Crisis Communications Plan

Transcription

1 Crisis Communications Plan Cleveland Metropolitan School District External Affairs Department January 13,

2 Table of Contents 1. Purpose 1.1 Why do we need this plan? What are the objectives? 5 2. Scope 2.1 Who will use this plan? How should this plan be used? 6 3. Definitions 3.1 Issue Incident Crisis Situation Crisis management Crisis communications 8 4. Process Overview 4.1 Who is responsible for managing issues, incidents and crises for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District? What is the role of the Onsite Response Team? What is the role of the Crisis Management Team? What is the role of the Crisis Communications Team? What are the core steps in managing crisis communications? What are the first things I should do if I become aware of an issue, incident or crisis? What is the process for assessing the situation and its impact on the District? How will we initially assist the Onsite Response Team and determine the immediate onsite communications actions? What is the process for mobilizing the Crisis Communications Team? How is the Crisis Communications Team organized? Who can serve as a spokesperson for the District? How will we secure approval of written communications material to be 12 released to the media and public? 2

3 4.13 How will the Crisis Communications Team share information with and 12 coordinate activities with the Crisis Management Team? 4.14 How will the rest of the External Affairs staff stayed informed of the 12 crisis so they are prepared to become engaged if needed? 5. Approvals 5.1 Issuer Approver Date of approval Communication and Publication 6.1 Electronic File Hard Copies Educational Purposes Continuous Improvement Cycle 7.1 Review process List of documented improvements List of future improvements Appendix 8.1 List of Key Stakeholders Issue, Incident & Crisis Communications Philosophies and Principles Media Inquiry Guidelines Organizational Charts of Crisis Teams External Affairs Contacts Executive Cabinet Contacts Other Key Contacts Checklist for Crisis Management Team Liaison Checklist for Crisis Communications Director 0-2 Hours Checklist for Crisis Communications Director 2-6 Hours Onsite Communications Coordinator Checklist Internal Communications Coordinator Checklist Call Center Supervisor Checklist Incident Data Form Message Framework 35 3

4 8.16 Call Center Inquiry Form Frequently Asked Questions Sample Holding Statement Sample Notification Letter # Sample Notification Letter # Sample Notification Letter # Sample Notification Letter # Sample News Release # Sample News Release # Sample News Release # Communications Aspects to Review Post-Incident Audit Process Map for Approval of News Releases and Other Written Materials 48 4

5 Purpose 1.1 Why do we need this plan? Cleveland Metropolitan School District, herein after referred to as the District or CMSD, is committed to providing a safe and secure school and office environment that protects its students, teachers and staff. One of the key responsibilities is to ensure that the Administration is prepared to identify, respond to, and manage crisis situations when they occur. The reputation of the District is created through our operations (what we do) and communications (what we say). In the event of a crisis, how we communicate about the situation can be as important as how we manage it operationally. Through effective communications, the District will be able to: Demonstrate concern for the people who are impacted Demonstrate commitment and capability to respond To educate media and the impacted publics To balance the view of people who are frightened or angered This Crisis Communications Plan has been developed to support the External Affairs Department in managing communications during a crisis. This comprehensive Crisis Communications Plan provides guidance, procedures and tools needed to successfully and effectively communicate in a crisis situation. 1.2 What are the objectives? Through effective crisis communications management, we are able to meet the following objectives: Ensure that the actions taken follow according to District policies and values Protect the reputation, credibility and image of the District Maintain positive relationships with key stakeholders Communicate the District s position quickly and accurately with key stakeholders Reduce the potential duration of the situation and its impact on our image and reputation Minimize potential negative attention on the District by working with key partners Keep accurate records of issues, responses and outcomes Reduce total cost of the issue, incident or crisis 5

6 Scope 2.1 Who will use this plan? This plan has been prepared by the External Affairs Department for its own use and for others who may be involved in managing the communications of an issue, incident or crisis. 2.2 How should this plan be used? This process is prescriptive and must be followed by members of the External Affairs staff when managing the communications of an issue, incident or crisis. The manual has been designed for two main purposes: As an educational tool to be used in training the External Affairs staff As a reference tool to be used as needed in the event of an actual issue, incident or crisis 6

