sample crisis communications plan - mitocanada foundation (client work)
TRANSCRIPT
MitoCanada Foundation Crisis Communications Plan
Shelby VanderEnde
Samantha Fichtner
Alex Chappel
Rebecca Bartley
Ashton Lambert
Emily Ondercin-‐Bourne
Jubril Sola
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Table of Contents
Letter from Top Management …………………………………………………………………………………………2
Overview …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
Situations/Assumptions……………………………………………………………………………………………….....3
Communications Objectives………………………………………………………………………………..…………..4
Audiences………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………4
Audiences cont’d…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………5
Communications Channels……………………………………………………………………………….……….…….5
Communications Channels cont’d………………………………………………………………………….………..6
Communications Channels cont’d……………………………………………………………………….………..…7
Communications Channels cont’d………………………………………………………………….…………….….8
Communications Channels cont’d………………………………………………………………….………….…….9
Resources………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….10
Resources cont’d…………………………………………………………………………………………………..……….11
Responsibilities of Individuals…………………………………………………………………………….…….…….11
Responsibilities of Individuals cont’d……………………………………………………………………………...12
Responsibilities of Individuals cont’d……………………………………………………………………………...13
Measuring the Plan…………………………………………………………………………………………………….…..14
Measuring the Plan cont’d……………………………………………………………………………………………..15
Appendix: Sample Initial Response Statement………………………………………………………………..16
Appendix: Example of Contact Sheet………………………………………………………………………………17
Appendix: Media List (Hamilton & Brantford)…………………………………………………………………18
Appendix: Sample Fact Sheet………………………………………………………………………………………19/20
Appendix: Contact Tree…………………………………………………………………………………………………..21
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Letter from Management MitoCanada Foundation 260 St. Paul Avenue Brantford, ON. N3R 7X4 P: (519)-‐754-‐4208 E: [email protected] W: www.mitocanada.com Dear MitoCanada Volunteers: Re: Implementation of new crisis communications plan Recently, our staff has been advised on the importance of having a crisis communications plan. This document will become the standard procedure for any and all crisis situations. Having a crisis communication plan in place will ensure that MitoCanada responds in a timely and accurate manner. The safety and wellbeing of our employees and audiences is a top priority for the foundation. Also, providing the general public with exact steps that the foundation is taking to defuse the crisis will be extremely important for the well being and reputation of MitoCanada. Since MitoCanada’s inception in 2009, we have committed to a standard of ethics and responsibility within our community. This crisis communication plan is another step in that direction. We will commit to the deliverance of the plan, as the foundation prides itself on the support and care of our employees and stakeholders. Please review the crisis communication plan attached in detailed as soon as possible and feel free to contact the head office in Brantford, ON with any questions at 519-‐754-‐4208. MitoCanada wants to be prepared for any situation that may arise and your full support is greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Vicky Spadoni Executive Director, MitoCanada Foundation
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Overview The goal of MitoCanada’s crisis communications plan is to provide a specific strategy for MitoCanada employees to manage events or situations that are unexpected and can harm or have negative effects on the foundation. The purpose of the plan is to provide the foundation with a strong and accurate crisis management plan that will ensure timely communication with all audiences involved if a crisis arises. It is important to have accurate responses to establish accountability and minimize the impacts on the foundation. The development of this document will serve as a generalized structure if a crisis arises and the specific resources that will be needed. The crisis communications plan will designate an authorized leader and individuals to lead the crisis response team. It is the responsibility of each member in the foundation to be aware of these roles and alert them to the potential crisis. Situations/Assumptions Knowing that any situation/crisis can occur, MitoCanada will have to consider a vast array of situations that could affect the foundation as a whole and all audiences/stakeholders. In any given situation, it is important to communicate early and often because the general public and community stakeholders require timely and accurate information. MitoCanada will want to tell their side of the story because the media will rush to inform the public with any information they have. Assuming that potential crisis situations may happen, it will be easier to control rumors/counteract misinformation immediately and anticipate potential misconceptions, concerns, fears, questions, etc. These are the types of crises that the foundation might be prone to:
! A child with Mito getting hurt/harmed at an event by an attendee ! A mitochondrial child getting sick at an event where no medical professionals
attended/available ! A MitoCanada employee/member steals money from the foundation ! A child with Mito dying could have an impact on the company – this would be a
prolonged effect ! An act of God where a member of top management passes away ! MitoCanada being a victim of burglary and computer systems stolen – all
members/grants/medical professional sponsors information would be lost ! With intense weather conditions, a power outage would unable them to use computer
systems to access information ! A mechanical fire could combust, due to too many plugs being used – foundation located
in the basement of the building ! Intense weather conditions could create a flood in the MitoCanada head office –
foundation is located in the basement of the building, which is half underground
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! A media professional’s reputation could be ruined and discredit all funded mitochondrial research
! Management’s decisions that could potentially harm the company in a negative way and discredit/tarnish the reputation of foundation
! Top management embezzling donations for personal expenses ! Lawsuit from previous employees/families associated with MitoCanada ! MitoCanada office is full of mold that causes employees to get sick/hospitalized –
MitoCanada main office would need to shut down Objectives
1. MitoCanada will want to inform all internal and external audiences and stakeholders on the current crisis in a timely manner and communicate often on the status of MitoCanada’s response.
