Crisis Communications

Regardless of the nature of a crisis, emergency or disaster, communications can either contribute to a successful outcome or exacerbate the situation and make the matter worse creating even more chaos, uncertainty and anxiety.

Strategic communicating in a corporate crisis can lead to successful conflict resolution, save reputations, bottom lines and even an entity's very existence. It can be a key ingredient in winning law suits, in successful lobbying campaigns and building consensus for programs and policies.

In a physical crisis or disaster, strategic crisis communications can save lives and property, prevent suffering and grief and provide the public with the information they need to stay out of harms way.

When a disaster strikes quickly and unexpectedly, a large portion of the affected population is confused, anxious and in desperate need for information on what to do.

Should they stay where they are? Should they evacuate? Should they go pick up their children from school or their grandparents from the nursing home, or will that put everyone into harms way? Depending on the severity, chaos and hysteria can be the result from the lack of or ineffective communications during a crisis, emergency or disaster.

At James Lee Witt Associates (JLWA) our experts in crisis communications have led the communications during some of our nation's worst disasters and crises. They have created new methods of developing and disseminating emergency information. They know what to do and how to do it.

Elements of a crisis communications plan include strategic message development, and dissemination of  information using a multi-media approach, rapid response and media monitoring.

JLWA will be with a client from the moment a situation develops and remain in place through the conflict or crisis resolution.