Crisis Communication Equation

When there’s an emergency or important event happening, the Public Information Officer (PIO) has a crucial role in crisis communication. Their main job is to make sure that the right information reaches the right people at the right time. But what does that really mean?

First, they need to gather the correct information. As the person in the community that the public looks up to for information, the PIO must provide accurate and truthful details. Sometimes, though, the information can be wrong, especially if it’s coming from people who were at the scene but may not have all the facts. Imagine this: if ten different people witnessed the same thing, they might remember it differently and tell others what they think they saw. This leads to rumors and false information spreading in the community, especially on social media. If the PIO doesn’t quickly share the correct information, it becomes difficult to fix the misunderstandings later. The news media also looks for information, and if the PIO doesn’t provide it, the media might rely on someone else’s version, which may or may not be accurate.

The next step is making sure the right information reaches the right people. It wouldn’t be useful to give evacuation instructions to someone who is far away from the incident, right? So, as a PIO, they use different ways to communicate with specific groups of people. They build relationships with mainstream news media, community groups, and social media accounts related to their community. They can even use hashtags to connect with specific neighborhoods or areas. There’s a social media platform called Nextdoor that focuses on geographic areas like cities and neighborhoods, which is helpful for reaching the right people in a specific location.

Lastly, time is crucial for PIOs. They can have all the right information and the right people, but if they don’t share it in a timely manner, it won’t be effective. Imagine receiving a weather forecast for a blizzard a week after it happened or getting a warning about a tornado three days after it hit your area. It wouldn’t help at all. That’s why PIOs need to have ways to quickly share information, like mass notification systems or direct contacts with news and internet media outlets. They can send press releases or use Twitter for breaking news. Time is of the essence when it comes to getting important information out to the public.

To understand how this all works, let’s take the example of an impending flood in your community. The PIO’s job is to quickly and accurately inform people about the need to evacuate to save lives. Instead of simply saying, “Everyone in xyz neighborhood, evacuate now,” the PIO should explain what’s happening, what’s expected to happen, and show a map of the area that needs to be evacuated. Clear instructions on where and how to evacuate, as well as what residents need to bring, should be given. By providing accurate information and painting a clear picture of the situation, the PIO gives people the right information at the right time, enabling them to make informed decisions.

The PIO’s equation of getting the right information to the right people at the right time also applies to non-emergency situations. It’s something they practice every day as part of their responsibility to serve and protect the public.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me!  For more helpful tips, listen to my podcast where I discuss tips, tricks and tidbits for PIO’s

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