2. The foundation will want to communicate different types of information on all communication channels often, which will control/counteract misinformation immediately.
3. MitoCanada will want to be open and transparent when disseminating messages to the media and show how the company is reducing risk.
Audiences Internal Audiences:
• Board members/ board of directors: The board members are considered to be a major audience due to their key positions and responsibilities for the affairs of the foundation.
• Staff members: The employees are equally regarded as a primary audience because they manage the activities of the foundation.
• Volunteers: Volunteers deal directly with the foundation and their duties help the well being on MitoCanada. The duties that could be affected are: fundraising, support and increasing awareness to the general public.
• Donors: Sponsors are the backbone of any charity organization and their various donations go a long way in supporting the cause. In a crisis, donors will want to know what will happen to their donations and if they will be a reoccurring sponsor to the foundation.
• Mitochondrial patients/families: They are the most important audience in a time of crisis because they are the subject/focus of the charity organization. Informing patients and their families of what is going on with the foundation and steps taken to fix the problem must be communicated right away to members of MitoCanada.
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External Audiences:
• Doctors/ Specialist: The specialists are indirectly affected in time of crisis but equally play an important role due to the fact that they are the ones that understand the signs and symptoms of mitochondrial disease and how to manage it. Doctors/Specialist will have to deal with a crisis if they are the main contact for research done for the foundation.
• Media: The media will help communicate to the public about any crisis, whenever it is necessary and how the foundation is taking the necessary steps to fix the problem. The media will want to be contacted immediately to ensure that the foundation is providing honest and timely content about the situation at hand.
• Community Partners: Partners within the community equally help the foundation with supporting and raising awareness. They would need to be contacted in a time of crisis and could help get the message out about a crisis and how Mito is fixing it.
• General public: They need to be properly informed in times of a crisis with an honest statement that describes the steps that MitoCanada is taking to ensure that the problem is fixed without harming anyone or the foundation.
• Hospitals: The nearby hospitals will be first contacted in time of a sudden crisis to attend to the patient and families first.
• Caregivers: This group of individuals is regarded as external audiences, because they care for the mitochondrial patients.
• Lawyers: They are indirectly affected but may be needed to handle fraud and embezzlement issues in time of a monetary crisis. Lawyers will also deal with any legal matters regarding property and privacy laws or prosecution.
Communication Channels 1. Internal Audiences (Employees/Staff, Board of Directors, etc.) • Intranet site
-‐ Rationale: With an internal website for all employees to access, an intranet site provides a broadcast to all employees and can allow up-‐to-‐date information to be posted/accessed.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Nick Haddow would develop and post messages on the intranet site during a crisis situation.
• E-‐mail -‐ Rationale: E-‐mail is more personal, easy to access and can be programmed to go
straight to an employee’s smartphone/tablet to allow on-‐the-‐go notifications.
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-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Lisa Bell and Martin Snead would send out messages through email during a crisis situation.
