CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

Crisis Communication Plan

Alexa Silva

Bryant University

Introduction
CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

This Crisis Communication plan is essential to Cold Springs RV as there are

potential situations that this company can encounter in relation to the Covid-19
pandemic. These situations may require increased health and safety guidelines, reduce the
operation in our company, or lead to community spread of the virus within our facility.
This Crisis Communication Plan identifies potential crises involving coronavirus and
outlines strategies to handle them appropriately. This plan is crucial to diffusing crises
involving the coronavirus and ensuring the safety and health of all publics associated
with the company. We have provided guidelines and information below that will allow
this company to handle crises involving coronavirus efficiently and effectively while
protecting our reputation.

During any crisis, we want to continue to serve customer’s needs while becoming part of
the solution to solving the crisis, not the problem. If steps and guidelines are not
followed, the company can face severe consequences involving negative media messages
and putting the health of consumers and employees at risk. These potential consequences
can include the death of employees and customers as a result of contracting the
coronavirus.

We value the health and safety of our publics and protecting them is highly importance to
our company. By following the steps outlined in this plan, Cold Springs RV will be able
to handle crises involving the coronavirus successfully.

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

Acknowledgements

By signing the statement below, I acknowledge that I have read the Crisis
Communication Plan and am prepared to put it into effect.

Scott Silva ___________________________

___________________________
President Signature Date

Todd Silva ___________________________

___________________________
Vice President Signature Date

Ray Panzino ___________________________

___________________________
General Sales Manager Signature Date

Priscilla Fitch ___________________________

___________________________
Business Office Manager Signature Date

Joe Melanson ___________________________

___________________________
Social Media Manager Signature Date

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

Rehearsal Dates

Date of Rehearsal Participants Present at Rehearsal

May 2020 President, Vice President, & Management Team

December 2020 President, Vice President, & Management Team

Purpose & Objectives 

This Crisis Communication Plan sets company goals and policies for addressing the
coronavirus so that we are prepared for and can respond to any coronavirus crisis in an effective
and timely manner. Additionally, this plan outlines a structure for internal and external
communication. We have developed policies to protect the health and safety of our stakeholders
as well as our media messages. With the unpredictable nature of this virus, we want to remove
the crisis from our customer’s minds by encouraging them to go RVing as we hope for a return
to normalcy.
 Recommend long-term and short-term solutions for cleaning to ensure a healthy
and safe environment for all publics. 
 Set goals for communicating the crisis to our publics in a timely manner to
address the problem as soon as possible.
 Identify which events are cancelled or postponed and set dates for event
postponements.
 Identify the necessary capabilities to minimize health and safety risks in our
facility
 Organize home deliveries of RVs and wave delivery fees.

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

List of Key Publics & Notifying Publics

Once our company learns of a crisis, it is essential that all our key publics are
notified. Each member of the crisis team is responsible for reporting to each public
immediately upon knowledge of the coronavirus. Publics should continue to be updated
as we learn more information about the crisis and coronavirus itself.

Since our internal publics work very hands-on with customers and have very important
roles in how the company operates, these publics should be notified first. The President,
Scott Silva will notify the Vice President and the Management Team in the work place
setting. If the circumstances prevent this form of communication, they will be contacted
through work phone and email. Employees and suppliers should be notified of the crisis
by the Management Team as soon as possible and they will be contact these publics
through work phone.

Internal publics:
 Vice President – Todd Silva
 Management Team
o Ray Panzino
o Jen Quinlan
o Matthew Gilman
 Employees *Was unable to gather employee contact information
 Suppliers
o NTP-Stage
o Forest River
o Keystone RV

These external publics are those that we do business with so they should be contacted
next by phone and email. Since not all customers provide us with contact information, the
company website, our Facebook page, and our YouTube channel should be updated to
include information that will notify them of the crisis. The Sales employee who is
responsible for running our social media accounts, Joe Melanson, and our General Sales
Manager, Ray Panzino, are responsible for this communication. This communication
should continue until the crisis is resolved. Our media and our advertising agency will be
contacted through work phone and email by the President, Scott Silva. This
communication will only occur when necessary.
 
External publics:
 Customers *Contact information is confidential within the company
 Media

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

o WMUR News
o 104.9 The Hawk Radio Station
o NH Villager Newspaper
 Burke Advertising Agency 
o Jim Burke

Every department in this company has a manager who is responsible for contributing to
decision making for the business. The management team is our enabling publics, which
are also listed under internal publics, and they must be among the first publics to learn of
the virus to begin the decision making process involving the company’s approach and
response to the crisis. Initially, they should be contacted in-person in the work place
setting by the president, Scott Silva. If circumstances do not allow this form of
communication, they should be contacted through work phone and email. Contact with
enabling publics will be continuous in the work place setting as well as through phone
and email.
 
