Crisis Communication Plan

Summary

When a crisis strikes an organization, one of the most important elements of the response is how the organization communicates internally and externally. Internal communication is crucial to the success of the response. How an organization communicates externally can be a determining factor in how an organization survives a crisis and the future of the organization to continue to function effectively.

A crisis communication plan provides policies and procedures for coordinating communication within the college and the university, and between the university, the media and the public in the event of an emergency or controversial issue. Emergencies may include fires, bomb threats, natural disasters, accidents or major crimes. Controversial issues may include police investigations, protests or other situations that demand a public response, but may not demand an immediate outside reaction.

Administrative Contacts

This plan is not intended to change the way emergencies are initially reported. All emergencies on a CAES property should be reported to the proper authorities, followed by the proper campus administrators:

Campus

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Extension Facilities

4-H Centers

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Research Facilities

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Department Heads

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Responding to Crisis

This plan not only addresses media relations and communication issues but also includes procedures for the rapid identification of potentially harmful situations and the methods for responding to these situations quickly and effectively.

It is the goal of this crisis communication plan to establish guidelines for dealing with a variety of situations and to ensure that college faculty and staff are familiar with those procedures and their roles in the event of a crisis. The plan is to be used in conjunction with the normal decision-making hierarchy of the college, the university and the University of Georgia Crisis Communication Plans. This plan does not supplant that decision-making process. You can find more information about the UGA Campus Emergency Management Plan and on-campus emergency planning.

Should a crisis strike any facet of the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, following this communication plan can make the difference in how well we survive as an organization and how much of our credibility and public trust are kept intact.

We have divided this plan into response actions by category. Following this plan is crucial to maintaining our public trust and relevance.

Procedures and Protocol

Assessment:

The individual who encounters the potential crisis should gather accurate information from the appropriate sources. A potential crisis is defined as an event or situation that could affect or has affected the health, safety or welfare of students, faculty, staff, clients or visitors.

Categories of Crisis:

Acts of Nature
In a natural disaster, our main goal is to serve the public interest with education and
support assistance.

External natural disaster:

• drought
• flood
• hurricane
• tornado
• other weather disasters
• fire

Internal disease discovery:

• animal
• crop
• water contamination
• human health (i.e. food safety, West Nile and other transmitted diseases)

Acts of Humans
In a man-made crisis, we must assess our culpability and gauge our response accordingly.

External conflicts:

• vandalism
• terrorism
• neglect

Internal conflict:

• employee misconduct
• volunteer/client/4-H’er misconduct
• human disaster on CAES facility
• death or disaster involving 4-H’ers or volunteers
• environmental disaster on a CAES facility

Whether the conflict is natural disaster or possible vandalism, terrorism or neglect, the proper response is to:

Contact your immediate supervisor. The supervisor should pass the information accurately and clearly up the chain of command. When the advisory reaches the department head/district director level, the administrator will contact the dean/associate deans. The dean will determine if the crisis can be handled internally by the CAES Crisis Response Team (CRT) or if it needs to be handled at the university level. In either case, the CRT will be notified of the crisis and will then be on stand-by to be activated as needed by UGA or other authorities. The crisis response team will include:

- Proper administrator/spokesperson
- Chief Communication Officer or appointee
- Subject matter expert
- Other support as needed
- Support agencies as identified by the CRT

During communication with the public, promote self-efficacy such as response activities they can do themselves to be proactive i.e. emergency kits, tips on sanitizing water, etc.

Initial Steps:

The Crisis Response Team, after assessing the nature and scope of the situation, should call together all members of the Crisis Communication Team to develop a plan of action including all of the following:

1. Designate a spokesperson. In most cases, the spokesperson will be Dean & Director Nick T. Place. In the case of a significant crisis, the UGA President or highest-ranking university official must take the lead in conveying the administration’s response to the crisis. The CAES Dean’s Office works closely with the UGA President’s Office to
   determine a spokesperson.
2. Draft a fact sheet. The fact sheet should contain a summary statement of the situation including all known details to be released to the media. The information should be made available to the spokesperson and other related administrators. The fact sheet should be created with respect to the public’s right to know and concerns for privacy and security in consultation with General Counsel.
3. Notify key constituencies. Determine key stakeholders that should be informed of the crisis. Effective communications will help quell rumors, maintain morale and ensure continued orderly operations of the university. A member or members of the Crisis Response Team should be assigned to communicate the facts of the situation (contained in the fact sheet) and the university’s intended response.

Secondary Steps:

Depending on the nature of the crisis, other decisions and actions may be necessary. These could include:

1. Further media contact. Determine whether a news conference or briefing is an appropriate means of conveying the information and alert the CAES Dean and CCO. Their teams will work with UGA central communications to determine any logistics of a news conference and take responsibility for crafting the message if needed. This decision will be determined through close coordination with the UGA Office of Marketing and Communications and the UGA President’s Office.
   