• Staff meetings -‐ Rationale: Staff meetings would allow a more personal and face-‐to-‐face instant
experience to explain a situation without any miscommunication an online presence might have. Also staff meetings allow all stakeholders to be together in one room to come up with a solution for the crisis together to ensure a timely recovery.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Vicky Spadoni, as team leader, would be in charge of organizing and management of a staff meeting.
• Memos -‐ Rationale: Memos allow staff fast access to quick and important details that are
going on within the foundation at the beginning of the crisis, which will inform them of steps MitoCanada is taking to ensure recovery. Memos can also discuss what employees and stakeholders need to know or do.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Cindy Forti would deal with the paperwork with the crisis, including sending out a quick memo to all employees via email.
• Voicemail – broadcast -‐ Rationale: Voicemail broadcast can be programed to go straight to an employee’s cell
phone to allow a more personal presence and on-‐the-‐go notifications of the crisis and steps taken to defuse the situation.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Lisa Bell and Martin Snead would send out messages through voicemail broadcast during a crisis situation.
• Text message – broadcast -‐ Rationale: Text message broadcast can be programmed to go straight to an
employee’s cell phone knowing that MitoCanada’s audiences use smartphones on an everyday basis. Text messages can give audiences updates instantly every time MitoCanada has an update on the situation at hand.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Lisa Bell and Martin Snead would send out messages through text message broadcast during a crisis situation.
• Fax -‐ Rationale: Fax machines allow employees to send information through hardcopy
paperwork to easily pass on to others in the event of a crisis. If a power outage occurs, generators can be hooked up or linked through Bluetooth and Wi-‐Fi to send off information to audiences.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Cindy Forti would deal with the paperwork associated with the crisis, including sending out a quick fax to all employees.
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• Web site -‐ Rationale: For those who cannot access the intranet site outside of work, the
organization Web site provides a broadcast to a wide access of all employees and the general public, where up-‐to-‐date information will be posted.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Nick Haddow would develop and post the messages on the Website site during a crisis situation.
• Bulletin boards -‐ Rationale: Another public venue to post information to reach a wide audience of
employees in the event of a crisis. In the event of a power outage, MitoCanada can have whiteboards that updates can be written on for details and steps done to defuse the crisis.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Cindy Forti would deal with the paperwork associated with the crisis, including posting a hardcopy notice on the bulletin boards to all employees.
• Employee information phone line -‐ Rationale: Employee information phone lines allow employees access to constant up-‐
to-‐date information on the go, 24/7. -‐ Communication Responsibilities: Cindy Forti would deal with all the main phone lines
during a crisis, including both employee and general public phone lines. • Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Wordpress blog, Youtube, etc.)
-‐ Rationale: Social media reaches a wide range of audiences including employees and the general public to provide short and quick up-‐to-‐date information anywhere for audiences to see.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Nick Haddow would develop and post messages on all social media during a crisis situation.
2. External Audiences (Media, General Public, etc.) • News conference
-‐ Rationale: A news conference will allow the media to spread the word and information about the crisis at hand and allow MitoCanada to present positive statements and accurate information to maintain their image during a crisis. The initial media response statement will be issued that this news conference to give background on the issue and what is being done to remedy it.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Vicky Spadoni as the team leader and official spokesperson will relay information to media during a crisis situation. Martin Snead will assist with developing key messages and overall communication/media training.
• Media briefing
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-‐ Rationale: A media briefing will allow the media to spread the word and information about the crisis at hand and will allow the media to ask any questions of MitoCanada. The foundation will give media honest and timely updates to help maintain a positive reputation of MitoCanada in the public’s eyes.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Vicky Spadoni is the team leader and official spokesperson and will relay information to media during a crisis situation. Martin Snead will assist with developing key messages and overall communication/media training.
• Media release -‐ Rationale: A media release will allow reporters to know crucial information about the
crisis in order to spread the word and steps taken to fix the crisis to various media channels. Follow-‐up interviews can be arranged after the media release is sent out.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Martin Snead will create the media release, including key messages of MitoCanada. Vicky Spadoni will be the media contact however and will answer questions from the media and will be available for interviews.
