Loading ...Three Things People Want to Know in a Crisis
During a crisis, people want to know three things. If you can’t answer these questions first, you can lose control of accurate information as others fill the void—and perhaps, inaccurately.
What Happened?
As simple as it sounds, this question can be tricky. If you are responding to a situation with potential liability for your company—such as a chemical explosion, for example—providing too much information can become fodder for attorneys. The key to answering this question is to confirm what you know.
This morning, shortly before the first shift began their day at seven o’clock, a chemical storage tank containing polyvinyl chloride exploded. Four employees were killed, and six people are in critical condition. Our full-time emergency response team reacted, bringing two fire trucks to bear on the fire. By nine o’clock, the fire had been contained…
This example is a timeline response. It lays the events in order so reporters (and the public) can have a basic framework of the crisis. Where information is not known, admit it.
The cause of this explosion is under investigation. We are working with federal and state officials to determine the cause, but we cannot confirm what happened at this time.
What Does it Mean to Me?
Public statements, such as the one above, should answer questions before reporters ask them. For example, is the chemical lethal? The general public wants to know if they are safe or not.
The storage tank that exploded contains 500 liters of polyvinyl chloride, the most widely used thermoplastic polymer in the world. It is used as a building material, most commonly in PVC pipes. Polyvinyl chloride is quite combustible, and that presents…
The key is to reassure the public.
At this time, the fire is under control. There is no danger to our neighbors. However, as a precaution, we have asked local emergency management officials to assist us in the evacuation of people living within five miles of the facility. While we do not expect…
What Are You Doing About it?
Messages that explain what the situation means to the audience also contain response language such as the preceding example. However, it is a good idea to be more in-depth about actions being taken.
Right now, we have structural engineers on site examining the soundness of the facility. We don’t want to put our employees in any risky situation that might result from this explosion. We are working with federal, state, and local officials to determine…
Most importantly, take the time to be thorough with your information.
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