Creating a Crisis Communications Plan for your company

Scenario: You have just joined Highland Industries as its first Communications Director. Highland Industries is located at 13774 SW 116th Terrace, Miami 33186. You are encouraged to hear that the company has recently instituted a Crisis Management program, named its team members, and defined its maximum credible crisis event possibilities: A fire or explosion stemming from its R&D programs, and an act of international/domestic terrorism. The company has not, however, developed a Crisis Communications Plan, which you view as essential to make sure the company’s message accurately reflects its crisis management activities during and after a crisis.

You start by considering the tools and personnel you have to work with, and the potential audiences you are likely to need to get your message out to. Here’s your first pass:

· Miami Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava

· Miami Dade County Commissioner District 6 Rebeca Sosa

· Miami Dade Police/Fire/Rescue Station 7 at 7707 SW 117th Ave.

You have two subordinates working for you in the Communications Department:

· Amanda Peterson, your Social Media Coordinator

· Jamal Curtis, Media Relations Coordinator

The company’s Crisis Management Team is composed of the following personnel:

· Dr. Simon Harris, CEO

· Dr. Angela Garcia, R&D Director

· Edward Gage, Chief Lawyer

· Randy Clifford, Head of Site Security

· Catherine Hale, Human Resources Manager

· Doris Kitrick, DOD Liaison

· Dr. Ronald Bell, Environmental Coordinator

· You, Communications Director

Media: Jamal has selected the following key media the company will need to rely upon:

· Miami Herald & and El Nuevo Herald

· WIOD News Radio 610

· WPLG TV (ABC)

· WFOR TV (CBS)

· WTVJ TV (NBC)

· WSVN TV (Fox)

Your assignment is to flesh out a communications plan using the above information, and the information we have discussed in class and in several key chapters in our textbook. Among other things, you will need to:

· Assign specific duties to your two subordinates, so they know what they need to be doing before, during, and after a crisis of the sort designated the company’s maximum credible events.

· Assess the need to identify spokespersons for the company, both within your group and among members of the Crisis Management Team, and make sure training is scheduled for each (both initial and refresher). The plan should also specify which language(s) each speaks.

· Create a fact sheet you can quickly circulate in the event of a crisis. It should identify the company, its location, the length of time it has been in business at its current location, its management, its business, its safety record, its community involvement, etc.

· What you will need from members of the Crisis Management Team, such as input to, and review/clearance of news releases and media responses, updating personnel changes in the plan, etc.

· Where, specifically, will you hold mews briefings/press conferences, should you decide to do so.

· Will there be daily staff briefings from the CEO or other source? If so, specify when and where (if known; if not predetermined, who will be in charge of preparing these briefings and notifying staff in a timely manner?

· Who will see that employees are kept updated, and how will information be passed to employees?

· Here are a couple of extra tips that can help you:1. Every plan should have the following on the cover:Plan Updating Responsibility: Communications Director and Human Resources Department2. Organize and write using extensive use of bullet points and, if necessary, subpoints . Don't write in paragrahs that take time to read and make sense of in an emergency.3. Remember to create email addresses and phone numbers for the people in the plan. Also, I suggest you create one to serve as a distribution list, so one email can go to a preselected group. Just create one for the purposes of listing it in the plan; you don't actually need to have one.

We will discuss this further in class, and of course you can drop me a note if you have any questions in the interim. How long should your plan be? As long as it takes to roll out a comprehensive plan. It should have a cover sheet, a table of contents laying out the sections of the plan, and then the rest is up to you. I have provided you key names and offices or organizations, but you will (for the sake of completeness) need to invent email addresses and/or phone numbers in your plan. Feel free to make up phone numbers and email addresses. Turn this in to Canvas no later than April 27.