7 Definitions For the purposes of this plan, critical standard terminology and definitions from which to operate include: 3.1 Issue An issue is generally a controversial and unsolved topic or situation that has two or more sides and has the potential to create or exacerbate conflict between two or more parties. Issues left unaddressed or improperly addressed have a greater potential to become crisis situations. Unlike a sudden incident, an issue may arise slowly and smolder. 3.2 Incident An incident is any unexpected isolated event that impacts the District s students, teachers, staff, facilities, environment, and/or community. Often having physical components, incidents are likely to involve response by external partners including police, fire, emergency medical, etc. Incidents have the potential to attract media attention. Poorly managed incidents have the potential to become crisis situations. 3.3 Crisis A crisis can be described as anything that may significantly impact the District or its students, teachers, staff, services, community, facilities, financial condition, image, reputation or environment. It may be sudden and unexpected, such as an incident of violence in the schools. It may also be a smoldering problem that slowly develops into a crisis if not properly addressed, such as a serious conflict with the teachers union. Both kinds of crises can trigger significant media interest and public scrutiny. The Chinese word for a crisis is weij-ji, which literally means danger and opportunity. How the District manages a crisis situation may determine its future image, reputation and ability to garner community support. 3.4 Situation Throughout this document, the word situation is used as a generic term to refer to an issue, incident or crisis. 3.5 Crisis Management Crisis management is a strategic and proactive management process, which preserves and advances an organization s reputation in the face of developments that threaten the entity. Effective crisis management is achieved through planning, preparation and training, as well as through execution during an actual crisis. It enables an organization to take effective 7

8 action before, during and after a crisis in order to maintain balance between its own interests and those of its stakeholders. 3.6 Crisis Management Team The Crisis Management Team is mobilized in the event of a crisis that threatens the District. The role of the Crisis Management Team is to determine and drive overall strategy and management of the situation. It is comprised of a small group of District personnel, local government officials and may be augmented by outside resources such as consultants or subject matter experts who have the resources, ability and authority to take necessary action to revolve a crisis. 3.7 Crisis Communications Crisis communications is a planned and systematic capability, designed to protect an organization's image, reputation and credibility. It enables an organization to rapidly release factually accurate and timely information to all internal and external stakeholders when confronted with an issue, incident or crisis. 3.8 Crisis Communications Team The Crisis Communications Team is mobilized in the event of a crisis that threatens the District. The role of the Crisis Communications Team is to provide strategic counsel on communications issues; develop and disseminate information to internal and external stakeholders; and coordinate all contacts with the media. It is comprised of staff members from the External Affairs Department and may be augmented by outside resources or subject matter experts. 3.9 Onsite Emergency Response Team The Onsite Response Team is mobilized in the event of an emergency at a school or other District facility to manage all emergency response activities at the site of the incident. It is primarily tactical in nature and focuses on the physical response to an incident, issue or crisis situation. This team partners with external government agencies including police, fire and elected officials as appropriate and seeks to define and address potential impact of the situation on students, teachers, staff, facilities, surrounding communities and/or environment. It is comprised of local and/or District-level personnel, including a representative of the External Affairs Department, and is typically headed by the Principal or Campus Administrator Incident Command Center The Incident Command Center is the onsite facility from which initial recovery efforts are staffed and managed, and initial media activities are initiated. The Onsite Emergency Response Team uses this facility temporarily to begin coordinating the recovery process. The location of the Incident Command Center is determined by each CMSD facility. 8

9 3.11 Crisis Control Center When the Crisis Management Team is activated, the Crisis Control Center is established as the primary meeting place from which the team conducts its work to manage the overall impact on the District. The Crisis Control Center is usually located in a meeting room at the Administration Building. If the Administration Building is not accessible, the Crisis Control Center will be established at an alternate location. 9