Enabling publics: 
 Management Team
 
Functional publics are those that make our company work so they should be contacted
early on and this contact should occur when needed. Employees and suppliers will be
contacted through work phone by our General Sales Manager, Ray Panzino. Employees
provide the company with labor so they should be notified of the crisis as soon as
possible to be informed of how their role in the company may be affected and how to
prepare for that. Suppliers provide the company with resources and should only be
notified of the crisis if we decide to make a change in supplies that we regularly purchase
from them. They will be notified through work phone. Lastly, banks will be contacted
through phone by our Business Office Manager, Priscilla Fitch, to discuss and arrange
loans for our company.

Functional publics:
 Employees *Was unable to gather employee contact information
 Suppliers
o NTP-Stage
o Forest River
o Keystone RV
 Banks
o Bank of the West
o TD Bank

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

Normative publics are those that share values with our company and include the National
RV Dealers Association (RVDA) as well as our competitors. The President, Scott Silva,
must contact RVDA soon after the crisis begins through work phone. This association
hosts RV shows throughout each year that our company attends so we will need to
determine whether any upcoming shows are cancelled or postponed, which must be
communicated to all our publics. Competitors will not be contacted directly but will be
able to understand the action we are taking by visiting our Facebook page, YouTube
page, and our Website. This information will be updated as necessary by our Sales
employee, Joe Melanson.

Normative publics:
 RVDA - The National RV Dealers Association
 Competitors 

Our diffused publics are linked directly to our company during a crisis so they must be
contacted through phone and email and remain in contact until necessary. Our General
Sales Manager, Rap Panzino, must notify all employees and suppliers of the crisis and
how it affects the company and their roles within the company. They should also be
informed of which steps the company is taking to resolve the crisis as these public’s roles
have an important contribution to effective our actions are. Our media must be notified
by the President, Scott Silva, because they will help us communicate information
involving the crisis to the public to keep them as informed as possible.

Diffused publics:
 Employees
 Suppliers
o NTP-Stage
o Forest River
o Keystone RV
 Media
o WMUR News
o 104.9 The Hawk Radio Station:
o NH Villager Newspaper

Publics Contact Information

President 21 Colby Rd, Weare, NH 03281
Scott Silva scott@coldspringsrv.com
(603) 660-0093
Vice President 40 Wildlife Drive, Weare, NH 03281
Todd Silva coldspringscampresort@yahoo.com

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

(603)529-2528

General Sales ray@coldspringsrv.com

Manager (603) 494-6272
Ray Panzino
Parts Manager jquinlan@coldspringsrv.com
Jen Quinlan (603) 520-0751

Service Manager matt@coldspringsrv.com

Matthew Gilman
Social Media joe@coldspringsrv.com
Manager
Joe Melanson
Business Office pfitch@coldspringsrv.com
Manager (603) 848-3977
Priscilla Fitch
Suppliers 19801 SW 72nd Avenue, Suite 300, Tualatin, OR 97062
NTP-Stag United States
1-800-521-9999

2745 Northland Drive, Elkhart, IN

Forest River 46514-7619
1 (866) 837-6044

Keystone RV 2425 David Drive, Goshen, IN 46427-2000

(866) 425-4369
Media
WMUR News (603) 669-9999

104.9 The Hawk ZDerby@LakesMedia.NH.com

Radio Station

NH Villager George@nhvillagernewspaper.com
Newspaper
Burke Advertising
Jim Burke 9 Cedarwood Dr Unit 11, Bedford, NH 03110
jim@burkeadvertising.com
(603) 759-6211

Banks
Bank of the West colvidhelp@bankofthewest.com
(800) 653-0362

TD Bank 1361 S Stark Hwy, Weare, NH 03281

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

(603) 529-4900

The National RV
Dealers Associate 3930 University Dr, Fairfax, VA 22030
(RVDA) (703) 591-7130
Company
Representatives

Crisis Communications Team Grid

Publics Methods of Communication

Telephone Email Facebook Website Youtube

Management S. Silva S. Silva

Team

Employees R. Panzino R. Panzino

Suppliers R. Panzino

Customers R. Panzino R. Panzino J. Melanson J. Melanson J. Melanson

Media S. Silva

Advertising S. Silva
Agency

Banks P. Fitch

RVDA S. Silva

Competitors J. Melanson J. Burke J. Melanson

 

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

Crisis Team & Directory

 

The President, Scott Silva, will be our lead spokesperson because with the severity of the
potential impact of the virus on our company and publics, messages should be delivered by a
leader who has the ability to make the biggest impact on our publics. He is the company owner
and is the most qualified employee to release statements to the publics because he has the most
experience with speaking to the media and has the most knowledge on the RV industry. The
General Sales Manager, Ray Panzino, is the 1st backup lead spokesperson because he has been
with the company since it was started so he also has a lot of knowledge on the RV industry. He
also works well with people and is very outgoing. The 2nd backup lead spokesperson is Jennifer
Quinlan because she has a lot of experience with working in the RV industry, has highly
developed problem solving skills, and is a good people-person. All of these persons can
communicate our messages to the public efficiently and effectively as the lead spokesperson for
our company.

