CONCURRENT SESSION OVERVIEW – MANAGING CRISES
MANAGING CRISES
1.0
Introduction
By way of introduction it may be useful to reflect on a possible definition of a
“crisis”. Jeffery Mitchell has described a “crisis” as “any situation that causes a
person to experience unusually strong emotional reactions which have the
potential to interfere with their ability to function either at the scene or later”.
Another description of a crisis is “an event which causes disruption to an
organization, creates significant danger or risk and which creates a situation
where staff, student and parents feel unsafe, vulnerable and under stress”.
Some distinguishing characteristics of a crisis are that they may:
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Be extremely dangerous or distressing
Be sudden and unexpected
Be disruptive to one’s sense of control of events around them
Be disruptive to one’s beliefs and assumptions about the world, people
and work
Challenge the belief that events can be understood
Include elements of physical or emotional loss or risk of loss
Some examples of crises include
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Natural disasters e.g. hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and people-made
emergencies
Accidents at the campus or on excursions
Serious illness or death of students, staff
Threats, assaults, suicides, violent incidents, kidnappings
Violent event in the community
How one responds to a crisis would depend on how prepared one was before the
crisis occurred. Some crises may even be prevented altogether. Recovering from
a crisis would certainly depend on how you handled the crisis, how you
performed during the crisis. The link between Prevention, Preparedness,
Response and Recovery appears to be a natural one and it may be useful to
discuss the matter of Managing Crises within this context.
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David Moses, June 2005
CONCURRENT SESSION OVERVIEW – MANAGING CRISES
2.0
Prevention
Prevention relates to the identification of risks that can arise in the community of
the academy and the development of policies and procedures which can
contribute to reducing the risk of crises occurring and/or minimizing their effects.
Risk Management is now regarded as an essential aspect of good management
practice. Risk management involves the systematic identification of threats to
resources and the development of strategies that minimize their adverse effects.
An Occupational Health and Safety Policy supported by a Safety Committee is
also now standard to most organizations, including academies, and would detail
policies and procedures to safeguard against personal injury to members of that
community.
3.0
Preparedness
Preparedness is the planning and preparation of processes to be undertaken when
a crisis occurs. This includes training and development and establishing links
with relevant agencies and personnel. Most organizations would have a Disaster
Preparedness Plan geared toward minimizing the adverse effects of a disaster.
Pre-crisis planning can:
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Pre-empt or interrupt the development of a crisis
Make a life-saving difference in an emergency
Prepare staff strategically and psychologically for a crisis
Minimize interruption to the learning environment
Reduce risk of adverse publicity
Minimize risk of reduced productivity, absenteeism, damaged community
reputation
Pre-crisis planning will:
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Undertake risk assessment
Identify relevant services and establish liaison
Develop a management plan and negotiate endorsement throughout the
community of the academy
Identify secure areas, mobile phone policy, siren policy, etc.
Identify protocols to avoid escalating the risk
Identify communication strategy during emergency and with staff,
students families support services
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David Moses, June 2005
CONCURRENT SESSION OVERVIEW – MANAGING CRISES
A Pre-crisis Plan will include:
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4.0
The formation of a crisis response team
Identification of the range of emergencies covered in the plan
Assessment of risks and hazards (potential and actual)
Procedures to secure the safety of individuals and groups
Procedures for evacuation
Site maps, floor plans, identification of alternative assembly points
Rehearsal of emergency practices
Communication strategy: information to students, staff, families
Identification of the recovery processes, including the review plan
Response
Response is the action undertaken to address the operational and psychological
needs of the site community to stabilize the situation. It is the set of activities that
are carried out immediately an emergency occurs and lasts until the risk to
personal safety and /or property has been removed. While the community
Emergency Services normally has the legal responsibility for coordinating and
controlling the response of most types of emergencies the organization will
normally maintain an ongoing responsibility for the safety and well being of
students and staff for the duration of the emergency.
At the onset of a crisis the physical safety and psychological protection of the
community are the immediate priorities. One should:
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Take steps to end the danger and limit further physical and /or
psychological injury.
Follow site management plan on invacuation, evacuation, calling
emergency services, screening areas off from view etc.
Try to keep calm, issue clear instructions, and send for backup.
Ensure that the principal or some other senior person will provide the
leadership for the response and recovery
It is always helpful to take a few moments to stop and think
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Appearing calm will help to give a sense of control
Scan the site procedures to remind yourself what needs to be done
Send for a member of the administration team
Convene the crisis management team
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David Moses, June 2005
CONCURRENT SESSION OVERVIEW – MANAGING CRISES
As you assess the situation
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Ensure that the situation is stabilized
Collect information from reliable sources and ensure that you are kept up
to date
Meet with crisis management team. Have crisis management plan in hand
What support and emergency personnel are required? Is there a need for
additional teaching support?
Who is likely to be effected and how
What needs to be communicated, to whom and by whom
How will the situation be monitored
What tasks need to be undertaken and by whom
Possible personnel / agencies to consult include
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The police, Emergency Services
Medical services
Campus Principal
Legal services
Media Liaison
Guidance Officer, Personnel Counsellor, Social worker
Operational issues would involve
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Setting up a command centre or space, and communication strategy
Allocating roles and responsibilities according to the crisis management
plan
Identifying particular tasks e.g. visiting family, attending to deceased
person’s locker, etc.