• News advisory -‐ Rationale: A news advisory will invite media out to a news conference to provide
information about the ongoing crisis and the steps the foundation will be taking/or already has taken to help the situation. Inviting the media to a news conference will give media a one-‐on-‐one interaction with MitoCanada spokespersons to ask any questions they have.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Martin Snead will create the news advisory to invite media to a conference. Vicky Spadoni and Martin Snead will be the media contacts and will answer questions from the media regarding the crisis.
• Media interviews -‐ Rationale: A media interview will allow media to ask MitoCanada’s spokesperson
questions and allow the foundation to reinforce key messages and positive reputation. The foundation can do this by being transparent with all information regarding the crisis and giving up-‐to-‐date information in a timely matter. The spokesperson for MitoCanada must always be available for media questions.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Vicky Spadoni will be the official spokesperson for MitoCanada. She will respond to media inquiries by relaying crisis information to media and communication that the general public needs to know. Martin Snead will assist with developing key messages and media training for Vicky Spadoni.
• PSAs
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-‐ Rationale: PSAs allow MitoCanada to reach a variety of different audiences through radio and television to promote their positive reputation and reassure the general public that no matter what crisis the foundation faces, they will keep their integrity for the betterment of the community.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Nick Haddow would develop PSAs during a crisis situation and distribute to all Brantford and surrounding areas radio and television stations.
• Web site -‐ Rationale: The organizations Web site provides access to the general public where
up-‐to-‐date information can be posted. Besides social media, this would be a top information spot where the general public will look to for information updates in the event of a crisis.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Nick Haddow would develop and post the messages on the Website site during a crisis situation.
• E-‐mail -‐ Rationale: The foundation will send out e-‐mails to MitoCanada members and media
to assure that they are doing everything they can to defuse the crisis. E-‐mail is a personal and easy way to send out information, which can also be accessed on member’s cell phones for instant notifications.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Lisa Bell and Martin Snead would send out messages to external audiences through email during a crisis situation.
• Call Centre -‐ Rationale: Call Centre’s allow the general public access to constant up-‐to-‐date
information on the go, 24/7. The general public will have the ability to ask questions and receive answers towards the crisis and the steps taken to defuse the crisis or where the foundation is at within the crisis.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Cindy Forti would deal with all the main phone lines during a crisis, including both employee and general public phone lines.
• Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Wordpress blog, Youtube, etc.) -‐ Rationale: The general public uses social media more than ever for updates in the
news and will look on different platforms for up-‐to-‐date information from the foundation and the status of the crisis. Users can see up-‐to-‐date information anywhere and at anytime.
-‐ Communication Responsibilities: Nick Haddow would develop and post messages on all social media during a crisis situation.
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Resources Needed In the event of a crisis, having a list of resources that will come in handy to help assist the foundation is important to have on hand.
• Matches: Have many uses that will come in handy: either as a light source, a way to start a controlled fire, and/or to light candles.
• Pens & papers -‐Power outage (no computers): To be used for documentation, keeping notes, and to maintain communication as a whole.
• Batteries: Batteries are essential as they provide a source of power for things such as flashlights, heaters, radios and other electronic devices.
• Flashlight: Having a variety of flashlights, stocked with batteries to be used in case of a power outage.
• Fire Extinguisher: Required as part of the OHSA (Occupational Health and Safety Act) • First Aid Kit: Having a first-‐aid kit is necessary so that the foundation can treat ailments
and injuries that happen at the office/events. From the minor ailment to the more serious injuries, a first aid kit can help reduce the risk of infection or the severity of the injury.
• Safety deposit box: A safety deposit box should be in place to protect what cannot be replaced. Only the executive director, and whomever the foundation designates can open safety deposit box.
• Blankets: Possibly solar-‐heated to provide warmth and comfort to those who need it. Also, a blanket has other uses such as a way to pack things and/or to make a rope.
• Water: The human body can survive for up to a month without food and for many months on very meager rations. But water is needed to survive and to not suffer from dehydration. It is essential to have a large supply of water, and also a water purification kit to ensure that in a crisis, dehydration is not an added factor.
• Walky-‐Talkies: If there is a power outage, or an issue with cellphone service providers, having disposable cellphones as a way to communicate can come in handy when communicating with the media or the general public about the crisis.
