Crisis management is more than just a safety net. It saves lives and prevents putting more lives in danger. It also involves picturing out the worst-case scenarios as well as the causes and effects of each course of action. Having a concrete plan for dire situations prepares the community for that they can do in times of calamities and disasters so that they can avoid feeling lost while dealing with grave events. In crisis management, there are essential things that should remain efficient and trustworthy:
Communication
When people are in dire situations, they tend to panic until rational thinking goes out the window. People may fail to articulate their thoughts and needs effectively. Maybe even finding a means to call for help becomes hard for them. Therefore, an easier way to call out for healthcare experts can save them time, and the quicker the response, the better the chance of survival.
Better communication also means an efficient response to the emergency. For example, when there is a significant health issue involved, authorities should have a coherent and collective statement to address the people they are serving. Otherwise, tons of editing and taking back what they said will occur, delaying the entire responding process and confusing the affected population.
Information dissemination
In any situation, misinformation is lethal. One perfect example would be the circulating claim that bananas can protect humans from the Coronavirus (COVID-19). If this the World Health Organization (WHO) and other authorities did not refute this claim, people would have hysterically depended on bananas instead of practicing proper hygiene, social distancing, and focusing on the fact that the virus affects the lungs.
Information dissemination raises the awareness of the community about ongoing issues. It prevents them from going blindly into the situation. Whether the information comes from media or personal resources, it’s best to have access to verified and well-curated news.
The role of authorities
No matter the efficient and convenient solution the people may come up with, if the government does not approve or lack the willpower to implement these procedures, the community will not have access to excellent communication and information dissemination. The lives of people in need depend heavily on those in power because private organizations can only do so much.
The authorities’ crisis management should be in favor of the masses. For instance, if a platform like Julota—which eases the sharing of information, networking, and communication between healthcare, social services, and law enforcement agencies in the community—is presented to them, and it ultimately improves the system, then maybe, yes, they need it. The government should formulate a strategy to keep the fatalities to a minimum and provide care for the masses.
The takeaway
Crisis management prevents the community from being in jeopardy. Proper communication is necessary to reach emergency respondents and also inform the people on what to do. Ensuring the quality of information circulating the community is life-saving so that people can take correct precautionary measures. Most significantly, the authorities should respond with competence to create a concrete plan to save the people.