Identifying the process for parent and support personnel to visit the site
Determining front office support to deal with extra calls
Identifying gathering areas, parent meeting space, student/staff recovery as
required
Identifying the recording process to assist in keeping track of
personnel/student needs, subsequent interventions, decisions made and
action taken
Timetable adjustment
Relocation of work areas e.g. in the case of fire damage
Considering how student/staff can be linked with significant others to reestablish a sense of personal control
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David Moses, June 2005
CONCURRENT SESSION OVERVIEW – MANAGING CRISES
At the end of the day one should ensure that
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The academy community members have information on the event and site
response plan
People have support contacts and/or helpful information on managing
stress and emotional reactions
The Emergency Management team has regrouped and debriefed the day,
and modify the ongoing plan
The recording process has been reviewed
Since individuals react differently to a crisis thought should be given to the
psychological well being of those involved in a crisis
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Consider the emotional well being of the community. Consider (with
appropriate support from social worker, guidance officer, or personnel
counsellor) the nature of the event, the potential impact and how to
provide information and a supportive environment
Ensure that information about personnel counsellor is routinely available
since it is not possible to identify who will need additional support at the
time or subsequently.
Consider modifying each day’s programme; consider relief staff and
supportive gestures (group events like morning tea). Staff may not want
to be perceived as not coping and may force themselves to work. To assist
recovery it may be more helpful in the long term to have temporary
flexible working arrangements.
Provide, wherever possible, an environment where staff and students can
safely express their thoughts and feelings. Recovery rooms may be
necessary.
Ensure the monitoring of individuals/groups.
ASI (Applied Strategies International), in an article published on the Internet has
given some useful “Crisis Handling Principles” which I thought I should share
with you, viz.
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Deal with all your audiences
Remain flexible with regard to the unexpected
Be conservative about reassurances
Demonstrate concern
Self praise is not as effective as external party endorsement
Good news and bad news all have the same half life
Tell the truth
The press is after newsworthy events, do not create the news
Building a defence by discrediting others has negative consequences
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David Moses, June 2005
CONCURRENT SESSION OVERVIEW – MANAGING CRISES
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5.0
The most underestimated audience is the silent majority
Explanations of meeting mandatory requirements is not evidence of good
management
A single right answer does not exist
Recovery
The monitoring of recovery processes facilitates the return to routine.
Recovery includes the review of policy and procedures.
Recovery management is most effective when there is recognition of the
complex, dynamic and sometimes protracted nature of recovery processes
and the changing needs of affected individual and groups within the
community. Leaders need to consider their own well being, and seek
support and debriefing, as appropriate.
The effectiveness of the recovery environment depends on:
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Factual information provided about the event and its effect
The nature of reactions and availability of support
The extent to which the site provides a supportive environment
Whether the significance of the event is confirmed by others
The extent to which specialist intervention and support is available
Recovery would address restoring the academy’s community to a regular
routine and this will be facilitated by
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Maintaining regular updated information to all staff. Staff will be
better equipped to handle students if they are well informed and
have opportunities to raise concerns and questions
Some flexibility may be required as some staff and students may
be unable to return to full/normal duties/routines. Monitor those
situations
Assist staff to create a safe, ordered environment as this will help
to reassure students
Maintain a supportive environment. Perception of supportive
structures has the potential to act as a safety net and as an
expression of concern for the well being of the community.
In the unfortunate event that death had resulted from the crisis there would
be the need to address the matter of the funeral. Leadership will need to
consider staff attendance at the funeral. Student attendance is usually a
family decision.
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David Moses, June 2005
CONCURRENT SESSION OVERVIEW – MANAGING CRISES
Rituals, ceremonies or memorials can be appropriate ways to honour the
event/life of a person and are usually significant in comforting those
distressed. The worksite may choose to have a memorial service, a
plaque, the dedication of a book, trophy etc. or a contribution to the site’s
grounds/garden.
Finally there is the issue of promoting organisational learning. One should
consider the need for an operational debrief. This needs to be done as
part of the learning process and not to apportion blame. A range of issues
may surface as a result of the crisis. These issues may relate to the need
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6.0
To revise the Disaster Preparedness Plan
To revise the curriculum to develop student understanding of grief
and loss, developing resiliency, optimism and emotional
intelligence
Strengthening partnerships with families, departmental support
services of agencies
Staff professional development e.g. proactive responses to
managing stress
Conclusion
Coping with a crisis need not be a hopeless battle. If we employ risk
management techniques we may be able to identify some types of risk and
put measures in place to minimise their negative effects. A range of
possibilities exists for the managing of crises if we approach this
responsibility from the perspective of Prevention, Preparedness, Response
and Recovery.
Acknowledgement
Much of the material for this paper was taken from Internet published documentation by ASI (Applied Strategies
International) on Managing Crises
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David Moses, June 2005