Five Tips to Develop a Crisis Communications Plan
During a crisis, cooler heads will always plan and prevail.
EDITORS NOTE: At the time of publishing, the numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases was four, that number has increased to seven confirmed cases within Indian Health Services. That number is expected to rise, again - turn to Indian Country Today to get the most up-to-date numbers and to track this global pandemic.
As of 25 minutes ago, Indian Country Today has reported there have been a total of 4 cases of COVID-19 Coronavirus confirmed within Indian Health Services across the country. For PR professionals and Public Information Officers (PIOs), we’ve been working behind-the-scenes, rewriting materials, notices, briefs, and providing our clients with consultation to navigate these unprecedented and uncertain times.
The global pandemic that is COVID-19 Coronavirus has made its way into our communities and as more tribes and small business owners across the nation are faced with making difficult decisions, I wanted to share a few tips when it comes to developing a Crisis Communications Plan.
REMAIN CALM IN YOUR APPROACH - Avoid using supercharged words that carry a lot of emotion. Try to use words that balance the gravity of the situation and the information you want your audience to take away from your communications. Remember the weight of your words will be felt by your audience so take the time to provide timely information in a way that does not invoke fear or panic.
ESTABLISH WHO’S ON YOUR TEAM - In times of crisis communications, it’s important to know who needs to be in the room to help execute a plan of action. The core crisis team can vary by incident, but for tribes, it will most likely consist of tribal leaders, the general counsel or attorneys, the director of emergency management, tribal law enforcement, subject matter experts and the communications lead or chief of staff. Of course, not all tribes have the same resources to flex that kind of muscle so understand that some people wear many hats and take on multiple roles. For an incident like this, where it requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, your tribal government or entity may also have non-Native partners from local, state and federal agencies who will be playing a role. Learn and understand the importance of mutual aid agreements and how your county PIOs can help amplify the messages you’re trying to get out.
PLAN FOR ALL CONTINGENCIES - As with any best practice, having a plan to implement will help you respond proactively and avoid misinformation. There are currently 3 (three) tribes who have 4 (four) confirmed cases of COVID-19 Coronavirus, so it’s best to plan for when your community may be confronted with its own confirmed cases. Pre-approving the language on press release drafts and having them ready to go out will save precious time. Host a pre-planning meeting to establish the core crisis team and make sure you have a phone tree (phone list) of people who know they may be called on for their area of expertise. Timely communications in conjunction with activation of the emergency management plan or other resources are key to the success and effectiveness of a crisis response team.
UPDATE PERIODICALLY - Identify and prioritize which audiences you need to be proactively reaching out to and make a schedule of how frequently you will provide them with updates to the situation. Internal audiences could include your staff and your tribal members. External audiences could be your customers, vendors and other local partners. If you have built relationships with the local media, it’s definitely a good time to reach out and just let them know your organization or community may be releasing a press release soon and to look out for it. While you would never share confidential information with the media, if there are impacts to the surrounding communities, your local reporters again, can help get your message out to a wider audience. Indian Country Today has done a phenomenal job tracking all the developments surrounding the pandemic, you can send your tribal press releases to PressRelease@indiancountrytoday.com.
DON’T EXAGGERATE, STICK TO THE FACTS - Check and double-check your sources, develop talking points for the designated spokesperson and make sure they stick to the facts. Coaching your spokesperson on how to pivot and answer difficult questions is another added value you can bring to your clients during a time of crisis.
In the years that I served as a PIO and participated in active emergency response incidents, I have gained additional knowledge and training through FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute, Tribal Curriculum. They offer free courses, both on-site and online designed specifically for tribal governments. Understanding the fundamentals of tribal frameworks, emergency management, preparedness, and scalability has informed a lot of the work I do during times like this. Additional resources to help individuals and families can also be found here.
9/11 Statue at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland
These are uncertain times, yes - but I have never been more certain that we have the knowledge, resilience, and blessings of our ancestors to get through this. Together, we will rise up to meet the challenges ahead and steer the course of our tribal communities in a way that inspires the world.
Live Fearlessly,
Candace