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Communicating in a crisis has many dimensions, including both reliable communication systems and communicating effectively to members, employees, customers and other publics. Brands and reputations can be destroyed in a matter of hours if communication is disrupted or the right information isn't provided to the right people at the right time. The articles below can you help you avoid the pitfalls of both kinds of communication failure.

While there is no doubt that our country has one of the world's most extensive and dependable communications systems, unusual conditions can put a strain on it. (Item #1) With a little forethought and a few bucks, you can prepare yourself for crises and avoid being incommunicado when you need it the most. (Item #2) Are you familiar with the 10 dilemmas facing emergency communication planners? (Item #3)

Communication is critical during an emergency and needs to be addressed thoroughly within the disaster-response plan. (Item #4) You need only scan daily news reports to realize that your crisis could be just around the corner, yet many organizations have a formal crisis communications plan. (Item #5) Although this is a thinly-disguised sales pitch for a book, it has some good ideas and tips on communicating in emergencies. (Item #6)

As always, we look forward to hearing about your concerns with regards to business continuity. If you have a topic you'd like to see covered, please email me at [email protected]

Best Regards,

Bob Mellinger
President
Attainium Corp

Quote of the Week

"An organization in a communications crisis without a plan
is like a blind man trying to feel his way out of a burning building."

Brad Fitch
Deputy Director
Congressional Management Foundation

Articles

1. Communicating During Emergencies
During emergencies - local, state, and national - the importance of our country's communications system, including telecommunications, broadcast, cable, and satellite systems, becomes clear. We use our phones to call 911 or to call our family members to make sure they are safe. We turn on our televisions and radios to get information updates. The following information will help you better understand what happens with our communications system during an emergency and how best to use the various components of our communications system during a crisis or disaster.
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/emergencies.html

2. Emergency Communications
There are at least five communications systems that more or less meet the criteria in this article. Some have big drawbacks, others minor ones. In making your choice, you should examine your own needs and match them with the appropriate system.
http://www.nationalterroralert.com/communications

3. Dilemmas in Emergency Communication Policy
Every emergency is different. At the same time, all emergencies are similar. And one of the key similarities is this: All emergencies pose pretty much the same dilemmas of communication policy, ten of which are discussed here.
http://www.psandman.com/articles/dilemmas.pdf

4. Crisis communications and disaster response
Even the best-thought-out disaster-response plans are inadequate if they don't include effective means of communicating to first responders, citizens and emergency operations centers.
http://www.continuitycentral.com/feature0339.htm

5. Communicating In Crisis: Are You Ready?
In most cases, the perception of your company or organization is established in the first few hours after a crisis. Usually the news media are the ones who set that perception. Do you know exactly how your organization and its executives will react once a crisis occurs?
http://www.drj.com/drworld/content/w4_109.htm

6. 101 Tips for Communication in Emergencies
When disaster strikes, the more prepared organizations activate their disaster plans. Whether it's a fire, flood, chemical spill, hurricane, or database breach, we activate emergency management teams and search for solutions, while we figure out what to tell the public. All of this activity involves people working together under extreme pressure. The better those people are at communicating with each other under pressure, the better the outcome will be.
http://www.chacocanyon.com/products/techdivide.shtml