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Cover Page Crisis Management Plan for Tummylicious Fast Food Outlet in Long Beach, California

By Saleh Althobaity

COMM 633: Strategic Crisis and Issues Management Knight School of Communication

Presented to Dr. Kim Weller Gregory 12-7-2011

2 Table of Contents Cover Page ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 5 Statement of Management to Employees ................................................................................... 5 Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... 6 Plan Review Schedule..................................................................................................................... 7 Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................................................... 8 Policy .............................................................................................................................................. 8 The Organization in its Industry ..................................................................................................... 8 List of Key Publics.......................................................................................................................... 9 Key Stakeholders ............................................................................................................................ 9 Definition of Terms....................................................................................................................... 10 Scope of the Plan .......................................................................................................................... 10 The Crisis Management Team ...................................................................................................... 11 Functions of Tummylicious Crisis Management Team .......................................................... 12 Crisis Management Plan for the Occurrence of a Devastating Earthquake .................................. 12 Likelihood Measure .............................................................................................................. 13 Severity Measure .................................................................................................................. 13 Before .................................................................................................................................... 13 During ................................................................................................................................... 14 After ...................................................................................................................................... 14 Process of Notifying the Publics ............................................................................................... 14 Identifying the media spokesperson.......................................................................................... 15 Crisis Communications Control Center .................................................................................... 15 Equipment and Supplies ........................................................................................................... 15

3 Key Messages ........................................................................................................................... 16 Company Website ..................................................................................................................... 17 Social Media ............................................................................................................................. 17 Crisis Sensing and Prodromes .................................................................................................. 17 Information collection ........................................................................................................... 17 Information analysis.............................................................................................................. 18 List of Useful URLs .................................................................................................................. 18 Crisis Management Plan for a Food Poisoning/Contamination Case ........................................... 19 Likelihood Measure .............................................................................................................. 19 Severity Measure .................................................................................................................. 19 Process of Notifying the Publics ............................................................................................... 19 Identification of the Media Spokesperson ................................................................................ 20 Crisis Communications Control Center .................................................................................... 20 Equipment and Supplies ........................................................................................................... 20 Handy Documents ..................................................................................................................... 20 Key Messages ........................................................................................................................... 21 Company Website ..................................................................................................................... 22 Social Media ............................................................................................................................. 22 Trick Questions ......................................................................................................................... 22 Crisis Sensing and Prodromes .................................................................................................. 22 Information Collection .......................................................................................................... 22 Information Analysis ............................................................................................................ 24 List of Useful URLs .................................................................................................................. 24 Crisis Evaluation Form ................................................................................................................. 24 References ..................................................................................................................................... 26

4 Appendix 1 .................................................................................................................................... 27 Contact Details of the Crisis Management Team ..................................................................... 27 Appendix 2 .................................................................................................................................... 29 Spokesperson Communication Technique ................................................................................ 29 Appendix 3 .................................................................................................................................... 30 Trick Questions ......................................................................................................................... 30 Appendix 4 .................................................................................................................................... 32 List and phone numbers of emergency personnel..................................................................... 32 Appendix 5 .................................................................................................................................... 33 List of key media houses........................................................................................................... 33

5 Crisis Management Plan for Tummylicious Fast Food Introduction Statement of Management to Employees Every organization is bound to have its unstable times. How an organization copes with such unstable times distinguishes it as a reputable and reliable organization in the face of unfortunate occurrences. In order to avoid dreadful situations, it is necessary for organizations, therefore, to have a plan or contingency arrangements in place that will be of immense benefit in handling whatever crisis that unstable times may bring to life. In unstable times, adequate preparation is the best form of defense against crisis, and in order to avoid being caught unawares, these plans have to be elaborate enough, and devoid of esoteric argot, so that appropriate steps may be taken even by an individual with an average command of the English language. As a budding organization in the food industry, we are not immune to these unstable times, and while we always strive to exceed our customer expectations, such occurrences could cause irreparable damage to the brand that we have worked so hard to build over the decades. Without a solid plan, a nightmarish situation could arise for the company and her employees as well as for the stakeholders. Therefore, the board of directors have communed and deemed it fit that we have a crisis management plan in place that will cushion the effect of such occurrences when they eventually occur. As important as having this plan in place is, it is also necessary to adhere to the plans with sacrosanctity in the eventual occurrence of the crisis; failure to do this will defeat the purpose of the crisis management plan. This is why I have decided to solicit the full cooperation and participation of every employee of this company in complying with the steps and procedures set out in this crisis management plan. It has been written in a clear and concise manner; nevertheless, any part of it that is not clear to the reader should be brought to the attention of any member of the crisis management team. Thank you all for your anticipated cooperation as we continue improving our service to our customers by making good food better. ___________________ Jack Bakersfield President/CEO

6 Acknowledgements I have read and understood the procedures listed in this crisis management plan and promise to put it into effect when the need arises.

