Download - CRISIS COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES

CRISIS COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES

Ms. Dace AnkipaneHead of

Military Public Affairs Department

Media Relation Section

LV MOD

WHAT IS CRISIS?

AN EVENT THAT CREATES OR THREATENS TO CREATE HARSHLY NEGATIVE MEDIA COVERAGE THAT COULD PERMANENTLY DAMAGE THE REPUTATION OR FUTURE VIABILITY OF AN ORGANISATION (NATO Allied command operations and Allied command transformation Public Affairs handbook)

Issue and crisis management is a significant part of the PA planning process. Every issue or event could potentially escalate into a crisis. Issues and crisis management is a process of identifying a potential issue or crisis and co-ordinating an organisations`s response.

Crisis communication


When faced with crisis, ensure that the requirement to inform the public is not delayed by the search for solutions. Instead, acknowledge the problem and inform the public immediately of the corrective actions being considered.

A general rule of thumb: Inform the media Tell them what you know Tell them what you don`t know Tell the media when you think you will have more answers.

In most cases, an organisation has less than an hour to respond to public and media queries before it loses credibility.

A response starting, „We are looking into it and will get back to you shortly” is better than saying nothing at all


In most cases, an organisation has less than an hour to respond to public and media queries before it loses credibility.

A response starting, „WE ARE LOOKING INTO IT AND WILL GET BACK TO YOU SHORTLY” is better than saying nothing at all

Crisis communitation

Operational security must be assured at all times. When dealing with a crisis. Public affairs activities must never undermine the safety of military personnel engaged in a military operation, or the success of a military operation or activity.

GUIDELINES

There are certain basic considerations common to all crises. The following guidelines form the basis for dealing with the aspects of crisis management.

1. BE INFORMED

Keep an eye on the current issues in the media that could lead to your issues making the news and becoming a crisis. Try to identify potential issues before they begin to smoulder and ignite. Track the public environment.

GUIDELINES

2. DO ADVANCE WORK

Plan and anticipate what may go wrong. Pull together a crisis management team. Build relationships of trust with key stakeholders and the local community.

GUIDELINES

3. GET THE FACTS

Determine the situation and the assess the PA implications. At this informative stage, make sure that the ACO PA TechNet and appropriate command authorities know about the situation.Establish what information is approved for public release, and wheather or not someone has prepared.

GUIDELINES

4.PREPARE MESSAGES/TALKING POINTS

You will need to use your messages and talking points when receive media queries. Engage with the reponsible office. Draft news releases, Questions and Answers, and Media Lines to use when the crisis occurs. Ask though questions, and prepare appropriate answers.

GUIDELINES

5. KNOW WHO HAS THE LEAD

It may not be you. It could be NATO HQ PDD, national authorities, the host nation, ACO headquarters at SHAPE, or the theatre command. Respect that lead and stay in your lane.

GUIDELINES

6. DESIGNATE A SPOKEPERSON

The spokeperson must be well –informed and comfortable with the issue, since the credibility of the spokeperson is of paramount importance. The spokeperson should also be pre-selected and have received media training.

GUIDELINES

7. MAINTAIN REGULAR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PA AND COMMAND STAFF

There ir nothing worse in crisis situation than not knowing what is going on. Provide regular updates to the senior headquarters, and make sure they pass you regular instructions and situation report. Keep your people informed.

GUIDELINES

8. CHECK STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

Although not all possible crisis situations may be covered, there is no point wasting time reinventing the wheel. For example, most military installations have standard operating procedures that govern actions that must be taken in the event of a fuel spill, for example

GUIDELINES

9. BE ACCESSIBLE

The media will be interested in the reaction and comments of military authorities, even development is slow. Remember that news (especially internet/social media/radio/TV) must appear immediately to be newsworthy.For media is far better to attribute a no-change report to a spokeperson than report no further word is available from the same sources.

GUIDELINES

10.BE THOROUGH Make every effort to pass the same information to all media and

agencies.During crisis situations, the media and the public often depend entirely on PAOs for information updates. Log all media queries

Your statements should be Understandable Precise Short Only facts, not emotions Emphaty

GUIDELINES

11. BE CONSIDERATE

Take care not to violate privacy regulations. Respect the rules for releasing casualty information before the next of kin is notified.

GUIDELINES

12. ADHERE TO INFORMATION/DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT ARCHIVAL PRACTICES

in accordance with applicable NATO directives. Information management is critical when working in a stressful situations within a group dynamic.

Crisis communications

The media will get a good-story – with you or without your help!

Maximum disclosure, minimum delay.

Crisis communicationExample. Release about death or injury

Death or injury may result training accidents, murder, suicide, or other caudes. In cases of murder or suicide, publicē affairs

officers (PAOs) should be particulary careful to follow security, accuracy, policy, and propriety (SAPP) gudelines and to avoid

any speculation


Key information what should be included in initial release about accidents an incidents involving death or injury:

number of death number of injured units involved if known and only if the release of this information would not

violate next-of-kin (NOK) notification procedures. For example, if the only helicopter flying from a particular unit at the time has an accident, revealing the unit would probably also reveal the names of dead or injured to family members, possibly ahead of NOK notification.


Extent of injuries if known ( „slight”, „minor”, and „severe” are acceptable description for injuries”number of injured

Releated damage, enviromental spills, and other relevant information Location of the accident or incident Time the accident or incident occured Command response to the accident or incident


Key messages: The accident or incidenti s under investigation The command is concerned about Soldiers and families of the dead or

injured The death of a Soldier, civilian, or family member is tragic Emergency or first-aid personnel were quick to respond


Public affairs personnel will not use term „casualty” in news releases or when speaking to news-media respresentatives. This termi s often

misunderstood by media to mean „dead”. Instead, the following may be used:

Dead Very seriously wounded, injured, or ill Seriously wounded, injured, or ill Slightly wounded, injured, or ill Missing.


For each of the above categories, the cause must be indicated with propriety. Do not sensationalize death, injury, or illness. Information about the cause of death must come from the patient`s physician, and a legal representative of the deceased must approve this release.

Try to share public names of dead or injured personnel withheld until 24 hour after the nok are notified.

If the identification of one or more victims whose NOK were notified would identify other victims whose NOK have not yet been reached, identification is withheld until all NOK are notified.


Crisis is not only threat but also a chance

In any case every crisis offers the great chance to learn for the future and to avoid different kinds of mistakes.

THANK YOU!

Download - CRISIS COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES

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