Insider's Guide to public information and crisis communications. Useful summary for a Public Information Manager during a civil defence emergency, natural disaster or crisis.

1. Insider’s Guide to:
Public
Information
and crisis communications

2. Kia ora.
*DISCLAIMER: You know your stuff #justsaying

3. Public Information Management :
So what is it?

4. The objective is to promote the
effective management and
exchange of information to aid
decision making, support and
communication.
“
”Clause 66(1); Emergency information management,
National Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan

5. Information needs to be
timely, relevant, consistent
and reliable.
“
”Clause 66(2); Emergency information management,
National Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan

6. Public Information Management :
Your role(s)

7. Your PIM role:
Right information
at the right time

8. Your PIM role:
Champions the
community

9. Your PIM role:
Ensures an
authorative voice

10. Your PIM role:
Advise & protect
the Controller

11. Your PIM role:
Don’t follow,
be a leader

12. Public Information Management :
The structure

13. Public Information
Manager
Public Information
Manager
Public Information
Manager
National
Controller
Group
Controller
Local
Controller
National
level
Group
(Regional)
Level
Local
Level

14. Public Information
Manager
Media
liaison
Web &
social
media
Call
Centre
Internal
comms &
intranet
Admin

15. Public Information
Manager
NATIONAL CONTROLLER
Public Information
Manager 2IC
Web
Manager
Stake-
holder
Relations
(internal)
Stake-
holder
Relations
(external)
Media
Manager
Intl Media
Liaison
(3)
Media
briefing
/ VIPs
(2)
Media
phone
(2)
Research
(1)
Writers
(2)
Research
(2)
Media
monitor
(1)
Online
Content
publisher
& social
media
(3-4)
Community
Relations
Manager
Call
Centre
Manager
Marketing
Manager
Graphic
Design
(2)
Mayor Press
Secretary
All of Govt
Communication
Secretary
(emails)
Customer
Service
Officers
(30)
Market/
Comms
(2)
Cmmnty
Advisors
(4)

16. Public Information Management :
The media

17. Be timely
//flickr.com/logangorilla

18. Treat all media equally

19. Tailor to their strengths
//flickr.com/logangorilla

20. Radio:
- immediate: first and fast
- entirely there to help you
- more regular updates
- tell people what you want them
to know

21. Television:
- fixed to deadlines & production
- live coverage during news hours
- powerful film footage (sight &
sound)
- more in-depth interviews

22. Print:
- good for photos
- need more detailed information
- are there for long haul
- move quickly to recovery failures
- 24/7 online news

23. media: the real oil

24. Public Information Management :
Media tools

25. media releases
Embed
& attach
Number
& time
releases

26. media stand-ups
Limit time &
questions
Remember to
alert EOC staff

27. press conferences
Live stream
updates

28. media tours
Resource
heavy
Help people
understand
response
Require
careful
management

29. Public Information Management :
Other tools

30. community briefings
//www.stuff.co.nz/carysmonteath
Film community
meetings

31. community briefings
Publish
presentations
online

32. posters at key sites
//www.stuff.co.nz
Date & time
each edition
Keep track of
distribution

33. factsheets & adverts
Don’t forget
other
languages

34. maildrops & visits
//www.flickr.com/redcross//www.thepress.co.nz
Know your
local welfare
networks
Some too
traumatised to
hear official
messages

35. EQ help? Call Govt
Hotline 0800779997.
Water/place to stay?
0800435700 or go to
Burnside HS, Pioneer
Stad, Rangiora Bapt
Ch. Home repairs?
EQC 0800326243
text alert all networks

36. your call centre
Assign liaison
within PIM/EOC
Keep Govt Helpline
informed
0800 779 997

37. variable message boards

38. your website

39. your website
Make it easy to
access & find
Update, update,
update!
Provide image
gallery & timeline
Make it mobile
responsive

40. elected members
Provide them with
constructive roles
Communities look to
elected members
for leadership and
reassurance

41. internal comms in EOC

42. internal displays

43. daily PIM bulletin board

44. rise of social media

45. Twitter is #1

46. authorative voice

47. release tips and facts

48. respond to queries

49. real-time feedback
Whoever is managing
the @ChristchurchCC
account is showing how
communication with
users and
announcements should
be done. #chch #eqnz

50. keep relevant & localised

51. thank those that help

52. deal to rumours

53. alerts to problems
@ChristchurchCC
extremely nasty
pot hole on Hills
Rd, right lane into
Shirley Rd, any
chance of fixing
before car gets
stuck? Thx
//www.stuff.co.nz

54. track event hashtags

55. “So is this stuff
just being a twit?”

57. Facebook #2

58. TradeMe #3

59. YouTube #4

60. social media monitoring
news sites
Twitter
blogs
TradeMe
community
YouTube Facebook
feedback
forms
topic trends & emerging issues
planning & intelligence

61. Public Information Management :
Getting prepped

62. hard copy and electronic
• templates for media releases
• public messaging scripts
• instructions and policies
• web URLs, usernames, passwords
• contacts directories – media, staff, CDEM
• photos of key spokespeople
• radio frequencies
• important phone numbers – utilities, Govt

63. current & back-up website
WordPress is an
easy alternative
Accessible from
anywhere, anytime

64. know your local webbies
Open access to data,
others can mash-up

65. know google can help
Google
Public Alerts
Google Maps &
Google Earth
www.google.org/
crisisresponse

66. know your local cultures
Tips for translation:
- Use active, positive language
- One idea or question per
sentence
- Avoid phrasal verbs: hand out
- Avoid idioms: tip of the iceberg
Know local ethnic
media & liaison
Places of worship &
food outlets
//www.thepress.co.nz

67. after-hours call centre
Do you have
after-hours service?
Can you upscale
quickly?

68. media accreditation
Create process
before event
If possible, include
photograph
Create ‘check in’ &
‘check out’ process

69. develop key policies

70. Public Information Management :
My lessons

71. Lesson #1:
Set clear goals &
objectives

72. setting groundrules

73. Lesson #2:
Keep everyone
informed, regularly

75. Lesson #3:
Scale up early & fast,
normal business
resumes

77. Lesson #4:
Have dedicated
admin support

79. Lesson #5:
Keep social media
outside approvals

81. Lesson #6:
Monitor, monitor,
respond, monitor

83. Lesson #7:
Avoid spam &
sattire

84. Shakey town
Christchurch
I think you
could do
with some
McDonald’s
#eqnz

85. Lesson #8:
Focus your social
media channels

86. //flickr.com/frasergraham

87. Lesson #9:
Define & train
spokespeople early

89. Lesson #10:
Use something old
& something new

91. Lesson #11:
Think about your
audiences

92. //www.thepress.co.nz

93. Lesson #12:
Network, prepare,
play, practise, fix

95. Lesson #13:
Have some fun to
get you through

96. //www.thepress.co.nz

97. Communication is the critical thing.
If you don’t do it right, you will be
judged to have failed, regardless of
what else you do with your fire
trucks and your response.
“
”Bruce Esplin, former Emergency Services Commissioner for Victoria
- Black Saturday bushfire response

98. Jason Dawson
General Manager – Customer Relationships
07 838 6507 | 021 912 571
jason.dawson@hcc.govt.nz
www.hamilton.govt.nz
Thanks.