• Duct tape: Can be used to repair many things and can also be used as a bandage. Duck tape is waterproof and can be used as a tool to make various survival materials, such as water canteens.
• Buckets: Buckets can be used in case of a flood. Having buckets ready incase of a crisis would assist in cleaning up an area and could also buy the foundation time by having dripping water in one area and into the bucket.
• Indoor Coleman Stove: In the event of a power outage, having an indoor stove that runs on propane will help keep occupants nourished for a long period of time.
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• Standby Generator: Within seconds of an outage, a generator will provide electricity to all circuits in the building, which will help heat the building, turn lights back on and power up and back up files if needed.
• Board Games: Board games can help make a difficult experience more bearable, especially for young children.
• Canned Goods: Food such as soups, creamed corn, and beans can go a long way in the event of a crisis that could last a while.
• Sleeping Bags: Sleeping bags can come in handy, not only to stay warm and comfortable, but also as a way to create a rope in situations where need be and/or cover space and act as a roof incase of flood.
• Car Cell-‐Phone Charger: In the event of a power outage, having a car cell-‐phone charger can come in handy to make sure that if communication is needed, your cell-‐phone has enough battery to operate.
• Extra set of keys: Spare keys would be important for MitoCanada to have in case of an emergency where they need to get into the head office in Brantford. Each employee should have a key for the office in case of a crisis situation.
• Whistle: A whistle is a good thing to have in case of an emergency/crisis. This can be used to call for help if someone is in pain, or in distress. Also to get employees/event attendees attention.
• Dust Masks: Dust masks are a good resource to have in times of crisis because if there is a flood or mold, etc., employees at MitoCanada can wear the masks and prevent deadly inhalation of chemicals or mold.
• Tool Box: Having a toolbox is a great resource during a crisis because it gives the foundation access to multiple supplies. For example: if MitoCanada needed to turn off utilities, they could use the wrench from the toolbox to do so.
• Map: A map will help if individuals at MitoCanada need to get to places and do not have access to Internet connection to use their GPS or their phones to find how to get there. Also a map should be created for emergency exits.
• Back up Credit Card: MitoCanada should have a backup emergency credit card that they have access to during a crisis, if they are unable to get inside the office of if the credit card gets stolen, tampered, etc.
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Communications Responsibilities All staff members, advisors and board members will have an active role in regards to communicating during a crisis. Each individual will have a specific title assigned to him or her to help with managing whatever crisis may occur. Staff Members Executive Director: Vicky Spadoni, Brantford, ON Role: Official Spokesperson and Communications Manager/Team Leader Responsibilities: Vicky would assume the team leader position for the crisis response team. Her responsibility would be to gather the team in a timely manner and assess the severity of the crisis at hand. Additionally, she would be the official spokesperson for MitoCanada and would address any and all media inquiries. Vicky would need to be available during the entirety of the crisis to ensure that all questions get answered in a timely manner. Vicky would also be the point of contact for all employees, advisors and board members. As team leader, Vicky would need to focus on engaging local media, early and often. By doing this, MitoCanada will be keeping the public informed of general progress and status of the situation. Each time the organization fixes another aspect of the crisis, Vicky should be sure to report the positive events to the public to reinforce confidence. Vicky would need to have media training prior to the crisis to ensure that she is confident in relaying MitoCanada’s key messages during a crisis. Also, Vicky would be the person to announce evacuations, quick exits, etc. for possible intense weather conditions or fires. If Vicky is unavailable during the time of the crisis, Nick Haddow will take over all communications manager and spokespersons responsibilities, while Cindy Forti picks up Nick’s past responsibilities. Nick will come in from Calgary to deal with the crisis, as he is the next level of management within the foundation. National Fundraising and Special Events Coordinator: Martin Snead, Brantford, ON Role: Assistant Communicator Responsibilities: Martin’s responsibilities would focus on contacting all members of the advisory board and board of directors. He would be informing them of the current crisis at hand and also explaining the steps being taken to diffuse the situation. He would answer any questions that they may have and set up a follow-‐up phone call/email to update them of the status of the crisis. Additionally, Martin would assist Vicky with any communications needs that may arise. Martin will focus on developing three key messages that highlight all that the organization is doing to protect its stakeholders. This may include things such as: media monitoring, site visits, answering questions that other employees have and more. Support Team Lead: Lisa Bell, Stoney Creek, ON Role: Consumer/Member Relations Responsibilities: Lisa’s responsibilities would include contacting all volunteers via email and/or phone. She would update them of the current situation and inform them of the steps being taken to resolve the crisis. Also, Lisa would contact all members and families associated with MitoCanada and provide them with an overview of what is happening. She would communicate
