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TRANSCRIPT
Violent Intruder Alert
Written By: Daniel Gatbunton Date Written: 05 / 15 / 2013 Date Tested: ## / ## / 2013 Date Revised:
Table of Contents.
1. Introduction
2. Acknowledgements
3. Rehearsal Date Schedule
4. Purpose and Objectives
5. Key Publics
6. Crisis Team
7. Media Spokesperson(s)
8. Media Tips
9. Media Questions
10. Emergency Personnel
11. Equipment and Supplies
12. Pre-gathered Information
13. Press Releases (key messages)
14. Internet Sources
15. Evaluation
1. Introduction. Why is this crisis communications plan important? With the recent slew of tragedies that have affected the lives of millions of people, it’s imperative that organizations hosting group activities, especially those involving children, be prepared to handle a crisis. Barrel of Monkeys (BOM) has a great reputation for nurturing young, creative minds in the underserved Chicago Public School System. It is also responsible for the safety of the children it serves and its staff; being prepared for an emergent crisis is crucial in allowing BOM to continue its work. What could happen if the plan is not followed? Because parents and educators trust BOM with the safety of their children during after-school activities and theater performances, they want to know that certain steps have been taken to ensure BOM is prepared for an emergency. If this crisis communications plan is not followed in the event of an emergency, lives may be lost, along with BOM’s reputation and credibility. It may even be put out of business or lose donors/supporters. Have there been warning signs? Warning signs for violent intruders are difficult to decipher. Many of the warning signs exist outside the organization. BOM operates in Rogers Park, Illinois, where crime rates have gone down in recent years. However, threats such as theft, vandalism, battery and other violent crimes still exist and can affect the organization. Has a crisis happened at Barrel of Monkeys before? Fortunately, BOM has not experienced the threat of a violent intruder during its after school programs or theater performances. However, we should always be prepared in the event of an attack or direct threat to students’ and staff’s safety. Has it happened to similar organizations? Yes and no. Although a violent intruder has not directly affected similar arts education programs like BOM, school shootings are a very real threat. The most recent polarizing example would be the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. This crisis, as well as other school shootings, is a prime example of how tragedy can strike without warning.
2. Acknowledgements. By signing this statement, I verify that I have read this crisis communications plan and am prepared to put it into effect. President. Daniel Lange, Ketten Muchin Rosenman LLP ____________________________________ (Signature and date) Vice President. Aileen Wright Bacon, Ernst & Young ____________________________________ (Signature and date) Treasurer. Adam Wuellner, Deloitte Consulting ____________________________________ (Signature and date) Secretary. Katie Ellis, agencyEA ____________________________________ (Signature and date) Barrel of Monkeys Co-Founder. Erica Halverson ____________________________________ (Signature and date)
3. Rehearsal Date Schedule. Regular crisis communications plan rehearsals should be scheduled bi-annually, at least six months apart. Date Created. May 15, 2013 1st rehearsal. May 16, 2013 2nd rehearsal. Nov. 16, 2013 Updated: ___________
4. Purpose and Objectives. Purpose. The purpose of this crisis communications plan is to allow BOM to act quickly and decisively so it can promptly respond to a violent intruder crisis. In the event of a violent intruder alert, immediate action is mandatory to save lives, prevent injuries and reduce further damage. BOM students rely on us to protect them during a crisis. The midst of a crisis is not the time to be sorting out responsibilities and determining a plan of action. Reviewing, rehearsing and updating this crisis plan are necessary steps toward preparing the entire BOM staff for a serious threat to safety. Objectives. We will make every effort to:
1. Initiate the crisis communications plan within 2 hours of the violent intruder alert.
2. Alert the police and fire departments of the violent intruder alert. 3. Alert important parties involved with BOM, the school or theater, and city
or government officials. 4. Inform the parents and guardians of BOM students about the crisis. 5. Inform the media about the violent intruder alert. 6. Assist law enforcement officials and first responders in rescue efforts. 7. Establish a clear line of communications with the media and key publics. 8. Keep the media and all affected publics regularly updated on information
through news releases, press conferences and the BOM website. 9. Maintain openness and honesty with the media and key publics about all
known information. 10. Mitigate the crisis as soon as possible. 11. Take necessary steps to help prevent similar incidents from occurring
again. 12. Adjust the public’s position from one of response and reaction, to one of
practice control. 13. Update safety protocols and resume business as usual.
