[Editor’s Note: Even experienced PR professionals need a refresher on the basics from time to time, as well as insight about newer concepts. Whether it’s how to become a better writer or a review of PR ethics, PRNEWS aims to provide readers with content about a variety of topics and issues. Hence, our Explainer series was born.
Previous posts looked at the Metaverse, “off the record” and sonic branding.
Today we review running a crisis drill.]
What is a Crisis Drill?
Unless you are a certified psychic reader, the chances of predicting a crisis are slim to none. However, there’s nothing wrong with being prepared. While many PR professionals have written a crisis plan, not all of them have conducted a crisis drill (which can be included in a crisis plan).
A crisis drill provides a real-time simulation of an actual crisis and response, with all potential stakeholders on hand to learn and carry out their parts. These stakeholders can include the PR team or agency, client, spokespeople, leadership in human resources, CEOs, presidents, legal counsel, employees or anyone else that may have a responsibility in a crisis. The drill provides practice so these stakeholders know their roles and how to proceed in a real-life crisis situation, lessening the chances of public blowback or circumstances spiraling out of control.
Tabletop Vs. Full-scale Drill: Deborah Hileman, President and CEO of the Institute for Crisis Management, says if an organization has never done any kind of crisis exercise, do not start with a full-scale simulation drill.
“Tabletop exercises are an economical place to begin engaging crisis teams and are effective for validating plans, procedures and policies,” Hileman says. She notes that they can help build teamwork and facilitate in-depth problem solving and discussion, as well as be conducted remotely for off-site team members.
On the other hand, full-scale drills should test an actual deployment of crisis resources in a more realistic enactment of a crisis. These will provide a more thorough run-through and evaluation of team response capabilities, Hileman says.
To Prepare:
1. Conduct a risk assessment. Fenton Chief of Issue Advocacy & Crisis Management, Erik Olvera, says to review every area of work—including analyses of an organization’s board, finances, human resources, programs, personnel and any staff concerns—to identify potential threats. If one is found, follow the below steps:
- Is a crisis imminent, and how will the negative publicity affect the brand’s reputation?
- Who internally needs to be brought into the conversation?
- Is outside legal counsel and crisis communications support needed?
- Who are the key stakeholders who need to be informed and kept updated?
- What’s the messaging and communications plan for each stakeholder group?
2. Identify a crisis response team. Olvera says during a crisis, an organization’s comms team can be inundated with calls, emails, texts and questions from leaders wanting to know exactly what they’re doing to manage the situation—always resulting in even more panic.
“Panicking is never good, as it almost always results in bad decisions,” he says.
The team should be small in order to be nimble, and quickly mobilized through text, email or other communications tools when a matter breaks.
Erin L. Weinstein, Executive Vice President, SKDK, also notes that this team should include key spokespeople and stakeholders.
“Discuss who will speak to external audiences, who will speak to internal audiences, and who should be brought into the fold for crisis events,” Weinstein says. “Who are the key stakeholders who would care about each specific crisis scenario or reputational risk? This could include investors, policymakers, press, customers, etc.”
3. Consider the budget and timing. How much in resources are you willing to utilize for this drill? As Hileman noted above, tabletop exercises and full-scale drills differ significantly when it comes to cost, depending on size and scope. Also it’s important to decide how much time your employees and stakeholders can take out of their day without it interrupting productivity. Hileman says two to four hours is typical for a tabletop exercise, but full-scale drills can fill an entire day.
4. Select a realistic scenario. Hinda Mitchell, President, Inspire PR, says it should be ideally one that is both highly likely and has a high impact.
5. Create a run-of-show. How will the scenario begin, how will it escalate, where might it go sideways, and how will it end? Mitchell also says to include as many outside “characters” as needed in the run-of-show such as law enforcement, reporters and regulators, and to assign non-participants (who are not trainees) to “act” in those roles.
And don’t forget to make it as realistic as possible.
“We usually create “fake” social media posts/feeds, video news stories, audio files of radio clips, etc.,” Mitchell says. “We also “evolve” both the news coverage and social media over the course of the drill.”