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to them all the steps being taken to remedy the crisis and tell them when they can expect things to be running back to normal. Lisa would work to restore confidence in all volunteer, members and families and act as a brand ambassador for MitoCanada. She would be focusing mostly on the positive aspects of MitoCanada and how they are working quickly to remedy the crisis. Accounting and Finance Administration: Cindy Forti, Brantford, ON Role: Crisis Administrator Responsibilities: Cindy’s responsibilities would include filing incident reports, workplace safety reports and more. She would be overseeing all paperwork being filed. She would be manning the main phone line and answering all phone calls from the general public. She would be given a generic message to relay to the public from Nick, who is the Message Developer. Team MitoCanada Director / Web & Research Associate: Nick Haddow, Calgary, AB Role: Message Developer Responsibilities: Nick would be developing the messages to send on all online and social media platforms. This would be a key way to inform the public about the crisis and restore confidence in MitoCanada. Nick would be responding to all questions, comments and discussions regarding the crisis on all social media platforms. Nick would also be assisting Vicky in creating all messages being sent to the media. Nick would need to have had media training prior to a crisis evolving in order to properly create messages and relay them. ***Martin Snead would contact the following advisors and board of directors. He would supply them with a background on the crisis, what is being done to remedy the situation and how it will affect them. Martin will supply them with a generic comment regarding the crisis and MitoCanada if any individuals or media outlets do contact them*** Advisors Dr. Aneal Khan, SC, MD, FAAP, FRCPC, FCCMG Assistant Professor of Medical Genetics and Pediatrics Alberta Children’s Hospital, University of Calgary Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky M.D. PhD. FRCPC Professor, Department Pediatrics and Medicine, Division of Neuromuscular and Neurometabolic Disorders McMaster Children’s Hospital, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Board of Directors President: Blaine Penny, Calgary, AB Vice President: Stephanie Roung, St. George, ON Secretary: Kitty Pryde, Calgary, AB Treasurer: Ruth McLelland, Milton, ON Vice-‐Treasurer: Joelle Pokrajac, Mississauga, ON Legal Advisor: Duncan Marsden, Calgary, AB
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Measurement/Evaluation Preparing for a Crisis In order to be properly prepared in the time of a crisis, MitoCanada must train all staff members on crisis procedures and annually prepare through practice exercises. A practice exercise will include developing a simulated crisis scenario in which team members will have to respond and exercise the outlined plan. Using a simulated crisis will allow team members to practice their responsibilities and ensure MitoCanada is prepared if a real crisis ever occurs. Upon completing a practice “walk-‐through” of the crisis communications plan, MitoCanada will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan and what areas or individuals may need improvement. It would also be beneficial for staff members to receive media training prior to a crisis situation, to ensure they are equipped with the proper skills and tools, to confidently and honestly handle media pressure and inquiries. Being open and transparent of steps the foundation is going to run when faced with a crisis, will allow the general public and media to have full confidence in MitoCanada’s response to the situation at hand. The crisis training should take place yearly to ensure that all employees are up to date on the processes. Also, the plan will need to be reviewed at least once every year to ensure information such as contacts and their information remains relevant and accurate. This can be reviewed by Vicky Spadoni. Evaluation During a Crisis If a crisis does occur, it will be imperative that MitoCanada evaluates their communication efforts during the process of handling the situation. MitoCanada must ask:
• Are we handling the situation correctly? • Are we reaching our key stakeholders and audiences? • Is each team member properly completing his or her assigned tasks? • Are our actions in line with our objectives? • What is the media saying about us? Positive or negative coverage?
-‐ Use media monitoring tools such as content analysis and systematic tracking to determine what the media and the general public is saying about MitoCanada as a whole. How are they responding to our crisis management? Is there something lead team members need to change or correct?