5. Key Publics. Internal Publics
• Board of Directors o Daniel Lange, President o Aileen Write Bacon, Vice President o Adam Wuellner, Treasurer o Katie Ellis, Secretary o Jennifer Bowser, Allstate Insurance Company o Erica Halverson, BOM Co-founder
• Barrel of Monkeys Staff
o Amanda Farrar, Executive Director o Elizabeth Levy, Program Director o Maggie Fullilove-Nugent, Company Manager o Joseph Schupbach, Education Coordinator
• Partners
o Talha Basit, Chicago Public Schools External Publics
• Police Department • Fire Department • Media (including Internet sources and bloggers) • Chicago Public School System (school district) • Supporters / Donors (including social media fans) • Community (general public)
6. Crisis Team.
Title Name Tel Email President Daniel Lange C: ###-###-####
O: ###-###-#### F: ###-###-####
Vice President Aileen Wright Bacon C: ###-###-#### O: ###-###-#### F: ###-###-####
Treasurer Adam Wuellner C: ###-###-#### O: ###-###-#### F: ###-###-####
Secretary Katie Ellis C: ###-###-#### O: ###-###-#### F: ###-###-####
Media Relations Daniel Gatbunton C: ###-###-#### O: ###-###-#### F: ###-###-####
7. Media Spokesperson(s). The media spokesperson(s) must have the power to make decisions and be readily available throughout the crisis. Spokesperson 1: Daniel Lange, President Spokesperson 2: Aileen Wright Bacon, Vice President Spokesperson 3: TBD
8. Media Tips. Communicating with the new media. If the crisis has already resulted in injury or death, or it poses a threat to the safety of groups or individuals, contact the media immediately and indicate that you are looking into the situation. In a crisis, there are three types of responses to media requests:
1. Here’s all the information we know. 2. We don’t know everything at this time. Here’s what we do know.
We’ll find out more and let you know. 3. We have no idea, but we’ll find out and tell you.
• Prepare statements for answering who, what, where, when, and ONLY if
known, why and how questions. • Focus on two or three KEY MESSAGES, and repeat them during media
interviews. • Be aware of pertinent information regarding the crisis.
Media Do’s.
• DO listen to the whole question before answering. • DO use everyday language, not jargon. Use common vernacular unless
you’re dealing with a professional publication. • DO maintain an attitude showing you are calm, courteous, responsive,
direct, positive, truthful, concerned and – if necessary – repentant and apologetic.
• DO be accessible throughout the crisis. • DO tell the truth; do not omit facts to save face. • DO use and constantly refer to the crisis communications plan. • DO respond immediately to media requests.
Media Don’ts.
• Do NOT guess or speculate. Either you know or you don’t. • Do NOT stick to a story if it has changed just to be consistent. Crises
change as the situation progresses; the media understands this. • Do NOT be evasive or misleading – stick to the facts. • Do NOT place blame. • Do NOT give names of the dead or injured until those facts have been
confirmed AND the family is notified. • Do NOT say, “No comment.” when answering media questions.
9. Media Questions. During the course of media interviews and press conferences, reporters and journalists will ask a series of questions. The best course of action is to answer each question truthfully and with conviction. “No comment.” is not an acceptable answer. It is important to prepare for possible media questions. The following questions are likely to be asked:
• When / Where / How did this incident occur? o “When” and “where” are questions that can be readily answered.
The media spokesperson should not speculate “how” an incident occurred until after all the facts have been collected and analyzed.
• How many victims are there? Were there any injuries? Were there any deaths?
o The release of victims’ names and the number of injuries/fatalities should be withheld from the media until that information has been confirmed and only after family members have been notified first.
• What safety precautions did Barrel of Monkeys have in place to prevent this type of incident from occurring?
• Does the intruder have any connection to Barrel of Monkeys or the school?
• Will Barrel of Monkeys consider a new location outside of Rogers Park due to this incident?
Trick questions stray from the typical who, what, when, where and why format. Be aware of these types of questions and know how to answer them responsibly. Speculative Questions. If Barrel of Monkeys was located in a safer neighborhood, do you think this incident would’ve occurred? Loaded Questions. Isn’t it true Barrel of Monkeys did not prepare a crisis plan for this type of incident? Naïve Questions. What exactly does Barrel of Monkeys do? Accusatory Questions. Is it true the Chicago Public School system is not doing enough to prevent violence near school grounds?
10. Emergency Personnel Chicago Police Department 6464 N Clark St., Chicago, IL 60626 312 – 744 – 5907 www.cityofchicago.org Chicago Fire Department 7340 North Clark St., Chicago IL 60626 312 – 745 – 3705 www.cityofchicago.org St. Francis Hospital 6974 North Clark St., Chicago, IL 60626 773 – 743 – 6300 www.reshealth.org St. Francis Hospital: Emergency Department 355 Ridge Ave., Evanston, IL 60202 847 – 316 – 4000 www.reshealth.org Heartland Health Center – Rogers Park 2200 West Touhy Ave., Chicago, IL 60645 773 – 751 – 1875 www.heartlandalliance.org Chicago Public School District 125 North Clark St., Chicago, IL 60602 773 – 553 – 1000 www.cps.edu
11. Equipment and Supplies. The following list contains items that may be useful during a crisis. These items must be made available. Crisis Specific Equipment and Supplies.
