IMS Annual Conference 2019

The goal of this session is to help identify the key components of an organization that must be present in order for that organization to successfully communicate during a crisis.

Most attending this conference work on complex water systems that affect thousands of people and involve many stakeholders. With such large systems, anything could go wrong, break, or cause significant impact to those they serve on any given day. If something does happen that requires quick and immediate action from the water supplier, what is the best approach to communicating with those being impacted? Who communicates with the media? How do you keep your elected officials informed? How might you build trust in these times rather than lose it? What would that mean for you and your organization?

It is impossible to plan for and have specific action plans for every potential risk a water supplier may face. In this session, we’ll explore the need to step back and ask, does our strategic plan allow for successful crisis communication? The root to successful crisis communication is a strategic plan that provides guidance on the organization’s identify through a shared understanding of the organization’s values. Organizations that are highly successful at crisis communication create an unbreakable link between the organization’s mission and its day-to-day activities.