Post-‐Crisis Evaluation After a crisis occurs, the first item that MitoCanada will have to evaluate is whether the situation could have been avoided. MitoCanada must review how and why the crisis occurred and what, if anything, could have been done to avoid it. This will allow MitoCanada to learn from any mistakes they are making and as a result, make the necessary changes. It will also be essential for MitoCanada to evaluate how well they handled the crisis situation. MitoCanada
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must first consider whether they met the objectives outlined in their crisis communications plan. Next, MitoCanada must ask:
• Did we react appropriately and in a timely manner? • Did we reach our intended audiences? • How many releases did we issue? • Did we use social media adequately to update our audiences? • Were our messages clear? • Did we use the proper communication channels? Did we issue timely communications? • How could we improve our communication? • Did staff members work well together? Did staff members know what to do in a time of
crisis? • Did staff members complete their assigned duties? • Did we have the proper resources?
Important evaluation tools to use will be content analysis and systematic tracking, as well as surveys. Through content analysis and systematic tracking, MitoCanada will be able to evaluate what the media and general public are saying about their organization and whether the tone is negative or positive. This will allow MitoCanada to determine if their image was significantly damaged and needs a plan for repair. A survey developed for staff members would also be beneficial to determine the effectiveness of the crisis plan. With a survey, staff will be able to express how they feel the crisis was handled and where they see room for improvement. This will also allow staff to put forward their own suggestions. Through evaluation, MitoCanada will see the areas they need to improve and ensure they are ready if another crisis happens to arise.
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Appendix: Sample Initial Response Statement – send to media channels
MitoCanada Foundation 260 St. Paul Avenue P.O. Box 26014 Brantford, ON N3R 7X4
ALL INSTRUCTIONS ARE IN RED. DELETE ALL RED TEXT BEFORE DISTRIBUTION. Update # 1 – (ex.) 12:30 p.m. - << Include update # and time of update>>
Brief Headline Defining Crisis
Brantford – <<Date>> – MitoCanada Foundation is responding to <<brief crisis description – no longer than one sentence>>. What happened: Key facts – one or two sentences. Victim impact analysis: How many people have been affected, injured, or died? (only state if you know for sure) (only if applicable) Areas or operations affected: What business operations, facilities have been affected? What is the impact on normal business operations? Current response actions: Brief description - what are you doing to fix the problem? Next steps: State only what you know for sure (i.e. time of next update, a crisis response team formed, family assistance being provided). Do not speculate on what the steps “might” be. Additional information: Contact MitoCanada directly at (519) 734-4208 and find more information about the MitoCanada Foundation at www.mitocanada.org. What other information have you gathered that may be helpful in managing the crisis?
-30- Media Contacts: Vicky Spadoni [email protected] (519) 754-4208 Lisa Bell [email protected] Cindy Forti [email protected]
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Appendix: Sample Crisis Contact Sheet/Card Develop a crisis contact sheet/card that all employees, advisors and board members fill out in case of a crisis. This information will be important, as it will allow the organization to contact these individuals in times of a crisis.
Name: ________________________________________________________________________
Title: __________________________________________________________________________
Work phone: ___________________________________________________________________
Cell phone: _____________________________________________________________________
Home phone: ___________________________________________________________________
Work E-‐mail: ___________________________________________________________________
Personal E-‐mail: _________________________________________________________________
Assigned Responsibility: __________________________________________________________
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Appendix: Media Contact List (Hamilton & Brantford)
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Appendix: Fact Sheet
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Appendix: Contact Tree
Contact Tree MitoCanada Foundation
Crisis Communications Plan
1. Vicky Spadoni Executive Director
Of9ice Phone: 519-‐754-‐4209 Cell Phone: 519-‐717-‐0213
Email: [email protected]
3. Lisa Bell Support Team Leader Phone: 905-‐537-‐8628
Email: [email protected]
4. Cindy Forti Accounting and Finance Administration
Phone: 519-‐209-‐6897 Email: [email protected]
2. Nick Haddow
Team MitoCanada Director/Web & Research Associate
Phone: 403-‐889-‐4233 Email: [email protected]