Limited impact. Local or departmental scope. Manageable with standard communication.
Response Time SLA
Within 4 business hours
Notify (in order)
Department head → Comms manager
Channels
Email, Slack, Internal announcement
Level 2
Moderate Incident
Significant impact. Company-wide or external stakeholder concern. Requires rapid response.
Response Time SLA
Within 1-2 hours
Notify (in order)
CEO → CFO → CMO → Legal → Department heads
Channels
All-hands meeting, press statement, social media
Level 3
Severe Crisis
Critical impact. Company reputation at risk. Immediate coordinated response required.
Response Time SLA
Immediate (within 30 min)
Notify (in order)
All C-suite → Board → All leadership → Legal counsel
Channels
Crisis war room, press conference, social media, customers, partners
Pre-written Holding Statements
Edit these templates to fit your company voice. Use during initial response before full details are known.
Level 1: Generic Holding Statement
We are aware of [issue description] and are currently investigating. We will provide updates as more information becomes available. Thank you for your patience.
Level 2: Acknowledgment & Action Statement
We take [type of issue] very seriously. Our team is actively working to address this situation and minimize impact on our [stakeholders]. We have activated our crisis response team and will communicate updates every [timeframe].
Level 3: Crisis Statement
We are aware of and deeply concerned about [incident]. The safety and trust of our [customers/employees/community] is our top priority. We have mobilized our full leadership team and relevant authorities. A detailed statement will be issued at [time] with full information and remediation steps.
Media Response Template
"We are taking swift action on [issue]. Here's what we're doing: [1] [action 1], [2] [action 2]. We remain committed to [core value] and thank [stakeholders] for their understanding."
Crisis Team Roles & Responsibilities
Designated Spokespersons
Primary Spokesperson
Contact Number
Email
Backup Spokesperson
Contact Number
Email
Core Crisis Team Responsibilities
Crisis Commander
Convenes crisis team within 30 minutes
Assigns tasks and decision authority
Approves all public statements
Reports to board/investors
Communications Lead
Drafts holding statements
Coordinates media response
Manages social media
Internal + external messaging
Operational Lead
Coordinates immediate response
Gathers facts and timelines
Manages containment efforts
Reports to crisis commander
Legal Counsel
Advises on liability exposure
Reviews all public statements
Manages regulatory notifications
Preserves evidence/documentation
Communication Channels Matrix
Primary and backup channels by audience and crisis level.
Internal Communication Channels
Slack
Primary: Real-time updates
Channel: #crisis-response
Update freq: Hourly during L3
Email
Primary: All-hands updates
Audience: Everyone
Update freq: 2-4x daily
War Room Calls
Primary: Leadership sync
Frequency: Q1-Q4 hourly (L3)
Format: Zoom/Phone
Intranet/Wiki
Primary: FAQ & updates
Frequency: Real-time
Audience: All employees
External Communication Channels
Press Release
Trigger: L2 or higher
Audience: Media, analysts
Approval: CEO + Legal
Social Media
Platforms: Twitter, LinkedIn
Tone: Empathetic, factual
Frequency: As needed
Customer Email
Trigger: Direct impact on users
Content: Impact + remedy steps
Follow-up: Daily until resolved
Partner Notifications
Audience: Key vendors/partners
Content: Business impact + ETA
Method: Direct call + email
Crisis Response Contact Directory
Keep updated. Review quarterly. Print and post in war room.
Leadership (Notify First)
Title
Name & Phone
Email
Title
Name & Phone
Email
Title
Name & Phone
Email
Department Heads
Department
Name & Phone
Email
Department
Name & Phone
Email
External Contacts
External Partner/Agency
Primary Contact & Phone
Email
Stakeholder Notification Checklist
Use during active crisis. Check off as notifications are completed.
Internal Stakeholders
CEO/Executive team notified
Crisis team assembled & briefed
All-hands email sent / internal announcement made
Department heads briefed on their responsibilities
Customer-facing teams briefed with talking points
Board members/investors notified (if applicable)
HR prepared for employee questions
Customer & User Stakeholders
Affected users notified by email
In-app notification posted (if applicable)
Customer support team briefed & FAQs prepared
Status page updated
Customer success team reached out to key accounts
Phone support queue updated with holding message
External & Media
Press release issued / media statement prepared
Key journalists/analysts contacted directly
Social media response posted
PR agency engaged (if applicable)
Partners / vendors notified
Regulatory bodies notified (if required)
Website crisis banner activated (if needed)
Post-Crisis
Timeline of events documented
Root cause analysis initiated
Follow-up communication to all stakeholders scheduled
Crisis review meeting scheduled for 48-72 hours post-resolution
Media monitoring continued for 1-2 weeks
Crisis Incident Timeline Tracker
Log events as the crisis unfolds. Record time, event type, action, and person responsible.
00:00
Example Entry
Issue first identified by [person]. Immediate notification sent to [team].
Log New Event
Post-Crisis Review Template
Schedule this meeting 48-72 hours after incident resolution. Document lessons learned and process improvements.