Handout

for 2018 ACA National Conference

Gary Kimball – Crisis Averted: Managing Communications in an Emergency

Emergency Response Planning Guide

Emergencies take many forms and represent significant risk for a camp’s ability to
continue ordinary operations, as well as for its image, its camper base and its short- and
long-term financial performance. Effective planning and response will help you navigate
the emergency successfully.

This Planning Guide provides an overview of what your camp needs to do to prepare for
emergencies. Use it as a general guide to planning, but be sure to take into account your
camp’s unique needs and take advantage of emergency planning resources available from
local, state and federal agencies.

1. Define the Types of Possible Emergencies
The first step in preparing or updating an emergency response plan is to define all types
of emergencies that may occur at a camp. The most common are:
• Natural disasters: They may include tornadoes, hurricanes, electrical storms,
floods and other events that are not caused by human forces.
• Fires: Fires range in seriousness from small isolated events with no injuries to
those causing damage to life and property.
• Accidental injuries or death: Most injuries and deaths are accidental. They may
result from sports, hiking, waterfront or other camping activities.
• Injuries or death caused by “negligence”: Beyond the immediate loss, these
tragedies have the most severe consequences and are the result of real or
perceived negligence on the part of a staff member.
• Vehicular accidents: Any accident involving campers or staff members in camp or
non-camp vehicles.
• Sexual abuse and other inappropriate behavior: These incidents involve
inappropriate sexual behavior by campers and staff, and may cause devastating
long-term damage not only to children but to a camp’s future.
• Disease and illness: Disease and illness become an emergency when they cause
serious damage or death, or involve an infectious disease that moves beyond a
handful of campers.
• Missing persons: These incidents include missing campers and staff members who
leave the camp voluntarily or involuntarily.
Crisis Averted: Managing Communications in an Emergency Gary Kimball

• Crimes: These are crimes committed by a staff, camper or outside person,

including theft, burglary and murder.
• Active shooters/terrorist attacks: These include an armed intruder on camp
premises and a terrorist attack, as well as a national tragedy that occurs away
from camp.

2. Involve All Appropriate People
To create an effective emergency response plan, it is essential for camp directors and
owners to broaden their expertise by involving a wide range of people in the plan
preparation, both in and outside of camp:
• Camp director/owner: The camp director is usually the designated spokesperson
in an emergency and so plays a pivotal role in plan preparation. He/she also will
have considerable experience and financial/legal perspectives.
• Staff: Senior counselors representing all areas of camp bring a unique set of
experiences and perspectives to the planning process.
• Legal counsel: Legal counsel should not only offer insight as a plan is being
prepared, but should review drafts of the plan for its legal ramifications.
• Medical professionals: Both physical and mental health professionals should play
an important role in plan preparation, discussing appropriate response to medical
emergencies and ensuring there are proper medical contingencies.
• Emergency responders: Law enforcement, fire officials and EMTs should
participate in planning. They deal with emergencies on a regular basis. They can
help a camp respond properly and understand the legally mandated actions in
their communities.
• Government agencies: Local government agencies, such as local health bureaus,
are an important ally in the event of an emergency.
• Insurance professionals: Insurers should be involved in the emergency planning
process. They are experts in liability issues and in handling emergencies, and can
help camps understand how the claims process will unfold in the event of a tragic
event.
• Public relations professionals: They can develop plans and provide trainings to
prepare you for effective emergency and crisis communications.
• Security professionals: They can provide training and consulting to help your
camp prepare for an active shooter incident.

2
Crisis Averted: Managing Communications in an Emergency Gary Kimball

3. Establish One Spokesperson and Emergency Communications Center

It is absolutely critical to identify one spokesperson in the event of an emergency and
define his/her specific responsibilities. The spokesperson should be the camp director or,
at least:
• Someone who clearly represents the camp and is in a position to make decisions.
• Have a complete compendium of camp information at his/her disposal.
• Not be burdened with too many other administrative and operational duties during
an emergency.

Clearly define what the spokesperson can and cannot say. Everything that the
spokesperson says must be completely accurate; there can be no speculation.

The spokesperson needs access to the camp’s chain of command 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. All leadership personnel need constant access to the spokesperson.