Spokesperso Work Cell Phone Email Position

n Phone

S. Silva 603.529.222 603.660.009 scott@coldspringsrv.com Lead

2 3 Spokesperson

R. Panzino 603.529.222 603.494.627 ray@coldspringsrv.com 1st Backup

2 2

J. Quinlan 603.529.222 603.520.075 jquinlan@coldspringsrv.co 2nd Backup

2 1 m

Key Media Contacts & Outlets

Our key media are listed in order of importance below. The first outlet we would contact
is the WMUR-TV Broadcast Center, which is a TV news station that has interviewed our
president and aired segments on our company before. We should contact them to determine how
they can help us share our messages with the public, such as by conducting another interview
with the President onsite or air another segment about how we are continuing to serve customer’s
needs. The Hawk Radio Station should be contacted to arrange future advertisement being aired
on this station. Advertisement should include information on how we are continuing to serve
customers as well as include positive messages about how we will get through this crisis
together. The NH Villager Newspaper must be contacted to publish information regarding how
our company is handling the crisis and how it affects our operation of business, such as business
hours being changed. Publications should include guidelines we are suggesting for employees
and customers to follow to remain healthy and safe. All outlets must be informed of how we are
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CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

handling the crisis as soon as possibly so that they can share this information with the public.
This will help ensure our messages can easily reach all our publics and keep them updated.
 
Outlet Contact
WMUR-TV Broadcast Center Alisha Mcdevitt, News Director
(603) 669-9999

104.9 The Hawk Radio Station Zack Derby, Program Director

ZDerby@LakesMediaNH.com

NH Villager Newspaper George L. Maidran, Owner

george@nhvillagernewspaper.com
 
 

Equipment and Supplies

The crisis communication team must have these items prepared and readily accessible during
any crisis involving coronavirus. We must have a computer and internet available to maintain
constant communication with our publics. If circumstances prevent internet access, cell phones
will be used as the main form of communication. Pens and paper should also be available for
work related activities if internet access is unavailable. File folders will be necessary to hold
copies of this crisis plan and our public’s contact information. Surgical masks and surgical
gloves should be stored in the two storage closets in our facility so that we are always prepared
to follow safety guidelines when they are issued. Additionally, these storage spaces should have
tissues available for restocking empty tissue boxes throughout the facility for employee and
customer use. A thermometer should be stored with medical supplies so that if an employee does
not feel well, their temperature can be taken, and action will be taken as necessary. Lastly, this
closet should contain Clorox wipes, disinfectant spray, and paper towels to continuously
maintain a clean facility.  
 Computer
 Internet
 Phones 
 Pens
 Paper
 File folders
 Documents stating public’s contact information
 Surgical masks
 Surgical gloves
 Tissues
 Thermometer 
 Clorox wipes 

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

 Disinfectant spray 
 Paper towels

Pre-gathered Information

We must have the following documents on hand to support this crisis plan. First, posters that
encourage social distancing should be made. These posters will be posted throughout our facility
and RV lot and must inform consumers that only one party is allowed in each unit at a time.
Second, a draft news release must be posted to our social media sites during a crisis. This news
release should explain how we are following CDC guidelines and should encourage customers to
follow these guidelines as well. Third, a sick policy that is specific to a Covid-19 crisis should be
kept on hand and encourage all employees with any symptoms of Covid-19 to stay at home and
self-quarantine for two weeks. Lastly, copies of this crisis communication plan and our public’s
contact information should be stored in the offices of the President and the General Sales
Manager so that we have the information to respond to a crisis immediately upon knowledge of
it.
 Posters
 Draft News Release
 Sick policy specific to Covid-19
 Copies of crisis communication plan
 Public’s contact information

Key Messages
 
Any coronavirus crisis puts the health and safety of our employees and customers at a great risk.
To ensure that we are protecting their health and safety, safety precautions must be established
specifically for the coronavirus. It is important to inform customers of how we are following
these safety precautions and encourage them to do so as well, especially when visiting our
facility, to ensure all publics are protected.