2. Establish a Crisis Command Center if the magnitude warrants. This will be directed from the CAES Dean’s Office and the CAES Office of Marketing and Communications after they have coordinated with the UGA Office of Marketing and Communications.
3. Identify a secondary spokesperson as needed to give more in-depth information.
   a. Make sure every person in the CRT has a general understanding of the issue.
   b. Ensure the spokespeople are in sync and well-rehearsed with in-depth knowledge of subject matter/crisis.
4. Determine strategy of internal communication to keep employees et al informed of developments. These communication efforts should be swift and regular to keep rumors down. Internal communications must be approved by the CAES Office of Marketing and Communications.

Tertiary Steps:

It may become necessary to evacuate buildings or areas surrounding facilities to protect and ensure the safety of people and animals. If such a situation occurs, decisions regarding workspace accommodations and leave requirements for faculty and staff, as well as class schedules and possibly housing accommodations for those affected, would need to be addressed. Reassure the public that you are keeping them updated and informing them with information, safety precautions and ways to mitigate risks.

Post Crisis:

Following any crisis, appropriate action must be taken to ensure that members of the community, the organization and others receive needed information and assistance to help bring closure to the crisis, as well as relief from the effects of the event. Attention also should be placed on identifying and implementing measures to improve the action plan used during the crisis. Possible steps include:

1. Hold listening sessions with the public, legislators and media to communicate all details of the incident. These sessions should be held as close to the end of the crisis as possible to get accurate information out to prevent the rise and spread of rumors and misinformation. Perhaps include Q&A with the public so their voice is heard.
2. Offer victims assistance. Immediately following a crisis, it is imperative that the college be sensitive to the needs of faculty, staff and students who may have been personally affected by the event. There may be a need to assist a victim or victims with obtaining information and referral to available resources. The CRT will be responsible for coordinating this assistance with appropriate units.
3. Acknowledgements. Depending on the nature of the crisis, services and assistance may have been rendered by agencies, companies and individuals from outside the college. OMC should ensure that applicable follow-up information and communication is disseminated.
4. Debriefing. The core team shall meet within 10 days following the crisis and review all actions taken as a result of the crisis to determine effectiveness and efficiency of operations and make any needed changes to the Crisis Communication Plan. Evaluation and update: Complete a basic review quarterly for procedural changes and new risks and threats that need to be added to the plan. Calling lists and personnel will be updated and contact numbers verified. Verify with UGA if their plan has undergone any updates or changes to policy. Conduct a comprehensive review annually or following an implementation of the plan.
   

Evaluation and Update:

Complete a basic review quarterly for procedural changes and new risks and threats that need to be added to the plan. Calling lists and personnel will be updated and contact numbers verified. Verify with UGA if their plan has undergone any updates or changes to policy. Conduct a comprehensive review annually or following an implementation of the plan.

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Crisis Management Teams

Incident commander and members of the team with contact information.

General CAES Crisis

Dean
Appropriate administrator/spokesperson
Chief Communications Officer
Subject matter expert
Other support personnel as needed
Support agencies as needed

Crisis with 4-H’er 

Extension administrator
State 4-H leader/associate leader
Chief Communications Officer or appointee
County agent/coordinator

Biohazard on Facility

Dean
Appropriate administrator/spokesperson
Chief Communications Officer or appointee
Facility manager
Support agencies as needed (police; GPA; Public Health; Emergency management authorities)

Protesters/Vandals

Dean
Appropriate administrator/spokesperson
Facility manager
Chief Communications Officer or appointee
Support agencies as needed (law enforcement/security)

Natural Disaster

Dean
Appropriate administrator/spokesperson
Facility manager
Chief Communications Officer or appointee
Support agencies as needed (police; GDA, Public Health; Emergency management authorities)

Animal Disease

Dean
Appropriate administrator/spokesperson
Facility manager/subject expert
Chief Communications Officer or appointee
Support agencies as needed (police; GDA, Public Health; Emergency management authorities)

Plant Disease

Dean
Appropriate administrator/spokesperson
Facility manager/subject expert
Chief Communications Officer or appointee
Support agencies as needed (police; GDA, Public Health; Emergency management authorities)

Employee Misconduct

Dean
Human Resources agent
Appropriate administrators
Chief Communications Officer or appointee
Support agencies as needed (police)

Volunteer Misconduct

Dean
Human Resources agent
Appropriate administrators
Chief Communications Officer or appointee
Support agencies as needed (police)

Terrorist Attack

Dean
Appropriate administrators
Chief Communications Officer or appointee
FBI, local law enforcement, GEMA, GDA, public health, others as required
UGA security preparedness office

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Crisis Risk Assessment

List of potential crises, how they could impact the organization, and what procedures the team should follow if the crisis occurs.

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Initial Contacts

Names and contact info of all initial contacts. Who should be called when?

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Stakeholder Contact Worksheet

How and when should stakeholders be contacted?