Plan for a secondary spokesperson in the event that a camper or counselor must be taken
to the hospital in an emergency situation; it is possible that media may arrive at the
hospital as well as at the camp.

4. Establish A Chain of Command
Establish a clear chain of command in the event of an emergency. This chain of command
will take into account a two-way flow of communication:
• When an emergency begins, all information is communicated quickly and accurately
through the chain to the spokesperson.
• That spokesperson then has the responsibility to direct all actions and
communications to campers, staff, families, media and other interested publics.
• This chain of command may vary depending on the type of emergency and whether it
occurs on or off camp property.
• This chain of command identifies the roles and responsibilities for not just staff, but
also law enforcement, fire officials and other first responders.

5. Your Plan: Step by Step
An emergency response plan should be clearly written, well formatted and easy to use. It
should be organized in a way that facilitates ease of use. Directions should not be open to
interpretation.

3
Crisis Averted: Managing Communications in an Emergency Gary Kimball

The basic components of a plan are:

• Introduction: A brief introduction should state the purpose of the plan, repeat its
importance, define who should have access to the plan, and identify the key camp
emergency spokesperson.
• Important phone numbers: The front of the plan should contain a page dedicated
to important phone numbers for handy reference.
• Contents: A table of contents can help the user find sections easily.
• Procedures: Step-by-step procedures should move users through the chain of
command to ensure the safety of all campers and counselors. Key parts are:
ü When the plan should be activated.
ü Reporting and documentation of information (“debriefing”) from those
involved.
ü When to contact emergency services.
ü Evacuation and/or organization of campers and staff.
ü Establishing emergency headquarters.
ü Other steps to bring the situation under control.
ü Contacting family members of anyone injured or deceased.
ü External communication with authorities, parents and media, taking into
account the possibility of large numbers of media showing up.
ü Arranging for medical care for those directly and/or indirectly involved.
ü Arranging for mental health professionals to work with campers and staff.
ü When to resume normal camp activities.

6. Distribute, Review, Practice and Update the Plan
Your plan does no good sitting on a shelf.
• It should be widely circulated and understood by everyone at camp.
• Circulate the plan to other important figures in the local communities; for
example: fire departments, police, other government agencies, and hospitals –
and look for their input.
• Use the plan as an educational tool to instruct staff members in their emergency
duties.
• Schedule regular training sessions with small groups of staff members. Training
should also include information on types of emergencies.
• Emergency response drills should be conducted on a regular basis.
• The plan should be reviewed and updated on an annual basis. This review process
should follow the same procedures and involve the same people as used in the
creation of the plan.

4
Crisis Averted: Managing Communications in an Emergency Gary Kimball

7. Supporting Materials
Support your plan with these materials:
• Phone number list for Emergency Services, including police, fire, EMS, hospitals,
insurance, utilities, state/federal/local agencies, and mental health resources.
• Phone Log so staff can easily document calls made and calls received.
• List of media, including phone, fax and email addresses so news releases or other
communications can be sent out quickly.
• A one-page fact sheet for media that contains basic information about the camp –
number of campers, counselors, address, phone number, history, accreditation,
name of director.
• Map and directions to camp.
• Phone log forms to record all incoming and outgoing calls related to the
emergency.
• Emergency response checklist to ensure all necessary steps are followed.

8. Emergency Response Communications
Communicating with the media and parents with information about an emergency or
emerging situation – before they contact you – can earn your camp major credibility
points. It will give you more control of what is said, and help put families at ease.
Remember, they will likely learn the information on their own, so it’s always better to
come forward first.
When communicating:
• First, evaluate the situation: Release information only when the facts are
absolutely accurate and the camp’s legal position is clear. The spokesperson must
not speculate. When an emergency occurs, it is often difficult to sort out the facts
and determine exactly what happened. That’s why it is essential that an
emergency preparation plan include a clear chain of command for gathering and
communicating information.
• Plan your response: When you have gathered all your information, you must plan
your response, taking into account all of your audiences – campers, staff, families,
authorities and the media.
• Communicate quickly and honestly: It is absolutely essential to communicate the
facts of an emergency quickly and honestly. When a tragic event occurs,
communication inevitably follows, which may include media reports, parent
phone calls, camper calls to parents, staff discussions with campers, and more. A
quick, accurate response will put the camp in control of these communications,

