This is the address of a Fall semester 2014 page of the Fraternity Risk Management Trust newsletter, called "Staying Cool Under the Gun: Understanding the Dos and Don'ts of Crisis Management":
These are quotes from that page, which starts by saying:
"The call always seems to come at 2:35 a.m. The voice is anxious, the tone ranging from serious to frightened. Facts are in short supply, but rumor, innuendo and "I heard..." statements are plentiful."
"Is it a crisis? Have the executive board of the chapter use this exercise at a retreat or meeting: what rises to the crisis level in our chapter? Then, what can we do to plan for that, much as we would like to avoid even thinking about it. Some officers consider a fire, a death, or a serious injury a crisis. Others think in terms of publicity--someone who doesn't receive a bid or a prank that goes awry. Regardless, have that meeting and review procedures."
"Freeze the puck. It's a hockey term usually used when a player holds the puck against the boards to prevent a cheap goal in a flurry of play. As used here, it means to prevent more problems...to keep from compounding the felony."
"Have a contact list ready to go. Who do you call? Alumnae/i, the Greek Advisor, the national headquarters, advisors...have the phone numbers and emails handy. I often tell our undergraduates that I would rather have a call at 2:30 a.m. from them than a call at 8:30 a.m. from a reporter that begins with, "I'm sure you've heard that...."
The article also says, about speaking with the media:
"There are three points to make in the initial stage of activity after a serious incident. Those are: 1) The situation has stabilized. 2) An investigation is underway, and 3) We care about the people involved. Example: A guest suffers serious injuries during a social event. "We have suspended all activities until an investigation has been completed, we are working with our national organization and the university in that investigation; and we are keeping (name of guest) in our thoughts and prayers."
Copyright, with noted exceptions, L. Kochman, July 1, 2016 @ 11:52 a.m./I have added the emphasis to some of the quotes.
