APTA Crisis Communications Plan Template

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APTA Crisis Communications Plan Template

• APTA Crisis Communications Task Force
• Cheron Wicker, Chair
• Ann King, Vice Chair

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Background

• Public transportation-related crisis
  communications is unique
• Often involves a large number of unrelated
  people, making identification difficult
• Essential that accurate timely information is
  conveyed effectively efficiently

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Background

• Affected publics include
• Media
• Stakeholders
• Employees other passengers
• Consistency is key in managing the process
• Understanding perception of mass casualties and
  terrorism is integral

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Scope of Work

• To develop and provide a crisis communications
  plan template for distribution implementation
  to all transit agencies that would enable them to
  create an agency-specific
  crisis communications manual for their own use.

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Opening Statement

• Being prepared to respond in a crisis is critical
  to minimizing disruption to your service damage
  to your reputation
• This plan was designed to deal with
  communications only not with resolving the
  situation

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Definition of a Crisis

• A crisis is a major interference with daily
  operations
• It is a sudden, unexpected event that could
  affect or has affected the health, safety or
  welfare of passengers, employees, the general
  public and/or stakeholders

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Types of Crisis

• Road or track repair or damage
• Crashes
• A passenger needing medical assistance

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Types of Crisis

• Communications failure or other factor that would
  influence service or the reputation of the system
• Terrorism or act of violence

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Basic Tenets

• In the event of a crisis, the organization has
  three primary responsibilities
• To acknowledge/recognize the crisis
• To expeditiously and accurately communicate
• To resolve the crisis

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Chain of Command

• Remaining calm is essential
• Planning can reduce stress
• Designate a point person, usually the CEO or
  Deputy CEO, to assess the situation determine
  whether communications response is warranted
• Make sure that staff in every department knows
  where to find the plan what their role is in it

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Designation of Duties

• Crisis Management Team will be responsible for
• Providing critical decision making
• Providing information
• Documenting the crisis
• Notifying governing entities, as appropriate
• Ensuring that the plan is reviewed on a regular
  basis
• Ensuring that at least one member of the team is
  always available

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Crisis Teams

• Executive Management Team
• Communications Team
• Customer Service Team
• Information Team
• Media Management Team
• Documentation and Follow-Up Team

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Incident Command Center

• Establish Command Centers both on off site
• First responders on location, possibly FRA, NTSB
  police no contact with media
• Crew members employees must not talk to the
  media

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Incident Command Center

• Safety and security of passengers, equipment and
  accident site is operators top priority
• Refer all media to Executive Management Team

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Duties of Executive Crisis
Management Team

• Send out pages to staff
• Write or approve scripts for media dissemination
• Provide up-to-date Fact Sheet about organization,
  crisis next steps

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Duties of Executive Crisis
Management Team

• Make sure spokesperson is fully informed ready
  to make factual statements
• Notify proper legal authorities
• Send out hourly, numbered updates to Board
  members and Staff via e-mail or text messages

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Duties of Executive Crisis
Management Team

• Post information to the organizations website
  voicemail, as well as station announcement system
  with regular updates
• Have staff refer all media calls to the
  designated spokesperson (script them to do this)

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Phone Trees Hot Line

• Before a crisis, staff should be provided with
  up-to-date contact information (outline who
  contacts whom in the event of a crisis)
• The Customer Service Crisis Team should be
  responsible for answering phones and logging in
  callers

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Phone Trees Hot Line

• An outsourced Hot Line is the number customers
  should be referred to if calling about a loved
  one
• Must be staffed with compassionate people who can
  deal with emotionally-charged callers

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The Press Release/How Why?

• Media Management Team is your PIO
• Team is responsible for media contact and press
  releases
• What happened?
• When, where?
• Who was involved?
• What caused the accident?

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The Press Release/How Why?

• Team is responsible for media contact and press
  releases
• How many/what kind of injuries?
• Does agency have a emergency/safety management
  plan?
• What are the safety protocols?
• Who is in charge?
• Who is the lead staff on site?

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The Press Release/How Why?

• Team is responsible for media contact and press
  releases
• What will be done next?
• What will your agency do to prevent similar
  circumstances in the future?

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Communications Team

• Customers want to know how their commute will be
  affected
• Teams convey information to passengers
• Utilizes website, 1-800 number, signage,
  electronic messages, announcements, seat drops,
  audio/visual messages on platforms

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Communications Team

• If there is a contingency plan, implement it and
  tell passengers about it
• Have lists of bus and cab drivers to call during
  emergencies
• Remember to thank passengers for their patience
  and alternative transportation providers for
  their assistance

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Updates

• Should come directly from Executive Crisis
  Management Team
• Tell the truth bad news happens
• Do not try to set up a smokescreen by combining
  good news with bad release the good news later
  as a stand alone story
• Maintain an incident file of all information
  released updates

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Media Monitoring Team

• Create files of print and electronic clips
• Secure electronic media clips through a video
  monitoring service
• Collect any photography that was taken

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Post-Crisis Review

• After the crisis is over, but within the next day
  or so, convene a Post Crisis review committee
  have all teams represented
• Document what went well, what did not go well
  what could be improved
• Determine what caused the crisis
• If changes are indicated, make them convey
  that information to the public

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Thank All Who Participated

• The Documentation and Follow-Up Team should send
  thank you letters to everyone who assisted during
  the emergency including
• Police
• Fire rescue
• Staff
• Contracted employees
• Helpful members of the media

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Contact Information

• Cheron Wicker, Chair
• Deputy Director Office of Communications
• Maryland Transit Administration
• 410-767-3932 or cwicker_at_mtamaryland.com
• Ann King, Vice Chair
• Manager of Market Development
• Virginia Railway Express
• 703-838-5417 or aking_at_vre.org