Module 1 – Introduction to Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication

Deborah Grigsby SmithState of Colorado

Director of External CommunicationsHomeland Security

Agenda

• Definitions

• What is a/an crisis, disaster,emergency

• Potential crisis situations

• Crisis communications complications

• Examples good/bad crisis communications

• Crisis communication lifecycle

• Parting thoughts/handouts

• Questions and thank yous

Obligatory disclaimer

• Not an expert in any form of public health, healthcare

• Basic overview only

• Much more to learn, so it’s okay to be confused at this point

• Don’t have all the answers, but I’m willing to help you track them down…

CDC Module 1 says…

• Four types of communication

– Crisis communication– Issues management communication– Risk communication– Crisis and emergency risk communication

Some definitions

• Crisis communication– Experiencing something unexpected– Organization must respond– Implies lack of control by the organization

Communicator: participant

Time pressure: urgent and unexpected

Message purpose: explain and persuade

What is a crisis, exactly…?

• Unexpected

• Uncontrolled

• Disrupts or impedes normal operations

• Intense public and media attention

• Interferes with achieving organizational goals

• Threatens reputation/public trust

• Damage can be real or PERCEIVED

How well you perform…

• Will ALWAYS be front page news

– Media coverage of the 911 Commission hearings

• “…apparently contradictory evacuation orders…”

AFP Coverage

• “…conflicting advice from emergency teams…”

Reuters

• “…communication gaps…lack of coordination…”

Associated Press

Some definitions

• Issues management communication– Similar to crisis– Organization has luxury of forewarning and can

plan response to stakeholders– Organization is central to the event

Communicator: participantTime pressure: anticipated, can be controlledMessage purpose: explain and persuade, and empower decision making

Some definitions

• Risk communication– Flourishes in environmental health field– Provides the receiver with information about the

expected outcome from a behavior or exposure

Communicator: Expert that did not participate in event; is neutral regarding the outcomeTime pressure: anticipated, little or no time

pressureMessage purpose: explain and empower

receiver’s decision making process

Speaking of exposure risk…

Some definitions

• Crisis and emergency risk communication– Different from crisis as communicator is not

perceived as a participant– Effort by experts to provide information to

stakeholder to make the best decision about their well-being within impossible time constraints

Communicator: expert who is post-event participant invested in the outcomeTime pressure: urgent and unexpectedMessage purpose: explain and persuade, and empower decision making

Emergencies, disaster, crises

• What do they all have in common?– Simply something bad has happened, is about

to happen, or is currently happening– Can be called an emergency, disaster, or a

crisis depending on the magnitude of the event and the current phase of the event

Potential crisis situations

• Fatality

• Natural disaster

• Terrorism

• Workplace violence

• Health and Safety issues

• Environmental issues

• Law suits

• Criminal activity

• Security• Activists• Racial issues• Failure • Sudden change in

management• Sabotage• Financial actions• Implication by

association

Crisis Complications

• Increasing population densities• Lots of people in high-risk areas• Increased technology risks (hazmat)• Aging population• Emerging diseases and antimicrobial resistance• Increasingly mobile society• More international travel• Terrorism• Instantaneous communication

Some recognizable crises…

• Airline crashes (TWA 800, Pan Am 103, AA 587)

• World Trade Center Bombings (1993 and 2001)

• Exxon Valdez

• Ford Firestone Recall

• Enron

• Tylenol Cyanide incident

• Monica Lewinski Scandal

• Ebola virus

Good crisis management:

• Tylenol Cyanide Incident

– Jim Burke, Johnson & Johnson CEO immediately expressed commitment to and concern for customers

– Was not afraid to pull product and lose sales in the short term in order to protect public safety

– Honest and commitment elevated customer trust and reputation damage was minimal (full market share restores within 12 months)

– Redefined how companies deal with public safety—take action, don’t just talk.

Bad crisis management:

• Ford Firestone™ Recall

– Ford dribbled out information as they were pressured by the media.

