Corporate communicators may be wondering how to support either emergency communications to employees/customers, or humanitarian efforts in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.

Here’s a quick list of top approaches to consider:

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TOP APPROACHES

• Ensure employees that their welfare is of utmost importance to company.  Consider sharing key official information to keep food/water safe and to manage mold in flood-affected areas.  Here are some:
  • FDA advice on keeping food/water safe. http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm076881.htm
  • NJ official FAQ on water supply. http://nj.gov/health/er/documents/qa.pdf
  • CDC on mold: http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/pdf/flyer-get-rid-of-mold.pdf
• Connect with local authorities’ information systems to receive official notification of resumed services, power, and/or communications
  • Make sure employees know where to go for official/local information, including local “OEM” and FEMA websites and twitter sites.  A very good list can be found here:  http://craigconnects.org/2012/10/hurricane-sandy-relief-resources.html

• Conduct “roll-call” with Business Continuity/Risk/Security teams to ensure there is an effort to establish headcount, critical needs and ability to continue operations
  • Non-affected areas should provide senior leadership with information on how they might be able to support
  • Ensure that employees know where to turn for ongoing information – voicemail messages, website, social media, etc.
• Consider contingencies and work-arounds to support employee situation (with Business Continuity/Risk/Security teams) – including the possibility to gather/operate out of alternate locations
  • Provide support and frequent communications to affected locations/operations, including information about contingencies to restore services
  • If alternate locations are operational, consider using social media and other vehicles to alert customers/consumers and also to set expectations
• If accurate and appropriate (e.g., critical services): Provide broad reassurance that company will consider the best ways to support short-term service resumption and get business back to normal in the long-term
• Consider the potential of crime/looting/fraud and work with local authorities to help ensure employee/customer safety
• Correct misinformation as appropriate
• If company is faced with death or major injuries: Express sympathy; consider providing grief counseling and employee assistance program support

CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP TOP APPROACHES

• Consider appropriate relief efforts:
  • Involve employees in helping to determine adjustments to make on behalf of customers and communities, including special price breaks/giveaways for a set period of time; a donation of key relief materials; free services, etc.
  • While media is focused on the storm and effects; social media may be the best way to spread information about these efforts
• Consider if company should conduct philanthropy/humanitarian efforts:
  • If the company is set to endorse a particular charity effort, make sure these are properly vetted – fraud is common
  • Offer employees an opportunity to donate directly to the relief efforts, including a potential company match
  • Also involve employees in efforts to spread the word and engage in community support

This is a very quick and very un-customized list, but I hope it serves as a healthy starting point.

If anyone uses these tips or has questions, please let me know.  Thanks.