You're facing media scrutiny over disaster response efforts. How do you handle public relations effectively?

Also, ensure your response and actions are in alignment with your values as an organization. Telling the story of what happened, how it is being dealt with and where you are heading in a way that is in sync with your organization's vision and values will help with the consistency, clarity and trust.

Clarity, conciseness, and honesty are crucial. Prepare clear facts and figures in advance. Focus on key points for media headlines. Be honest about the challenges and barriers your organization faces. Include a call to action, such as support for your funding appeal, to overcome these barriers. Be prepared to respond to difficult questions with the same clarity, conciseness, and honesty.

In any crisis, always demonstrate empathy for those affected in each engagement. Once the crisis has passed, offer regular updates on what your organization is doing to repair the damage done.

If there is any reputation-damaging footage, ask for unedited videos/photos. The media may have twisted the context of their story to fit their narrative, while our response may have been done according to protocol. Using clear and concise messaging, display empathy, honesty, integrity and professional competence. If there were uncertainties about our response, be honest. Provide the action plan along with accurate and truthful facts. Establish a crisis team. Communicate, communicate, communicate—internally, through our media channels, and with our network.

For the media to understand the whole problem and what is being done. You have to be truthful with them. You have to let them know how the disaster happened, checks and balances your organization have in place for such disaster and what your organization is going to add on to make sure the impact will not be astronomical and what can be salvaged will be salvaged.

Empathy is key 1) Acknowledge the issue and those impacted and how you are taking ownership of what happened. 2) Show rather than tell what you are doing to solve this or to make sure it doesn't happen again as soon as possible. 3) Don't make things worse by not being responsive or even worse using words that have no meaning that media and the public will see right through.

If you were not able to be proactive to stop the disaster from happening in the first place, this is the time that you should prepare very well and be proactive to avoid any miss communication or angry feedback which may occur if your message to the was not conveyed in the best way. Hence, a very good assement of the impact is needed as all of the coming steps will depend on it, either the message you will convey, the actions you are going to take, as well as the preventive measures going to take place.

This is when it is most critical to slow down, go slow to go fast. Do not respond until you are thoughtful in that response. It’s better to take a minute and assess your position.

Message should have basic information and latest updates. It must show compassion and show the solutions - hope. The leading team must thank to all involved for team work and all in need for help for their patience.

En una crisis, las personas y las organizaciones muestran de qué están hechas. Para crear un mensaje que suene sincero, convincente y empático: 1. Recuerda que ante una crisis la reacción es emocional. Por eso, lo primero es utilizar un tono humano, no corporativo 2. Evita el gaslighting: Reconocer que hay una crisis no implica que tu organización es la culpable. 3. Demuestra tu interés y compromiso por ayudar a resolver el problema que originó la crisis. Aunque no seas el causante, siempre hay algo que aprender y mejorar Olvídate de palabras vacías, pomposas o técnicas.

El peor momento de construir relaciones con los periodistas es justamente en una crisis. Si no te conocen, ¿por qué confiarían en ti? Así que, aunque la institución tenga bajo perfil, conocer a la fuente que cubre tu sector o industria es una mejor práctica. Recuerda que trabajan contra reloj: necesitan la información a la brevedad. Por eso, prepara desde antes una plantilla de comunicado y ten claro el proceso de aprobación. Y aclara que solo compartirás información confirmada, así que no siempre podrás responder todas sus preguntas.

Treat journalists with respect, provide them with accurate information, and be available for follow-up queries. Remember, they are the conduit to the public. A press conference or media statement is an opportunity to express your dedication to resolving the issue and to highlight the efforts of your team.

Maintain close ties with specific people in local/national media. Develop your relationships right at the beginning of an issue by being extra helpful in meeting their deadlines, their requests for info (even if it's an "I'll get back with you about this" response), and staying in touch. No stonewalling...never a "no comment" to these folks. While press conferences may make sense at the onset, individual press meetings and interviews are more valuable over the long haul for giving attention/info to the specific media sources.

La persona a cargo de medios involucrada en la institución responsable debe atender las necesidades de los medios y brindar información de manera rápida, dar a los periodistas alternativas de voceros y mantenerlos informados sobre los avances y los equipos diseñados para responder a las diferentes variables que plantea un desastre. Es importante que los medios perciban al encargado de comunicaciones como un "corresponsal" dentro de la organización, de esa manera, puede confiar en la información que se le brinde. La persona de comunicaciones a su vez, debe canalizar la información y responder a las inquietudes planteadas aunque no sea positivo y acompañar los mensajes con información clara de como están actuando para mitigar el desastre.

