Know your Communications Plan

Communication is key in an emergency. Knowing who needs to be contacted, how they can be contacted, and what they need to know is important. This includes staff, the board, clients, donors, stakeholders, suppliers, partners, volunteers, and anyone else involved with the organization. Knowing the communication process reduces confusion and gets everyone on the same page.

Keep these lists as part of your emergency preparedness plan. Sensitive data may be distributed only to the Response team or in a password protected file which is shared only with a few key leaders. Keep in mind that in some emergencies the Executive or Board Chair may be incapacitated and so their backup or other key leaders may need to have access to this information in order to respond.

Who do you need to be in communication with during an emergency? Some organizations may choose to keep digital lists stored in a cloud or shared drive which are constantly updated so that the information is always current.

Keep these current lists close at hand:

• A list of all staff and their emergency contact person with personal phone numbers for both parties

• An established process for checking in with employees and/or key volunteers including board members. A “phone tree” creates a clear chain for checking in on employees and getting information distributed.

• For agencies with operations in more than one location, designate a staff person as the contact person for that site.

• A current list of board members with work and personal phone numbers and email.

• A current list of clients or participants with phone numbers and emails

• A current list of donors and key stakeholders including community partners