Earlier this week there was a bomb threat in a parking garage, which essentially shut down the city where Godfrey’s office is located. It turned out to be a non-event, but not until after it had disrupted traffic, businesses, offices and retailers for several hours. When the situation was clear, I paused to think about the massive communications effort required to notify employees and the community about the incident.

Imagine if a situation or crisis like that happened at your company. Are you equipped to manage the influx of people instantly seeking information (and reporting the negative news)?

Your company may already have a prepared binder of operational procedures to handle a crisis. But, have you neglected the communications aspect? If so, you may be cleaning up your reputation for several years after a crisis. That’s why it’s important to prepare a crisis communications manual now (even a basic one) before a crisis hits.

Essentially, the point of crisis communications is to manage the information flow with the most accurate and timely messaging possible, in order to prevent the damaging rumors that remain stamped in people's minds long after the crisis is over.

At a minimum, your manual should address several crisis scenarios, spell out who is authorized to convey information to your various audiences and list the personnel responsible for collecting this information and ensuring accuracy. Your crisis communications plan should also address how you will disseminate information to key stakeholders (employees, customers, distributors, vendors) in certain situations (consider a building evacuation, inoperable e-mail system or downed phone lines).

Remember the famous motto of the Boy Scouts, “Be Prepared.” You carry insurance on your home, auto or business. Think of a crisis communications manual as an extra line in your insurance coverage. You may never have to use it, but when you do, you’ll be glad you have the protection.