Monitoring feedback helps you understand public sentiment, identify misinformation that needs correcting, and gauge the effectiveness of your communication strategy. Adjust your approach as necessary to maintain trust and credibility.

Community messaging and feedback are the give-and-take of keeping tabs on opinions, putting out fires, and preventing a creeping build-up of sour attitudes. Holding town meetings with locals can be a good way to achieve this, especially when you can make personal contacts with stakeholders...much more effective than any social media communication. Get your stakeholders involved, too, and keep up personal communications (texts, emails) with key leaders.

La observación y evaluación permanente de lo que dicen los medios sobre el desastre es primordial para nutrir el mensaje que da la institución responsable ante la audiencia. Al interior de la organización se tiene una idea clara de lo que se hace y el impacto de estas acciones. Compartir mensajes oportunos en este aspecto es una parte de la comunicación. Otra parte es responder a la percepción que el publico general tiene, dar claridad sobre las dudas más frecuentes y desmentir información errónea con datos. Una relación fluida con los periodistas permite corregir rápidamente hechos o declaraciones apresuradas que son comunes en casos de emergencias. Conocer el panorama informativo permite estar un paso adelante en las comunicaciones.

Showing action is important, but since you are already playing defense, you need to make it clear that the action is lasting, repeatable and--most importantly--the beginning of a proactive effort to minimize the possibility of a similar disaster in the future. This, of course, requires that your organization live up to these words because without that alignment, anything you communicate outwardly is meaningless.

It's imperative to also provide updates on the actions taken during and after the crisis. However becareful with timelines, especially if some things or facts are still unfolding.

showing these actions helps validate your statements. Visuals can be powerful—consider sharing images or videos that illustrate your team's hard work and dedication on the ground.

Get cameras on-site, whether through a continuous-feed cam or simply getting press video interviews at regular intervals. Give frequent media tours. Demonstrate commitment to local communities through "giving back" in visible charitable activities. And, get your organization's leaders on camera as much as possible, not just the spokesperson.

La información constante permite mostrar acompañamiento permanente. Es primordial contar frecuentemente las acciones tomadas y su impacto. Para ello es clave usar todos los canales de comunicación disponibles. Una manera eficiente para esto es elaborar un documento base que sale de recopilar información que brindan los expertos que manejan el desastre. A partir de este documento, generar productos para todos los canales con sus variables más destacadas: Imágenes que muestren evolución, infografías con datos y cifras, audios con instrucciones claras, fotografías de los equipos trabajando o de víctimas siendo atendidas. El material visual debe ser recopilado a diferentes horas del día de manera que se perciba claramente una labor constante.

Be open about challenges faced and how they are being addressed. If mistakes were made, acknowledge them and explain how they will be rectified. Honesty will serve you far better than attempts to downplay or hide issues.

La sinceridad para enfrentar los retos de los usuarios o de la ciudadanía en general genera confianza, respeto, adhesión, utilidades.

Transparency is crucial in disaster response for building trust, accountability, and public confidence. Provide frequent and timely updates on the situation, relief efforts, and resource allocation. Use various communication channels (social media, press releases, websites, local media) to reach a wide audience. Ensure information is accurate, consistent, and understandable to the public. Be open about challenges, limitations, and lessons learned. Establish feedback mechanisms to receive input and address concerns. Communicate openly and honestly, even when faced with challenges. Demonstrate Empathy. Show genuine concern for the affected. Follow Through on Commitments. Deliver on promises and commitments made to the public.

In our society today, we are more susceptible to receiving bads news. The past few years have been a reset for the world in all aspects, financially, Environmentally, physically, health, etc. We have been able to be more receptive to disasters in all shapes or forms and have adapted accordingly. Adaptation is the key.

Desde luego que la transparencia es fundamental, y por eso el área de comunicación, de respuesta a emergencias y legal deben trabajar juntos para la construcción de la respuesta. Además es importante contar con terceros que puedan validar tu actuación: desde autoridades a especialistas externos. Recuerda que, además de resolver el incidente se trata de evitar que vuelva a suceder. Por eso explicar las nuevas medidas que ha tomado la institución es importante