Crisis Roadmap
Step 1: Obtain Situation Report From Your Staff on Scene
Start with the facts. Contact your trusted point person or team on-site and gather verified details—what happened, when, where, who’s involved, and the current status. Ask for photos or videos if appropriate. Don’t rely on rumors or third-hand reports.
Start with the facts. Contact your trusted point person or team on-site and gather verified details—what happened, when, where, who’s involved, and the current status. Ask for photos or videos if appropriate. Don’t rely on rumors or third-hand reports.
Step 2: Alert/Update the Authorities (as Necessary)
Notify relevant emergency services or regulatory agencies (e.g., police, fire, health department, EPA) if they’re not already aware. Update them as the situation evolves to ensure alignment and avoid misinformation.
Notify relevant emergency services or regulatory agencies (e.g., police, fire, health department, EPA) if they’re not already aware. Update them as the situation evolves to ensure alignment and avoid misinformation.
Step 3: Activate Internal Emergency Alerts (if needed)
Use your internal notification system (e.g., mass text, email) to warn of danger, lockdowns, or evacuations. Keep it short, clear, and actionable. Prioritize safety first, not PR.
Use your internal notification system (e.g., mass text, email) to warn of danger, lockdowns, or evacuations. Keep it short, clear, and actionable. Prioritize safety first, not PR.
Step 4: Gather the Internal Crisis Management Team
Bring together your predetermined crisis management team—legal, HR, communications, operations, executive leadership—virtually or in-person (preferred). Assign roles immediately and review the known facts. Decide on a clear chain of command.
Bring together your predetermined crisis management team—legal, HR, communications, operations, executive leadership—virtually or in-person (preferred). Assign roles immediately and review the known facts. Decide on a clear chain of command.
Step 5: Identify the Key Stakeholders
Create a list of all groups that need to be informed or protected—employees, customers, elected officials, families, partners, regulators, and the media. Prioritize based on who is most affected or legally required to know.
Create a list of all groups that need to be informed or protected—employees, customers, elected officials, families, partners, regulators, and the media. Prioritize based on who is most affected or legally required to know.
Step 6: Establish Time Frame for External Communications
Decide how soon you’ll issue the first public message. Aim to issue your first public message as quickly as possible (ideally within 30-60 minutes), even if it’s just a holding statement. Set a cadence for updates, even if there’s nothing new to share. For example, your team may decide to share updates every 3 hours, even if that update is “there are no new updates.”
Decide how soon you’ll issue the first public message. Aim to issue your first public message as quickly as possible (ideally within 30-60 minutes), even if it’s just a holding statement. Set a cadence for updates, even if there’s nothing new to share. For example, your team may decide to share updates every 3 hours, even if that update is “there are no new updates.”
Step 7: Appoint Primary Spokesperson
Choose one voice to represent your organization—typically a communications director, CEO, or public information officer. All other staff members should defer to this person and refrain from speaking publicly.
Choose one voice to represent your organization—typically a communications director, CEO, or public information officer. All other staff members should defer to this person and refrain from speaking publicly.
Step 8: Prepare the First Message
Write a short, honest statement acknowledging what happened, expressing concern or empathy, and stating what steps are being taken. Stick to known facts and avoid speculation, blame, or absolutes that may later prove inaccurate. If details are unknown, say so.
Write a short, honest statement acknowledging what happened, expressing concern or empathy, and stating what steps are being taken. Stick to known facts and avoid speculation, blame, or absolutes that may later prove inaccurate. If details are unknown, say so.
Step 9: Send Fact Points for Internal Audiences
Distribute a “What We Know So Far” memo to your employees, board members, and key partners. Include fact points to prevent misinformation and equip them to answer basic questions if asked. Make sure everything given out is information that could go public because it might be obtained by the media.
Distribute a “What We Know So Far” memo to your employees, board members, and key partners. Include fact points to prevent misinformation and equip them to answer basic questions if asked. Make sure everything given out is information that could go public because it might be obtained by the media.
Step 10: Coordinate with External Agencies (if needed)
Check in with the police, fire department, hospitals, schools, or other relevant agencies involved. Share your contact information and confirm who is speaking on their behalf. Ensure messages won’t contradict.
Check in with the police, fire department, hospitals, schools, or other relevant agencies involved. Share your contact information and confirm who is speaking on their behalf. Ensure messages won’t contradict.
Step 11: Post First Statements on Social Media and Elsewhere
Push your official message to your website, social channels, and email subscribers. Use plain language and maintain consistency across all platforms. Set up an alert page if necessary.
Push your official message to your website, social channels, and email subscribers. Use plain language and maintain consistency across all platforms. Set up an alert page if necessary.
Step 12: Brief the Press
Depending on the nature of the crisis, consider holding a press conference or a quick, informal media briefing. Provide your official statement, including key soundbites, repeating important facts, and promising more information as it becomes available. Stick to the truth, even if that means saying, “We don’t know yet.”
Depending on the nature of the crisis, consider holding a press conference or a quick, informal media briefing. Provide your official statement, including key soundbites, repeating important facts, and promising more information as it becomes available. Stick to the truth, even if that means saying, “We don’t know yet.”
Step 13: Monitor Social Media and Hotlines
Assign staff to actively monitor online discourse, emails, and your phone lines. Track misinformation, genuine questions, rising anger, or confusion. Flag serious rumors, threats, or emerging issues. Be ready to correct false information swiftly.
Assign staff to actively monitor online discourse, emails, and your phone lines. Track misinformation, genuine questions, rising anger, or confusion. Flag serious rumors, threats, or emerging issues. Be ready to correct false information swiftly.
Step 14: Answer Questions Transparently, Truthfully, and in a Timely Fashion
Respond to media, partners, and the public with honesty and professionalism. If you can’t confirm something, don’t guess. Promise to follow up—and do so. Your credibility is your most valuable asset in a crisis.
Respond to media, partners, and the public with honesty and professionalism. If you can’t confirm something, don’t guess. Promise to follow up—and do so. Your credibility is your most valuable asset in a crisis.
Step 15: Watchful Waiting: Provide Updates (as needed)
Stay alert and responsive as the situation unfolds. If there are new developments, share them. If there aren’t, still provide regular updates to maintain trust. When the crisis is resolved, issue a final statement and offer next steps. Record learnings for future training and preparation.
Stay alert and responsive as the situation unfolds. If there are new developments, share them. If there aren’t, still provide regular updates to maintain trust. When the crisis is resolved, issue a final statement and offer next steps. Record learnings for future training and preparation.