Pre-crisis planning

• Legislative briefings (legislators and other government officials)
• Industry briefings (industry reps and procedures)
• Media briefing
• Faculty/staff training
• Public education
• Create messages and test them for later stages
• Build and test communication systems
• Draft messages that can be filled in later
• Designate spokesperson
• Form alliances with the media

Immediate response

Internal stakeholders:

• Parents – designated agent in charge/PDC
• Other 4-H’ers/employees present/ Extension administrator
• Producers – local county agent
• Community adjacent to CAES facilities – local CAES administrator
• Industry leaders – dean/associate dean/et al.

External stakeholders:

• Media – community officer
• Public – via media
• Legislature – Dean

Mid-crisis response

• Listening sessions/town hall meetings (public)
• Legislative briefings (legislators and other government officials)
• Industry briefings (industry reps and producers)
• Media briefings
• Faculty/staff briefing

Post-crisis response

• Listening sessions/town hall meetings (public)
• Explain recovery and rebuilding process
• Legislative briefings (legislators and other government officials)
• Industry briefings (industry reps and producers)
• Media briefing
• Faculty/staff briefing
• On-going issue management – Office of Communication
• Ask public to support public policy

Evaluation

• Internal network of everyone involved
• Discuss what worked and what didn’t
  

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Crisis Control Centers

At what location should the CRT meet in the event of a crisis?

Athens Campus – 103 Conner Hall or 210 Hoke Smith Building
Tifton Campus – 202 Tift Building
Griffin Campus – 205 Flynt Building
Branch/Extension – Office, administration or main maintenance building
4-H Facilities - Office or dining hall
County Extension - CE office or EOC office

What if the crisis occurred at that location?

• Each campus will have a designated secondary meeting location in a different room, hall or off-campus. These locations will be designated in this manual, and people will be informed when to meet there in the case of an emergency at the primary location.
• In the case of a serious emergency and the primary or secondary location has been removed as meeting places, the CRT will meet in e-workplace setting.
  • The e-workplace will be comprised of everyone who would normally meet, but meetings will take place via phone and email. Each person will be in their own safe location, yet work will continue as normal.
    

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Business Resumption Plan

Where and how would business resume after a crisis?

• If the building the organization is housed in is still in operation, business will resume as normal
• Meeting dates and times may tentatively be pushed back depending on severity of crisis
• Duties will rank in order of importance depending on what impacts the public and stakeholders first, then personal duties and affairs will follow

What if something happened to the building in which the organization is housed?

• General CAES crisis
  • Safety is of the utmost importance, so students, faculty and staff will be evacuated
  • Critical/severe damage: The meeting place will move to open area across campus
    • administrative building, conference center, different college building, etc.
  • Small/miniscule damage: takes 3-7 day clean up, office will move to an online setting in the environment of an e-workplace
    • Work remotely and meetings/calls will take place via conference call and email
    • Business will resume as normal once building is open
  • Communication officer will need to be available to meet or speak with media, give media training or answer any residual questions
• Crisis with 4-H’er
  • Safety is of the utmost importance, so students, faculty and staff will be evacuated
  • Extension administrator, state 4-H leader/associate leader, communication officer and county agent/coordinator will meet in a central location close to 4-H camp to create strategy and next steps for the resumption.
  • After primary steps have been decided, business will take place via phone and email until 4-H camp is open
  • Communication officer will need to be available to meet or speak with media, give media training or answer any residual questions
• Biohazard on facility
  • Safety is of the utmost importance, so students, faculty and staff will be evacuated
  • Crisis management team will meet via phone and email to discuss next steps
  • Communication officer will need to be available to meet or speak with media, give media training or answer any residual questions
• Protesters/vandals
  • Safety is of the utmost importance, so student, faculty and staff will be evacuated
  • Crisis management team will move to a different location on campus to decide primary steps, then meetings will move to be held via phone and email
• Natural disasters
  • Safety is of the utmost importance, so students, faculty and staff will be evacuated
  • Business will resume as normal via phone and email until building or facilities are opened again
• Animal disease
  • Safety is of the utmost importance, so students, faculty and staff will be evacuated
  • Crisis management team will resume business via phone and email
  • Communication officer will need to be available to meet or speak with media, give media training or answer any residual questions
• Plant disease
  • Safety is of the utmost importance, so students, faculty and staff will be evacuated
  • Crisis management team will resume business via phone and email
  • Communication officer will need to be available to meet or speak with media, give media training or answer any residual questions
• Employee misconduct
  • Crisis management team will meet to determine end results for employee misconduct
• Volunteer misconduct
  • Crisis management team will meet via phone, email or in-person to determine end results for volunteer misconduct
• Terrorist attack
  • Safety is of the utmost importance, so students, faculty and staff will be evacuated
  • Crisis management team will resume business via phone and email
  • Communication officer will need to be available to meet or speak with media, give media training or answer any residual questions
    

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