10 Process Overview 4.1 Who is responsible for managing issues, incidents and crises for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District? Ultimately, the CEO is accountable for the overall management of a major issue, incident or crisis, but he/she will rely on a large support team to ensure that the response and communications are properly and professionally handled. There are typically three key teams that are mobilized to support a crisis: Onsite Response Team, Crisis Management Team and Crisis Communications Team. 4.2 What is the role of the Onsite Response Team? The Onsite Emergency Response Team is comprised of local and/or District-level personnel, including a representative of the External Affairs Department. This team is typically headed by the Principal or Campus Administrator. The Onsite Response Team is primarily tactical in nature and focuses on the physical response to an incident, issue or crisis situation. This team partners with external government agencies including police, fire and government officials as appropriate and seeks to define and address potential impact of the issue, incident or crisis on students, teachers, staff, facilities, surrounding communities and/or environment. 4.3 What is the role of the Crisis Management Team? The role of the Crisis Management Team is to determine and drive overall strategy and management of the situation. The Crisis Management Team is comprised of a small group of District personnel, local government officials and perhaps outside resources such as consultants or subject matter experts who have the resources, ability and authority to take action necessary to resolve a crisis. The team is headed by the CEO or his/her designee. The Crisis Management Team is strategic in nature, unlike the Onsite Emergency Response Team which is largely tactical. The Crisis Management Team provides direction to the Onsite Emergency Response Team and the Crisis Communications Team. It is responsible for communicating with the members of the Board of Education and government officials. It designates spokespersons on behalf of the District and approves all written communication about the crisis. It also reaches out to third-party partners who can assist the district by providing resources or expertise. 4.4 What is the role of the Crisis Communications Team? The Crisis Communications Team is composed of members of the External Affairs Department and may include external contractor resources. The Crisis Communications Team gathers information; prepares Holding Statements while verifying facts; develops and disseminates information to internal and external stakeholders; and coordinates all contacts with the media. The team provides strategic counsel on communications issues to 10

11 leaders at all levels in the District. Members of the Crisis Communications Team may be assigned to the Onsite Response Team. The team is mobilized and led by the Chief Communications Officer, who also serves on the Crisis Management Team. 4.5 What are the core steps in managing crisis communications? The basic steps in preparing to manage the communications of an issue, incident or crisis are as follows: Gather information about the situation using a series of questions and document the findings Contact Safety and Security to share your findings and to verify information. Separate factual information from speculation. Alert Chief of Communications or his/her deputy Mobilize the Crisis Communications Team and agree on key roles: - Liaison to the Crisis Management Team - Crisis Communications Director - Onsite Communications Director - Internal Communications Director - Call Center Supervisor Coordinate and manage information - Prepare Holding Statement to buy time if needed - Develop tactical plan to reach all internal and external stakeholders - Write formal written statements (news releases, internal memos, letters) that include both facts and key messages - Disseminate the information to all key internal and external stakeholders across multiple communications channels - Monitor the media, the web and other channels of stakeholder feedback - Provide updated information to stakeholders as it becomes available Participate in post-incident audit to identify areas for improvement 11

12 4.6 What are the first things I should do if I become aware of an issue, incident or crisis? When anyone in the External Affairs Department is contacted about an issue, incident or crisis, the following steps must be followed: Attempt to transfer the call directly to one of the Crisis Communications Directors If this is not possible, gather as much information as possible using the Incident Data Form (See Appendix 8.14) Agree on the time of the next information update with your contact Notify one of the people who have been trained to serve as the Crisis Communications Team Director (See Appendix 8.3) 4.7 What is the process for assessing the situation and its impact on the District? The first Crisis Communications Director who is reached must assess the situation and the potential impact on the District. This will be achieved through a review of available information, contact with persons at the site of the incident and others who may have knowledge of the situation. 4.8 How will we initially assist the Onsite Response Team and determine immediate onsite communications actions? Inform the Principal or Campus Administrator that a representative of the External Affairs Department is in route to provide onsite support Explain the communications strategy that will be employed during the first few hours Provide a copy of the Holding Statement (see Appendix) and explain how it will be used to buy time with the media Review with them what to and what not to say (cause, cost, liability, duration) Ask what other kinds of support are urgently needed to support communications 4.9 What is the process for mobilizing the Crisis Communications team? After assessing the situation and incident potential, the Crisis Communications Director will determine the need to activate some or all members of the Crisis Communications Team, including external contractors. The responsibility for contacting individuals needed for the team may be delegated. 12

