Crisis Communications Scout Coach Crash – September

2012

Simon Carter – Assistant Director, Media Relations

Andrew Thorp– Media Relations Officer

What happened?

• A multi vehicle Road Traffic Accident

• In East Coast Canada• 102 Scouts involved in 2 coaches• All on a slow news day!

The plan

• No one size fits all solution for crisis situations

• Buy some time• Assign clear roles (Watching, Responding,

Spokesperson)• Get the facts right and get them out quickly• Keep the lines of communication open

• Now we would use Twitter and the web

The first 24 hours

• Things move fast

• Clear and accurate information

• Brief relevant third parties

• Broadcasters and PA First• Provide regular updates

Hour 1

Hour 2

Next Day

Return Home

As events unfold

• When things get better (or change) let people know! - PA & BBC

• Look for the next action point and plan for it• Think about one story locally and nationally• Brief people on the ground – They will be door

stopped

Results

• Lots of work but a great success – don’t forget your messages

Systems

• 24 Hours call system

• Plan – a side of A4

• Flow of resources

• Trust of CEO and senior management• Review

Twitter/Web – Crisis work

• Boys Scouts of America – Confirmed gay ban

• The complete reverse of our position

• Key to get journalists up to speed on difference

• Twitter helped us set clear up blue water (me, Team, TSA and known friends)

• Linked to a statement on our web site• Telegraph said “In contrast Britain's Scout

Association encourages scouts to attend gay pride marches in uniform.”

Twitter/Web – In summery

• Be quick

• Be focused

• Refer to web pages to explain more

• Use third parties to tweet on your behalf• Maintain a list of journalist twitter feeds in your

sector and DM them info • Get your CEO to be “twitter & Facebook”

aware