Building an Effective Crisis Communications Capability in a Changing Media World

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Building an Effective Crisis Communications
Capability in a Changing Media World

• Session 21 Slide Deck

Slide 21-
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Session Objectives

• 21.1 Discuss the changing media world.
• 21.2 Discuss how to develop a communications
  plan.
• 21.3 Examine processes for information coming in
  and going out.
• 21.4 Identify messengers to deliver information.
• 21.5 Discuss staffing, training and exercise
  requirements.
• 21.6 Discuss the importance of monitoring,
  updating and adapting communications activities.

Slide 21-
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Changing Media World

• Emergency management world is changing rapidly
• Examine all processes including communications
• First Informers Citizen Journalists
• New communications networks

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Changing Media World

• New media
• New partnerships
• Communications principles

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Seven elements of an effective crisis
communications capability

• A Communication Plan
• Information Coming In
• Information Going Out
• Messengers
• Staffing
• Training and Exercises
• Monitor, Update and Adapt

6
A Communications Plan Response Phase

• Timely and accurate information
• Protocols
• Collecting information
• Analyzing data
• Disseminating information

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A Communications Plan Response Phase

• Trusted messengers
• Vulnerable populations
• Roster of contacts
• Protocols
• Monitoring the media
• Identifying new information sources
• Measuring effectiveness

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A Communications Plan Recovery Phase

• Timely and accurate information
• Information sources
• Audiences and communications mechanisms
• Information collection
• Community relations staff
• Community leaders
• First informers
• Communities passed over

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A Communications Plan - Mitigation and
Preparedness Programs

• Goal
• Objectives
• Audiences
• Tools
• Messengers
• Timetable
• Evaluate

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Information Coming In

• Basis of crisis communications
• Receiving and processing information
• Information sources

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Information Coming In

• Information Sources
• Government damage assessment teams
• First Responders
• Voluntary Agencies
• Community Leaders
• First Informers
• New Media
• Online News Sites
• Traditional Media

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Information Coming In

• Develop partnerships
• Types of information
• Government agencies
• Voluntary agencies
• New partners

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Information Coming In

• Developing partnerships with non-governmental,
  non-traditional information sources
• Neighborhood communications networks
• Protocol for first informers
• Point of contact
• Electronic portal for information from the field
• Training and exercises
• Traditional media
• After action debrief

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Information Going Out

• Goal of crisis communications
• Saves lives
• Communications mechanisms
• Traditional media
• New Media
• Neighborhood Communications Networks

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Information Going Out

• Prior to the next disaster
• Starting a blog
• Create a bulletin board
• Get on Wikipedia
• Create a Facebook page
• Create a Twitter account
• Start a YouTube site
• Create a Google Map

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Information Going Out

• When disaster strikes
• Regular updates on your blog
• Regular updates on your bulletin board
• Review and update Wikipedia
• Post on your Facebook page
• Post on your Twitter account
• Post on YouTube
• Update Google Map
• Display on Google Earth

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Messengers

• Critical role in disaster communications
• Human face on disaster response
• Build confidence
• Public Information Officers (POIs)
• Elected and appointed officials
• Emergency managers

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Messengers

• Elected officials
• California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
• New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani
• Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating
• Emergency managers
• FEMA Director James Lee Witt
• California Office of Emergency Services Director
  Dick Andrews
• Florida Division of Emergency Management Director
  Craig Fugate

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Messengers

• Pre-Disaster determine
• Primary messenger(s)
• Types of information
• Protocols
• Who will lead
• Senior staff

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Staffing

• Existing staffing levels
• Federal agencies
• State agencies
• Large cities
• Small to mid-size communities

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Staffing

• Future staffing requirements
• Small to mid-size communities
• Use local government communications staff
• Pay for part of salary
• Consistent presence
• Learn emergency management issues

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Staffing

• Future staffing requirements
• Large cities, Federal and State agencies
• Reorder priorities
• New media outlets
• Day-to-day communications
• Additional staff

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Training and Exercises

• Well-trained messengers
• Media training
• Confident and comfortable communicators
• Senior staff

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Training and Exercises

• Well-trained communications staff
• Media relations
• New media
• Marketing

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Training and Exercises

• Future Exercises
• Include reporters
• Include new media
• Include community messengers

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Monitor, Update and Adapt

• Monitor
• Staff
• Traditional media
• New media
• Importance

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Monitor, Update and Adapt

• Monitor
• Identify
• Problems
• Issues
• Trends
• Rumors
• Misinformation

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Monitor, Update and Adapt

• Update
• Communications plans, strategies and tactics
• Allocate staff resources
• Training and exercise programs

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Monitor, Update and Adapt

• Adapt
• Accept new technologies
• Identify emerging technologies
• Do fix on one media

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Conclusion

• Must communicate
• Larger role in emergencies
• New media