13 4.10 How is the Crisis Communications Team organized? Based on the situational assessment and incident potential, the Crisis Communications Director identifies necessary roles and makes individual assignments. (See the Appendix for details of the various roles on the teams.) The members of the team report to the Crisis Communications Director. The team may expand or contract depending on the evolution of the situation. Normal day-to-day job responsibilities may be suspended or reassigned to allow the members of the Crisis Communications Team to focus attention on the situation at hand. If the incident results in telephone call volumes that exceed the capability of the existing staff, an external call center should be established with an external partner or a vendor. Should the central office be inaccessible, the Crisis Communications Team should meet offsite at a location to be (pre) determined by the Crisis Communications Team Who can serve as a spokesperson for the District? The District s policy is to maintain an open and proactive relationship with the media. At the same time, all communication with the media must be carefully managed in order to build the brand and to protect the District s reputation. In the event of a crisis, a Crisis Communications Team will be mobilized and will have primary responsibility for all contacts with the media. All written information to be released to the media will be developed by the Crisis Communications Team and approved by the Crisis Management Team. See Appendix 14 for an overview of the approval process of press releases and other written materials. The primary spokespersons for the CMSD during the crisis are the CEO and the Chief Communications Officer. The majority of media inquiries will be responded to by the Chief Communications Officer or his designee. The CEO will assume the role of spokesperson only for the most highly visible and important media events, such as live press conferences and inquiries from national news media How will we secure approval of written communications material to be released to the media and public? All materials developed for use with the media and public must be approved by the Director of the Crisis Management Team. A member of the Crisis Communications Team, typically the Chief of Communications, will serve as a liaison between the two teams How will the Crisis Communications Team share information and coordinate activities with the Crisis Management Team? A member of the Crisis Communications Team, typically the Chief of Communications, will serve as a liaison between the two teams. He/she will ensure that regular updates are held for the two teams to ensure seamless collaboration. 13

14 4.14 How will the rest of the External Affairs staff stay informed of the crisis so they are prepared to become engaged if needed? The Crisis Communications Director is responsible for providing the staff with periodic updates on the situation. 14

15 Approvals 5.1 Issuer This plan was developed by the leadership of the External Affairs Department in collaboration with The Fairmount Group LLC, a communications consulting firm. The Chief of Communications is ultimately responsible for this plan and is responsible for maintaining this document. 5.2 Approver The first edition of this plan was approved by Benjamin I. Holbert III, Chief of Communications, and published on April 18, 2008 The second edition of this plan was approved by John Hairston, Chief of Communications, and published on January 13,

16 Communication and Publication 6.1 This plan is available electronically in the External Affairs Department shared computer drive. 6.2 Hard copies of this plan have been provided to members of the External Affairs Department staff. It is recommended that the staff members keep three copies of the plan to be kept at the office, at home, and in the car for easy access. 6.3 This plan is also designed to be used for professional development purposes, including crisis communications training and simulation exercises with the staff. 16

17 Continuous Improvement Cycle 7.1 This process is reviewed on an annual basis by members of the External Affairs staff. Any improvements to the process will be noted in the next edition of this manual as appropriate. 7.2 Edition 1: Published on April 18, A training session was held with staff members of the External Affairs Department, the Department of Safety and Security, and the Executive Leadership Team. 7.3 Edition 2: Published on January 13, Suggestions for improvement for consideration in the next edition include: Explore options for establishing a call center to handle large volumes of telephone inquiries (as described in Appendix 8.13) Request portable laptop PCs and wireless Internet cards for External Affairs staff members who are trained to serve on the Crisis Communications Team Develop media kits for Principals that outline basic communications tools and processes (including a wallet card with External Affairs Department contact information) Create a dark site for the District web site to be populated and published as a one-stop resource for all stakeholders during a crisis situation Identify other leading edge technologies and innovations that can be used to improve the effectiveness of communications with stakeholders during a crisis situation Hold practice exercises to test the readiness of the Crisis Communications Team to implement this plan 17