For a crisis that is still developing and requires increased health and safety guidelines:

“At Cold Springs RV, we are taking precautions involving the coronavirus crisis by social
distancing in our facility. We will remain open and we highly recommend calling us in advance
of your visit to discuss which services you are looking for. Cold Springs RV is looking forward
to serving your needs during this time!”
 
 
In the event of a coronavirus crisis, it is possible for the virus to spread within our facility.
Therefore, it is important to notify the public of the virus having affected our company as soon as
we gain knowledge of this to ensure those who are possibly affected take the precautionary

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

measures to protect themselves and those around them. It is also important to explain that we are
choosing to close our facility for a designated time period to prevent further spread of the virus
and allow everyone to remain safe and healthy. 
 
For a crisis that causes community spread of the virus within our work place setting:
 
“At Cold Springs RV, your health and safety are our utmost priority. Currently, we are
investigating the Covid-19 crisis as we want to identify the source of how this virus began
spreading in our community. To follow guidelines according to the CDC, we suggest any person
who has visited our site within the past 14 days to self-quarantine for 14 days. We are cleaning
and disinfecting all areas in our facility that have possibly been in contact with people, such as
desks, door handles, and railings. As we gain more information on this crisis, Cold Springs RV
will be closed for the following two weeks and we will continue to provide you with updates. We
thank you for your patience and we will get through this together”. 
 
*Following the release of this statement, we should continue to provide updates on how the virus
spread in our community and how we are continuing to manage this crisis.
 

If all non-essential businesses are ordered to close, Cold Springs RV will be deemed as an
essential business because of the services we provide. It is important to inform customers that we
can and we will continue to serve their needs during this crisis while emphasizing that safety
guidelines are being followed.
 
For a crisis that temporarily minimizes the operation of our company:

“As an essential business during this crisis, Cold Springs RV is looking forward to serving your
needs. We are practicing social distancing and urge customers who visit us to do the same.
Business hours will be revised and we will provide you with an update when changes are made.
We are continuously cleaning and disinfecting all areas of the company that have contact with
people. We will keep you updated as we learn more information regarding the coronavirus and
hope for a return to normalcy. Thank you for your patience as we all stay safe and stay home
together.”
 
*Following the release of this statement, a follow-up statement should be released with the
revised business hours and any additional information involving the coronavirus’s impact on our
business.

Website

Our website, https://www.coldspringsrv.com/, will be modified to include a link to a

Covid-19 landing page from our home page. This landing page will continuously be updated
with new information about the crisis and the virus itself. This section will outline our response
to the virus as well as propose guidelines for consumers to follow. We will also have a Covid-19
FAQ that can be accessed from the Covid-19 landing page which will allow consumers to easily

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

ask questions about the crisis. All questions will be handled by the President and will be
answered within 24 hours. New interactive features will be added to the website including
texting and a skype feature. Regardless of whether or not RV shows are postponed or cancelled,
our website will continue to give customers show pricing. This will be displayed on the website
where RV units are listen for sale to encourage consumers to make purchases during this crisis.
 
Social Media

Our company uses the social media sites Facebook and YouTube. During a crisis, our
Facebook page will continuously provide customers with information about the coronavirus in
our posts and recommend they follow guidelines issued by the CDC that we are complying with.
Our posts should encourage customers to make more online purchases from our company.
Videos will be posted to our YouTube channel that explain how we are following the CDC’s
guidelines in a more detailed manner. This outlet will also be used to share tours and walk-
through videos of RVs we have for sale. Both social media outlets will be used to share
informative, positive, and encouraging messages with our consumers during a crisis.

 Link to Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Coldspringsrv/

 Link to YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcmVvxMbP8kBd5dL9B2chVQ

List of Related URLs

https://www.nh.gov/covid19/ 
 Knowledge on the virus
 News about health
 Information regarding business closures
 Environmental cleaning and disinfecting recommendations
 Economic resources
https://www.cdc.gov/
 Precautions that employees and customers can take to protect themselves
 Signs and symptoms that employees and customers may be experiencing
 Measures that employees and customers should take if they are sick
 Guidance for how to seek medical care
https://www.rvda.org/ - The National RV Dealers Association (RVDA)
 Updated information about cancelled and postponed events
 Resources to help dealer members manage dealerships
 Articles, webinars, and training courses on how to operate responsibly
 

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

Evaluation Form
Name: ___________________________ Job Title:
___________________________
Date of Completed Evaluation: ___________________________
Beginning date of crisis: / / End date of crisis: / /
Location of crisis: ______________________ Type of crisis:
______________________

What caused the crisis?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

How could this crisis have been prevented?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

What was most effective about the Crisis Communication Plan?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

How can we improve upon handling crises in the future?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

*This is a strictly confidential document

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