A Disaster Is Not the Time to Figure Out Public Information
Recent disasters across Central Indiana have reinforced an important lesson for government agencies, emergency management organizations, and public safety leaders:
Crisis communication is not separate from the emergency response. It is an essential part of it.
When residents are displaced, roads are closed, utilities are disrupted, businesses are affected, and assistance programs are constantly evolving, the public depends on local officials for reliable information.
That need does not end when the immediate emergency is over. Recovery can continue for weeks, months, and sometimes years. Throughout that process, communities need
routine, timely, accurate, and accessible information to make informed decisions.
The Information Vacuum
When official communication is limited or inconsistent, an information vacuum quickly develops.
Questions go unanswered. Rumors begin circulating. Outdated information continues to be shared. Residents become frustrated because they do not know where to turn for answers or what resources are available.
Eventually, that frustration can become a loss of confidence in the organizations responsible for managing the emergency.
Posting occasionally on Facebook is not a public information strategy.
Social media is an important communications tool, but an effective crisis communication operation requires much more.
What Effective Crisis Communication Looks Like
A successful public information operation begins with trained Public Information Officers who understand both emergency response and professional communication.
During a significant incident, an effective public information strategy should include:
- Routine communication: Establish a predictable schedule for public updates and maintain it, even when there is limited new information.
- Accurate information: Verify information before releasing it. Speed matters during an emergency, but accuracy and credibility are critical.
- Coordinated messaging: Agencies involved in the response should communicate consistent information rather than releasing conflicting messages.
- Multiple communication channels: Use social media, websites, traditional news media, press conferences, community organizations, emergency notification systems, and other appropriate platforms.
- Relevant media outreach: Work with media organizations that actually reach the affected population rather than relying solely on one newspaper, television station, or social media platform.
- Subject-matter experts: Bring operational leaders and technical experts into briefings when they are best positioned to answer specific questions.
- Community listening: Monitor comments, questions, rumors, media inquiries, and community concerns. These provide valuable insight into what information the public needs next.
Most importantly,
communicate consistently.
If the answer to a question is not yet known, acknowledge it. Gather the information, verify it, and provide the answer during a future update.
A scheduled briefing does not need to be canceled simply because there are few new developments. It can be used to reinforce critical information, correct misinformation, remind residents about available resources, answer frequently asked questions, or explain what happens next.
Consistency builds credibility.
Communication Builds Trust During a Crisis
Public information is about more than press releases and social media posts.
It is about helping people understand:
What happened?
What is happening now?
What should I do?
Where can I get help?
What happens next?
When those questions are answered consistently and accurately, communities are better equipped to respond and recover.
When they are not answered, people will look elsewhere for information—and that information may not always be accurate.
Professional Crisis Communication Support from THPR Group LLC
Not every government agency or public safety organization has the staffing or experience necessary to operate a comprehensive public information function during a major emergency.
THPR Group LLC can help fill that gap.
THPR Group provides highly trained and experienced Public Information Officers who can support government agencies, emergency management organizations, and public safety agencies
before, during, and after an emergency.
Our crisis communication support can help agencies develop communication strategies, coordinate multi-agency messaging, manage media relations, produce public updates, monitor community concerns, prepare leadership for media briefings, and maintain the consistent flow of information necessary during an extended response and recovery.
Your operational personnel should be able to concentrate on managing the emergency.
You manage the incident. We’ll help manage the message and keep your community informed.
Prepare Before the Next Emergency
A disaster is not the time to discover that your organization does not have enough trained personnel, established procedures, or communication resources to keep the public informed.
Develop your public information strategy before you need it.
THPR Group LLC
www.thprgroup.com
(765) 387-9008
The Right Information. The Right People. The Right Time.
Our goal is simple:
getting the right information to the right people at the right time, so they can make informed decisions.
