By definition, a crisis is an unexpected and detrimental situation or event. A thorough crisis communications plan and CAP alerts (Common Alerting Protocol) can play a significant role by transforming the unexpected into the anticipated, and clarifying how to respond effectively.
Knowing how to define a crisis and then immediately trigger a reliable action plan is crucial because the health and safety of your audience depends on the speed and accuracy of your response.
After Hurricane Katrina, one survey indicated that only 67 percent of communicators interviewed had a formal crisis communication plan. Of the organizations that had actually experienced a crisis, 42 percent said they still didn’t have a formal crisis communication plan, and 54 percent said they didn’t have a plan because they lacked the support of senior managers.
Communicators must be prepared to leverage the available technology to get the word out as fast as possible. Although this white paper focuses on alert strategies for higher education venues, the principles and advice apply to all organizations.
Our white paper goes into detail to help you understand the emergency standards and Common Alerting Protocol environment and gives practical advice for forming a crisis communications plan of your own:
- Defining a Crisis
- Emergency Standards
- Legal Influences
- Funding Options
- Building a Crisis Communications Plan
- Your Campus Emergency Notification Checklist
- Real-World Examples
- Further Reading