Crisis Communication

Presenters:
Cathy Andreen and Shane Dorrill from the University of Alabama

Cathy and Shane spent their time talking about the tornado that hit Tuscaloosa last year.

They went through a play by play timeline of what happened from the time the tornado warnings were issued through the following months.

Items of interest for planning:


• 1300 students lived in homes/apts. critically damaged
• Parents were placed in recreation center with counselors on hand
• National news was the first call received after the tornado hit
• Sending students home for the year was the most critically important decision they made
• Reporters covering the damage wanted a place to work (asked to work at the university because of Internet availability
• Alumni began sending money. Had to set up a disaster fund...2.6 million raised
• University received multiple requests to use residence halls because people knew the students were gone...but much of the students belongings were still in their rooms
• Good record keeping essential because you won't remember what happened when on what day -- have a plan for this
• Reporters looking for experts to talk after the tornado
• Needed to set up a memorial page for students who were killed in the disaster

Interesting to note: University of Alabama was planning go to an online directory only. During the tornado disaster, they realized there would have been no way to find faculty/staff if the directory were not printed. They decided they would continue printing.

-- be sure to set up alternate locations for work in the event a disaster happens and people can't get to the university workspace

-- practice your plan