Jack Bakersfield Thomas Smith Michael Boris Kathy Madison Ryan Beecher Winifred Keller Sidney Roberts

__________________________________ (Signature and Date) __________________________________ (Signature and Date) __________________________________ (Signature and Date) __________________________________ (Signature and Date) __________________________________ (Signature and Date) __________________________________ (Signature and Date) __________________________________ (Signature and Date)

7 Plan Review Schedule

This crisis management plan is next scheduled to be reviewed on the 31st of March, 2012.

8 Purpose The purpose of this write-up is to assist the management of the Long Beach outlet of Tummylicious and the crisis management team in the planning, development, exercising, and execution of crisis and emergency management response plans by providing clear policies, guidelines, definitions, and operational concepts that will be explanatory enough even to the average reader. Goals and Objectives The primary goals and objectives of this plan include: Developing an effective crisis management plan that will prevent damage to the brand and reputation of the company as well as welfare of the staff and customers in the event of any crisis situation. Preparing the staff on the appropriate actions to be taken in response to an earthquake and food poisoning hazard. Providing the stakeholders and general public with the policies, guidelines, and procedures that the company will be making use of before, during, and after a crisis situation. Policy Crisis management policies, from the Tummylicious perspective, are aimed at promoting the health, safety, and welfare of the employees, customers, general public, as well as the protection of the company brand. Hence, it is a central component of the company's safety program, and the key to its success is in meticulous preparation and planning. Although the proposed plan cannot cover all aspects of preparations required in all crisis situations (since the nature of crises vary), it will seek to provide the reader with a general understanding of all the activities that need to be undertaken in order to ensure effective crisis management. The policy does well to provide the necessary foundation and background for effective crisis management, but the leadership of the company has a very important role to play in order to ensure that the preparation and subsequent implementation is effective enough to buffer or completely eradicate the negative effects of a crisis situation. The Organization in its Industry Tummylicious was founded in 1986 and is one of the largest fast food franchises in the country and is as reputable as the pace setters in the fast food industry like MacDonalds, Burger King, and Wendys. We make good food better is a slogan that has been associated with Tummylicious since it began operations back in 1986, and the slogan has supported the brand throughout the companys existence. Having a fair market share in a line of business with the likes of MacDonalds, Wendys and Burger King, which are established brands in the fast food

9 business, is a feat that can only be achieved by a truly quality-oriented company. In its first nine years, the fast food outlet had created its 1000th branch, and two years later, it had created its 1500th branch. By the time the fast food outlet was in its second decade of existence, it had opened its 2000th outlet. They now have approximately 3650 locations worldwide and serve over 5000 customers on a daily basis. The main products of Tummylicious include hamburgers, salads, frozen desserts, and chicken and breakfast sandwiches. List of Key Publics The subsequently mentioned group of people will constitute the parties that we intend to communicate with in the event of any crisis as they form an integral part of our existence as an organization. These categories of people possess the power to make decisions, ensure the continued existence of the organization, and share organizational values with the organization in the eventuality of the crisis happening. They include: 1. Board of Directors 2. Shareholders 3. Key Management Personnel 4. Employees 5. Legal Representation 6. Customers 7. Media Key Stakeholders The Key Stakeholders in the company include: The board of directors, which consists of 11 directors named: Jack Bakersfield (President and CEO), David Trishler, Raymond Clive, Laura Hill, Dennis Rothschild, Pierre Gordon, Bill Pratt (Chairman of the Board), Smatt Bradley, Donald McNorris, Levine Gilbert, and Lewis Schwab. Blaise Connors: Blaise is the current president of international operations, a position he has held for two years. Stan Roddick: Steve holds the positions of the Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer. Kamran Muthukumaran: Muthu is responsible for all business activities and operations for the company-owned as well as franchise-owned restaurants on the North American continent.