• Crisis Communications Plan • Emergency contacts list and media directories • School floor plans • BOM facility floor plan • Map of surrounding area
Misc. Emergency Supplies.
• Candles • Matches • Flashlights • Batteries • Emergency radio • Television • Blankets • Bottled water • Food • Paper towels • Wet Wipes • Cell phones & walkie-talkies • Laptops • Printers • WiFi access • Mult box • Microphones & sound system • Podium • Recording devices • Extension cords • Power generators
First Aid.
• Assorted Bandages • Sterile Water • Scissors • Gauze • Slings • Tape • Tweezers • Ice/Heat Packs • Sewing Needles • Anti-bacterial Salve • Disposable Latex Gloves • Tylenol (Pain killers)
12. Pre-gathered Information. Barrel of Monkeys Backgrounder About Barrel of Monkeys Barrel of Monkeys (BOM) is an arts education theater ensemble that works with some of the most under-served students in Chicago. BOM achieves its mission by:
• teaching fundamental creative writing skills; • providing a safe and supportive learning environment; • building self-esteem and confidence in children; • adapting stories written by children for the stage by professional actors; • and presenting a smart, funny theatre experience.
BOM strives to build a community that champions the vision of every child. Our goal is to use creative drama and writing exercises, coupled with professional performance, to validate children’s ideas and help them to build self-esteem. Studies show that increasing confidence in self-expression and writing skills in 3rd-6th grades lays a strong foundation for long-term improvement of literacy skills and interest in the arts. Company History Erica Halverson and Halena Kays founded barrel of Monkeys in 1997. Halverson and Kays both performed in Griffin’s Tale at Northwest University. After graduation from Northwestern, Halverson and Kays realized there were underserved students in the Chicago Public School system that would benefit from similar programming and consequently founded Barrel of Monkeys. BOM piloted its program in 1997 with the Heartland Alliance. Incorporated in 1999, Barrel of Monkeys now partners with the Chicago Public Schools and Chicago Communities in Schools to provide innovative programming where it is needed most. BOM piloted its after-school program in the Rogers Park neighborhood in 2004. In 2006 BOM added a second tier of programming, allowing students who participated in a previous year to return for an advanced curriculum. BOM has helped more than 7,000 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th graders with limited literacy skills and few opportunities for creative expression to gain self esteem and confidence in their own ideas and abilities. More than 18,000 students have seen their own and their peers’ stories come to life through performance by professional actors.
13. News Release.
4432 N. Ravenswood
Chicago, IL 60640 #773-506-7140
Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION: [insert name], [insert title] ###-###-#### [insert email address] Violent Intruder Alert at BOM After-School Program CHICAGO (Month ##, ####) – A violent intruder alert occurred at (location) at approximately (time) during a Barrel of Monkeys after-school program. (number) BOM staff and (number) students are estimated to be inside the school. BOM’s crisis management team is fully cooperating with authorities and emergency response efforts. “Our number one concern is getting our students and staff out of danger quickly and safely. We are doing, and will continue to do, everything possible to resolve this situation and bring everyone safely home.” said (name and title). At this point, no additional information can be provided. Individuals that believe they may have family members inside the school may call Barrel of Monkeys at 773-506-7140. BOM will provide more information as it becomes available on its website, www.barrelofmonkeys.org. Barrel of Monkeys (BOM) is an ensemble of actor/educators who create an alternative learning environment in which children share their personal voices and celebrate the power of their imaginations. BOM accomplishes this through creative writing workshops and in-school performances of children’s stories. BOM also engages the broader community in support of the visions of children through public performances of their work.
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Barrel of Monkeys Key Messages:
1. On (date and time) at (location), a violent intruder entered the premises during a Barrel of Monkeys after-school program.
2. Barrel of Monkeys is doing everything within its ability to bring this situation to a close as safely, and quickly, as possible.
3. Barrel of Monkeys is currently confirming the status of employees and students. Information will be made available as soon as possible. More information can be found on Barrel of Monkeys’ website, www.barrelofmonkeys.org
14. Internet Sources. http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0777958.html A time line of past school and mass shootings with statistics. http://safeplans.com/about-intruderology/ Information about violent intruder safety procedures for schools, large campuses and the workplace. http://www.cps.edu/News/Pages/News.aspx The Chicago Public Schools breaking news and updates section.
15. Evaluation.