She says the scenario should also include a series of escalations, interruptions and unexpected related incidents (like a protest sub-scenario) to help advance the drill.
6. Create a physical playbook. A document should be on hand for annual review (at least), providing the organization with a guiding framework after training. John Gonda, VP, PR and Media Relations at Sage Growth Partners, says the materials should clearly state the crisis communication team roster and responsibilities; the approved chain of command; drafted general messages and media holding statements; a list of key contacts; organizational media and social media policies and appropriate support materials and checklists. Passwords and information for social media handles, websites, etc. should also be included for posting information quickly.
During:
1. Announce the crisis drill. It may sound simple, but be sure that your entire organization is aware that there is a “crisis drill” occurring. Gonda says we are all in the business of communicating, but in today’s environment of never-ending email messages and ongoing static in the workplace, you are bound to miss reaching someone.
“I cannot think of many situations worse than an employee not being aware that a current active-shooter situation, or a devastating emergency weather scenario, is not real,” he says. “Be sure you commit to actively informing as many times as possible leading up to the planned drill—the when, where and what needs to be communicated to avoid unfortunate surprises. No one should be caught off guard.”
2. Encourage drill participants to suspend their disbelief. Mitchell says to ask participants to experience and participate in the drill as outlined.
“It can be easy to fall back into saying things like, “It would not happen like this,”” she says.
3. Have worksheets ready for participants. Mitchell says they should be used alongside various drill components and include these questions—what’s your message? Who do you need to bring to the table? Write a media statement. Etc.
4. Have a designated observer. This person (preferably a PR team member) will take notes of where things are going well or going poorly.
5. Execute the drill.
6. Conduct mock reporter interviews. This will prepare the spokespeople for potential crisis scenarios.
7. Keep response strategies or statements consistent. Jeanne P. Meyer, Interim Chief Strategy Officer, DiGennaro Communications, offers several tips for delivering messaging.
- If the strategy includes staying in a reactive posture, don't deliver a statement unless you are asked about it.
- Deliver any response the same way: emailed statement, verbally, etc.
- It may be repetitive and boring to stick to one statement over time, but resist the urge to mix things up and change language, etc.
After:
1. Make time for a debrief. Make this happen immediately after the drill is completed.
2. Provide a report to participants. This can come in the days after, and can include observations and recommendations for the drill and future scenarios.
3. Follow-up training: Provide targeted training sessions for areas that may need significant improvement.
4. Update crisis plans: Revise crisis management plans based on insights from the drill. Address gaps in policies and protocols.
5. Schedule future drills: Hileman says to make drills a regular occurrence which can improve response skills and boost team confidence.
“Make crisis exercises an ongoing practice to ensure readiness for evolving threats,” she says.
A Note:
Those in industries such as healthcare, aviation, utilities and government facilities can use the National Incident Management System, or NIMS, as a framework for incident management. Those interested in learning more about NIMS should visit FEMA.gov. They offer NIMS training courses—many are available online at no cost.
Why this Matters to Communicators
Creating a crisis plan and having it sit on a shelf for months to several years will not serve communicators well in a constantly-changing media environment. Social media platforms, messaging and stakeholders can easily evolve and shift.
Also, practice makes perfect. Justin Knighten, a former FEMA Associate Administrator in the Office of External Affairs and current communications adviser with Mozaic Media, says "if you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready."
“You need to develop muscle memory to ensure your immediate communications team, colleagues and leadership are all clear on roles and responsibilities, processes, expectations and general approaches,” Knighten says. “Practice how to make decisions in real-time instead of practicing how to follow each tactical step of a previously written plan—you need to be ready to abandon that plan, or build onto it without overwhelming your team or causing misalignment within your own organization.”
More PRNEWS resources about the crisis drills:
- 49% of Companies Have a Crisis Plan. But Is It Enough to Save a Reputation?
- Crisis Drills: Operational/Comms Disconnect Is a Recipe for Disaster
- Maui Fires Should Prompt Drills, Updates to Your Crisis Communication Plan
- The PRNEWS Checklist: 9 Tools to Prepare for Any Crisis
Nicole Schuman is Managing Editor at PRNEWS.