10 Definition of terms Crisis: A crisis may be defined as any event, which may be natural, accidental, or human, that creates an unwanted impact on people, property, and/or the surrounding environment. Such impacts might be in the form of deaths, fatal injuries, facility destruction, environmental contamination, and damage to an organizations reputation or even a threat to the organizations existence (Coombs, 2011). Crisis Management: Crisis management refers to the process that is used before, during, and after an event in order to resolve the crisis, minimize losses that were as a result of the crisis, and subsequently protect the organization (Coombs, 2011). Crisis Management Team: The crisis management team refers to a group of individuals appointed by the decision makers of the organization in order to manage and respond to a crisis situation (Coombs, 2011). Risk Management: This is the process in which management policies and practices are systematically applied to the tasks of analyzing, assessing, and controlling risk so as to protect all those that are likely to be affected when any unexpected occurrence occurs (Coombs, 2011). Crisis Management Planning: This is a process that is proactive in nature aimed at ensuring that the necessary actions are taken in order to analyze the impact of the crisis and provide overall coordination of the organization's effective and timely response to the crisis when it happens (Coombs, 2011). Food Poisoning: In the context of this crisis management plan, is the contamination of any food served to the customer such that it results in a case of ill health to the customer. Earthquake: It is the sudden vibration of the earth as a result of movement along the fault lines. It is a natural occurrence and may happen without prior warning (EHP Web Team, 2011). Scope of the Plan For the purpose of this crisis management plan, the crises are categorized under the listed two categories: Natural Hazard: Natural hazards are occurrences that disrupt the daily business operations in one way or the other as a result of events that are prevalent in nature. Examples of such events include: hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters. In the case of this crisis management plan, earthquakes will be the subject matter. Internal Sabotage: Internal sabotage, in the context of this crisis management plan, is referred to as the threats to the welfare of the customers and employees as a result of internal crisis within the company premises. Such crises are very damaging to the companys brand for the mere reason that they are a result of the companys incompetence in one form or the other. It might be

11 due to the carelessness of an employee, defective equipment, food poisonings, poor planning, accidents in the production process, etc. Food poisoning crisis management will be treated in this plan. The different crisis management steps that should be taken in the occurrence of any of the abovementioned categories of crisis will be fully expatiated in subsequent paragraphs. The Crisis Management Team The crisis management team has to be set up before the crisis unfolds since it cannot be put together during the crisis. There must be an understanding of duties to be discharged and roles to be played by each member of the crisis management team. The members of the crisis management team have to be regularly trained and be informed as to the latest developments in crisis management practices (Fairfax County Public Schools, 2011). They should be able to prepare ahead for various crises before they happen and identify the negligible occurrences that may escalate into larger threats in the future. As a matter of fact, the writer of the crisis management plan must be on the crisis team. The team should also include top management personnel, security personnel, public relations personnel, legal and insurance assistants, and any other personnel that can contribute immensely to the whole process of preparing the plan and implementing its contents. The crisis management team will consist of the following members: Thomas Smith (Chief Communications Officer): As head of the crisis management team, the function of the chief communications officer will be to communicate with the top management and board of directors, make the necessary decisions, and draft (and in some cases, approve) major statements, thereby keeping the rest of the crisis management team abreast of all necessary information (Fearn-Banks, 2011). Jack Bakersfield (President and CEO): The job of the president of the company on the crisis management team will be to have the final say in the situation where major decisions need to be taken. He will approve or disapprove any statement or decision that is brought to his attention as he deems fit in order to protect the interest of the company. Michael Boris (Head of Security): The job of the head of security here is to make sure that in the event of any crisis situation, all personnel (customers and employees) are accounted for. He will organize a team that will supervise the evacuation of staff and customers from the premises if need be. He will take a roll call of all employees and will be in charge of organizing mock drills and scheduling them. The head of security will also be the assistant chief communications officer. In the absence of the chief communications officer, he will assume his duties. He will also appoint a member of the security staff to assume his duties as the head of security when in absentia (this excludes the functions of the assistant chief communications officer). Kathy Madison (Legal Representative): The legal representative will be responsible for appraising the implication of any decision that is to be taken or any statement that is to be made

12 from a legal perspective so that there will be no legal repercussions that will be damaging to the companys reputation. She will also serve as the assistant to the assistant of the chief communications officer and will assume duties in the absence of the chief communications officer and his assistant. Ryan Beecher (Technical Coordinator): The duties of the technical coordinator in the occurrence of a crisis situation will be to make all necessary hardware or tools for managing the crisis situation available. He will also be responsible for preparing the news room for situations that require press releases by setting up the necessary furniture, supplies, equipment, and tools. Winifred Keller (Media Coordinator): With the approval of the chief communications officer, the media coordinator is responsible for contacting the key publics by the designated means. In some cases, she may have to prepare the news releases for final approval by the chief communications officer (Fearn-Banks, 2011). Sidney Roberts (Health and Safety Officer): The health and safety officers duties are to inspect the premises and ensure that any actions taken are conducted safely and without risk to human health. He will provide recommendations for the other members of the crisis management team. Functions of Tummylicious Crisis Management Team The functions of the entire crisis management team nominated and named above will be to: 1. Review this plan annually, revise it as necessary, and make recommendations to the management team on the changes that need to be implemented. The team will also ensure that all members of the employee body have access to copies of this plan. 2. Instruct employees of their various duties during a crisis. 3. Plan and schedule mock crises to test the effectiveness of the evacuation plan and crisis management plan. 4. Determine the method that is appropriate for monitoring emergency situations. 5. Make required information concerning the crisis or crisis management plan available to the departments that need it. 6. Assess the nature of all emergencies that arise as a result of the crisis. 7. Take full charge of all emergency actions in the eventual occurrence of the crisis until the arrival of the local emergency personnel (Coombs, 2011; Fearn-Banks, 2011). Crisis Management Plan for the Occurrence of a Devastating Earthquake A devastating earthquake would be a blow to any company as it would hamper the progress of all forms of business activities and prevent the inflow of customers or clients. Being a natural

