Disaster Management

by Skinner, Chris; Mersham, Gary

• ISBN13: 9780195783131
• ISBN10: 0195783131
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-07-10
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

In an increasingly unpredictable world, it is essential that managers have the theoretical and practical tools for dealing with crises and disasters. No two disasters are the same. However, it is possible to identify common features of, as well as the mechanisms needed to deal with, a variety of potential disasters. High on the list are effective communications, having a Crisis Management Plan in place, training Personnel, and knowing how to handle individual stress and group behavior. This book is a practical step by step guide to managing crisis situations in the work environment, with a strong emphasis on communications.

Table of Contents

Foreword	vii
Acknowledgements	viii
Disaster management in national and global contexts
Expect the unexpected	1	(3)
Natural disasters	2	(1)
Human disasters	2	(2)
Sources of possible crises in the near future	4	(2)
South Africa	6	(6)
Conflict contagion	6	(1)
The effect of HIV/Aids on business	7	(2)
Crime	9	(1)
Potential religious and cultural conflict	9	(3)
Disasters, issues, and crisis management -- the similarities and differences
Definitions	12	(1)
Issues management	13	(4)
Who should be involved in issues management	15	(1)
The issues management process	16	(1)
Comparisons between issues and crisis management	17	(5)
Preparation	18	(1)
Handling	18	(4)
Identifying potential crisis situations
Crisis planning	22	(1)
Defining a crisis	23	(1)
The anatomy of a crisis	23	(6)
Detection	24	(4)
Prevention	28	(1)
Containment	28	(1)
Recovery	28	(1)
Learning	28	(1)
Crisis communication	29	(7)
Communication objective	29	(1)
Roles and responsibilities	30	(1)
Audiences during a crisis	31	(4)
How people receive information during a crisis	35	(1)
Evaluating probabilities	36	(1)
Creating a `Crisis Inventory'	37	(3)
Focusing on key scenarios	40	(2)
Crisis management preparedness
Crisis development cycles	42	(2)
Assessing a company's preparedness	44	(1)
Cultural obstacles to effective crisis planning	45	(7)
Isolationist mentality	45	(2)
Reactive mentality	47	(1)
`Them vs. us' mentality	48	(1)
`Don't tell the boss' mentality	48	(1)
`PR is not important' mentality	49	(3)
Preparing the plan
Aims of emergency plans	52	(1)
What to include	52	(1)
Statement of purpose	53	(1)
Policy and philosophy	54	(1)
Setting up an emergency management team	54	(4)
Emergency response team	58	(1)
Involvement of top management	59	(1)
Establishing a crisis communication network	60	(2)
Setting up a crisis control room	62	(1)
Emergency Operations Centre	62	(1)
Establishing a media centre	62	(1)
Identifying `need-to-know' audiences	63	(3)
Monitoring the attitudes of your publics	66	(1)
Supplier `swat' team	66	(1)
Developing key messages in advance	67	(1)
Writing and reviewing the plan	67	(1)
Training and testing
Training and testing	68	(2)
Emergency response management team	68	(1)
Communication network	69	(1)
Media training	69	(1)
Testing	70	(2)
Telephone/communication system	70	(1)
Emergency response assignments	70	(1)
Mock drills	70	(2)
Manual use and distribution	72	(4)
Crisis operations guidelines
When to activate a crisis plan	76	(1)
Assessing priority actions	77	(1)
Activating the network	78	(4)
Communicating with `need-to-know' audiences	78	(4)
Disaster management plan
Umbogintwini Industrial Complex Durban South, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa	82	(2)
Introduction	82	(1)
Affected area	83	(1)
Course of action to be taken	83	(1)
Off-site actions are likely to be confined to two main categories	83	(1)
Aim	84	(1)
Execution of plan	84	(5)
General outline	84	(1)
Key functions of internal agencies	85	(2)
External agencies	87	(1)
Coordinating instructions	88	(1)
Administration and logistics	89	(1)
Transport	89	(1)
Evacuee assembly points	89	(1)
Mass Care Centre Activation and Logistics Support	90	(1)
Command and communication	90	(1)
Command	90	(1)
Communication	90	(1)
Communication with public	90	(1)
Community liaison plan	91	(5)
Purpose	91	(1)
Scope	91	(1)
Background and references	92	(1)
Definitions and abbreviations	92	(1)
Responsibilities	92	(1)
Procedure	92	(3)
Records	95	(1)
Media relations
Media relations	96	(1)
When to contact the media	97	(2)
What to do first	98	(1)
Initial contact	98	(1)
Briefing the spokesperson for interviews	99	(13)
News briefings	99	(1)
Selecting the spokesperson	100	(1)
Guidelines for spokesperson	101	(1)
Coordinating media contacts	102	(2)
Issuing statements	104	(1)
Means of distribution	104	(1)
Pre-prepared materials	105	(1)
News releases	106	(1)
Press conferences	107	(1)
Media releases and contacts logbook	108	(1)
Media monitoring	108	(1)
Ongoing contacts	108	(1)
Evening and weekend contacts	108	(1)
`Total story' advertorial	109	(1)
Media contact list	109	(3)
Follow-up communication and performance checklist
Follow-up reports to `need-to-know' audiences	112	(3)
Media follow-up	112	(1)
Employee communication	113	(1)
Customer communication	114	(1)
Industry communication	114	(1)
Crisis communication performance checklist	115	(12)
Checklists
Disasters and catastrophes	119	(4)
Preparing for emergencies	123	(1)
Ambient press hostility	124	(2)
Media conferences	126	(1)
Stress management
The crisis management perspective	127	(2)
Individual reaction to change	129	(1)
Selection of a crisis team	130	(2)
Criticism: The need for a broader perspective	132	(1)
Understanding stress	133	(3)
Toward effective stress management	136	(4)
Hints for managers	139	(1)
Managing job stress	140	(7)
Organizational stress	141	(1)
Group stress	142	(1)
Individual job stress	143	(4)
Summary and recommendations
In planning for a crisis	147	(1)
In planning for communication in a crisis	148	(1)
In dealing with a crisis	149	(1)
Communicating in a crisis	149	(3)
Selected case studies
The Ellis Park Soccer Disaster	152	(6)
What happened	152	(2)
Planning	154	(1)
Roles and responsibilities	154	(1)
Strategy	154	(2)
Defining clear and measurable objectives	156	(1)
Execution	157	(1)
Evaluation	157	(1)
The Nairobi bomb blast at the American Embassy -- a diagnosis of failure	158	(4)
What happened	158	(1)
Planning	159	(1)
Strategy	160	(1)
Tactics	160	(1)
Lessons to be learnt	161	(1)
Community relations: Shell Oil's response to crisis in Nigeria	162	(2)
Background	162	(1)
Chronology	162	(2)
Goals and objectives	164	(4)
Shell's impact objectives (planned outcomes)	165	(1)
Shell's process objectives (information dissemination)	165	(1)
Strategic tactics and techniques	166	(1)
Results achieved	166	(2)
Brand crisis management	168	(2)
Managing the threat of a cyber crisis	170	(6)
Updating the organizational website	171	(1)
Monitoring of the Internet	171	(1)
Establish direct communication	171	(2)
Information Technology: a complex and sometimes hostile environment	173	(1)
Insiders or outsiders?	174	(1)
What should you be doing?	175	(1)
Investigating vs. mitigating	176