– Started with a partial recall of a defective product

– Withheld important information and pointed fingers.

– Did not put safety and security of customers first—made litigation strategy the focus

– Penny-wise in this case was indeed pound foolish

EVAL

Crisis comm lifecycle

PRECRISIS INITIAL MAINTENANCE RESOLUTION

• Be prepared

• Foster alliances

• Get consensus

• Test messages

• Help public clarify risks

•Background and detailed info for those who need it

•Gain understanding and support for response and recovery plans

•Listen for feedback and aggressively correct misinformation

•Empower risk/benefit decision-making

• Acknowledge the event with empathy

•Explain and inform the public in simple terms about the risk

•Establish agency and spokes person credibility

•Provide emergency courses of action (include where and how to get information)

•Commit to free-flowing information

• Improve response in similar emergencies through education

• Honestly examine problems/successes

• Persuade the public to support public policy and resource allocation to problem

• Tell the story of your successes and capabilities (internally, externally)

• Evaluate communication plan performance

• Document lessons learned

• Determine specific actions to improve crisis systems and/or your crisis plan

Pre-crisis phase

• Be prepared– Go-kit (backgrounders, key messages)– JIS/JIC/Virtual JIC– Shadow Web site

• Foster alliances, share information– Critical for consistent messages

• Develop consensus recommendations

• Develop and test plan and messages

Initial phase

• Acknowledge the event with empathy– “I understand.”

• Explain and inform the public, in the simplest terms, about the risks involved

• Establish org/spokesperson credibility

• Provide emergency courses of action (how/where to get more information)

• Commit to continued and open communication

Crisis maintenance

• Help public and stakeholders more accurately understand their own risks

• Provide backgrounders to those who need it• Gain understanding and support for

response and recovery plans• Listen to feedback and aggressively correct

misinformation• Explain emergency recommendations• Empower risk/benefit decision making

Crisis resolution

• Improve appropriate response in future emergencies through education

• Honestly examine problems/successes

• Persuade public to support public policy and resource allocation

• Tell your story to everyone! Promote your activities and capabilities…reinforce your corporate identity both externally and internally.

Evaluation

• Evaluate communication plan performance

• Document lessons learned

• Determine specific actions to improve crisis system and/or crisis plan

• Seek feedback from partners and other organizations involved—yes, even the media.

Parting thoughts

• Planning is the key– Develop a crisis communication plan in writing

• Names, numbers, checklists, role clarification• Arrange MOU with sister organizations• Order supplies (pens, paper, CDs, DVDs,

diazepam in the large economy jug)• Build your shadow Web/virtual JIC• Meet regularly and train, brainstorm• Write key messages, backgrounders, collect stock

photos, build a Go-kit.

More parting thoughts

• Don’t reinvent the wheel– Use others’ work as learning tool– Ask other for help, advice, direction

• Don’t even imagine doing it by yourself– Build your human resources now

• Train receptionists, interns, non-essential personnel to help (phone calls, log queries)

– Plan for the very worst, then scale back as you need

More parting thoughts

• Remember to make provisions in your plan to take care of yourselves and your team– By planning for a crisis now, you divert stress,

chaos and disorganization• Proper tools for the job• Budget for equipment, software, etc.• Sleep, food, mental health, family responsibility

Most importantly

• Trust your instincts…– If it doesn’t look right, or feel right…ASK– Don’t be afraid to challenge the information

you receive• Use the Internet, other experts in other

departments or jurisdictions if you need

– Don’t allow yourself to be bullied• Your job is to help ensure ACCURATE information • Don’t be afraid to do your job

– Develop networks, resources and tools.

• And if something happens that you do have to make an uncomfortable exit….

Questions and thank yous!

• Thank you!

• ¡Gracias!

• Danke!

• Merci!

• Shukran !

• Mahalo nui loa!

• Domo arigato!

• Tack så mycket!