis communication must be

handled professionally❑ In a crisis, everyone becomes a

decision-maker❑ Think first!❑ Credibility is absolutely critical.

When the crisis happens❑ Start quickly❑ Raise the alarm❑ Open information channels❑ Contact the crisis management team❑ Announce that the authority has

started work on the crisis❑ Start the external analyses❑ Handle the crisis and the crisis

image in parallel❑ Be flexible and prepared to improvise

The following are common during crisis❑ Initial uncertainty about the crisis❑ Things happening very fast❑ Massive information flows❑ Contradictory messages and impressions❑ Fast, intense monitoring by the media

58

Crisis communication checklist

59

60

61

❑ Lots of new parties involved❑ A requirement for flexibility and

improvisation

How to establish a clear distribution of work❑ The Information Director has overall

responsibility❑ Press Director❑ A person responsible for media

monitoring and analysis❑ Any spokesmen❑ A person responsible for contacts with

next of kin/concerned citizens❑ A person responsible for internal

information❑ A person responsible for research and

gathering facts on anything and everything potentially connected to what has happened

❑ Linguistically skilled personnelIf a crisis occurs, personnel should be given theopportunity to call their next of kin.

Establish a strong, durable informationdepartment

❑ Management❑ Analysis group❑ Producing unit❑ Media services unit❑ Internal information unit❑ Intra-authority coordination unit❑ Documentation unit❑ Multicultural service unit

After the crisis❑ Wind up the information capacity slowly❑ Evaluate and draw conclusions❑ Convert experience gained into new plans,instructions, routines and exercises

© E

LISA

BE

T ZEILO

N/JO

HN

ÉR

BILD

BY

RÅ

Your notes

62

63

Crisis Comm

unication Handbook 2003:1

Swedish Emergency Swedish Emergency Management AgencyManagement Agency

P.O Box 599P.O Box 599SE-101 31 StockholmSE-101 31 Stockholm

Tel +46 (0) 8 593 710 00Tel +46 (0) 8 593 710 00Fax +46 (0) 8 593 710 01Fax +46 (0) 8 593 710 01

kbm@krisberedskapskbm@krisberedskapsmyndigheten.semyndigheten.se

www.krisberedskapswww.krisberedskapsmyndigheten.semyndigheten.seISBN 91-85053-09-0ISBN 91-85053-09-0

FO

TO: ©

PH

ILIP LA

UR

ELL/JO

HN

ÉR

BILD

BY

RÅ

FO

TO: ©

PH

ILIP LA

UR

ELL/JO

HN

ÉR

BILD

BY

RÅ