5
Crisis Averted: Managing Communications in an Emergency Gary Kimball

help prevent miscommunications, build trust and make sure the camp’s side of a
story is told.
• Evaluate your response: Provisions should be made to monitor media broadcasts,
social media, family reaction and the actions by the authorities to make sure your
response is appropriate and effective. Adjust your communications to meet new
circumstances.
9. Speaking with the Media
Many emergencies will generate media coverage. You can’t prevent coverage, but you
can lessen the negative impact by responding quickly and honestly. Remember these
rules:
• When an emergency occurs, immediately station someone at the front gate to greet
media, tell them politely they are not allowed on camp (private) property and that
someone will get back to them promptly.
• Respect deadlines. If you can’t speak to a reporter, ask what the deadline is and make
sure you call back.
• Do not be confrontational. Stay calm and in control at all times.
• Don’t arouse media suspicions by saying “no comment” or refusing to return calls.
• Communicate what you know and tell reporters what you don’t know.
• Prepare “talking points” ahead of time, so you stay on track with a consistent
message.
• Do not speculate. The media will try to get you to draw conclusions. Don’t let them.
Stick to your key points.
• Do not reveal personal/medical information about campers or staff.
• Keep interviews brief and end a conversation when you need to.

When working with television crews:
• If your camp is on private property and you’re in the middle of an emergency, you can
ask them to leave. Remember to calmly explain why and be polite. Plan a time to call
them later.
• If you feel forced into an on-camera interview, ask if you can talk to the reporter off
camera first. Use that time to explain the situation and try to set parameters for the
interview.
• Remember that television works in short sound bites, so prepare your key points in
short statements that fit this format.

6
Crisis Averted: Managing Communications in an Emergency Gary Kimball

10. Communicating with Families
When communicating with parents:
• Be the first to contact families about an emergency.
• Stay calm and in control. Parents take their emotional cues from you.
• If possible and appropriate, emphasize the positives.
• Be open, concerned and offer your assistance.

Further details about choosing if, when and how to communicate with parents are
available in another document: “Considerations for Parent Communications,” which is
available upon request.

While we offer this guidance and believe it can help most camps through difficult
situations, we recognize that every camp culture is different and appreciate the judgment
of experienced camp directors.

Most importantly, as you consider communications during difficult times, we ask that you
consider the value of open, accurate and rapid communications in building and
maintaining the trust and respect of your camp families.

11. Social Media
Given the widespread use of social media throughout the world, it is imperative that
camps consider social media when creating an emergency response plan.
When planning, please consider these points:
• In your plan, ensure you designate someone to monitor your Facebook and any other
relevant social media sites during an emergency.
• Keep comments on social media sites in perspective. It is normal for people to post
negative comments, but you must consider when and how to respond. Sometimes a
response may just fuel a fire.
• Know your rights and options in responding to negative comments on your camp
Facebook site. You may delete comments, but Facebook has rules on when people
may be banned from a site and when reviews can be removed.
• Consider how you will use social media to post information to counter negative
comments, and to direct people to your web site or other places where they can find
accurate information.
• If there are negative comments posted on someone else’s social media site, you may
need to engage legal counsel to know when and how you can respond.
• Social media sites change continually and so it is important to update plans.

7
Crisis Averted: Managing Communications in an Emergency Gary Kimball

In general, your camp should have a social media policy that governs how staff and
campers may write about your camp when using social media sites. This policy will help
control communications during an emergency, but also help you understand the use of
these sites.

11. Grief Counseling

In the event of a tragedy, every child will react differently, some speaking openly and
others going about their usual routine, seemingly unaffected. It is important to have grief
counselors available to help children and staff cope with a loss:
• If you have a social worker or clinical professional on staff, you can work with
them to prepare in advance for a tragedy.
• If you do not have a clinical professional on staff, identify and make arrangements
with grief counselors in your community/region, so you can be sure they will be
available to your camp.



For More Information

Gary Kimball
Executive Director, Camp-ALERT Network
AMSkier Insurance
www.amskier.com
GaryK@Amskier.com
800-245-2666