13 occurrence, there is nothing anybody can do about preventing it, and in such a case, it is the measures that are taken to cushion the effect that are the basis of the crisis management plan. In the event of an earthquake, people are trapped wherever they are at the exact time of the earthquake occurring. Those that are indoors are not safe, and neither are those that are outdoors. The entire road network that is affected is rendered unusable. This becomes an automatic holiday for employees and customers alike. If the mess created by the earthquake is not cleared for days, it becomes disastrous for sales and for profits due to the loss of business days. Likelihood Measure It has a remote chance of happening as it has not happened for over five years; therefore, the probability of it happening may be less than 1%. Severity Measure On occurrence, it could cost the company over 10 percent of its revenue, but there will be no regulatory or exposure harm. However, it will have a catastrophic impact on the companys operational performance. The crisis management plan for this kind of crisis will be in three different stages, viz., before, during, and after. Before This is where the planning and preparation process for the crisis begins. Before the crisis, the following steps will be taken to ensure that the effects of the earthquake, when it occurs, are as minimal as possible, thereby increasing the margin of safety. The crisis management team will ensure of the following prior to any earthquake: All employees are aware of what to do and how to protect customers that are present on the facility. There is an established meeting place to convene and call the roll after the earthquake. All employees know where electric, gas and water switches are and how to shut them off. All employees are aware of the nearest emergency medical facilities, fire station, and police stations, and what numbers to dial. All employees should take basic First Aid and CPR training classes (organized organized once every two years) and are aware of the locations of emergency kits and safe spots. All sources of reliable information should be constantly monitored by the security personnel.

14 Occasional earthquake drills should be planned by the head of security (Indiana University South Bend, 2007).

During During the earthquake, every employee should: After After the quake, the following procedure should be initiated: Employees and customers should remain calm and await further instructions from the head of security. Everybody should keep away from windows and sources of electrical power. First Aid should be administered as appropriate while seriously injured individuals should be left for professional medics, except in cases where they are prone to further injury if not immediately attended to. The latest emergency information should be watched out for by means of batteryoperated television and/or radio. Maintenance personnel should be on hand to inspect the utilities. They are to check for fires, electrical system damages, and leakages. Complete evacuation should be ordered in the case of a major structural damage (Indiana University South Bend, 2007). Drop to the ground and take cover in the nearest safe spots. They should ensure that customers follow suit it. Avoid moving around. When outdoors, they should steer clear of buildings and structures. Cover mouth to avoid inhaling dust when trapped under debris (EHP Web Team, 2011).

Process of Notifying the Publics Being a natural phenomenon, the general public (including the key publics) are aware of the situation, and only an official statement, meant for the records and stating the extent of damages, will be sent to the publics. This will be undertaken by the President/CEO and the Chief Communications Officer. The complete contact details of Jack Bakersfield and Thomas Smith are listed with others in appendix 1.

15 The members of the board of directors will be contacted via phone, fax, or email (Fearn-Banks, 2011). The shareholders on the other hand, will be contacted by means of email and through the media. When present, the key management personnel will be made aware of the crisis by means of an emergency meeting, but when in absentia, they will be reached by telephone. As for the employees, they are likely to be present at the time of the crisis and will be adumbrated by word of mouth as well as a general emergency meeting. Identifying the media spokesperson The head of security will serve as the media spokesperson. He is seen as being in the best position to provide reliable information regarding the earthquake situation. In a situation whereby he is not present, the health and safety officer will take his place. Either of them will be primed for any speech or news release by the chief communications officer on what messages need to be passed across and what kind of questions to avoid in media briefings. The chief communications officer (or his assistant) will always be present in such events though. Spokesperson communication techniques are found in appendix 2 (Fearn-Banks, 2011; Woodyard, 1998). Crisis Communications Control Center The probability of the earthquake causing structural damage to the building is high, therefore, an ad-hoc tent will be set up in an opening that is close to the outlet but not affected by the earthquake. Setting up this tent up will be the function of Ryan, the technical coordinator, and it will have to be done immediately after evacuation has been completed. If there was no structural damage, the conference room in the building will be used. Equipment and Supplies The following equipment and supplies are available for use by the crisis management team and media after the crisis communication center has been set up. The technical coordinator will be responsible for selecting a team that will be organizing them as appropriate. The equipment and supplies include: Furniture Desk phones and cellular phones Laptops, internet modem, fax machine, printers, scanners, and copiers Bulletin boards, flip charts, and marker boards Map and blueprint of the crisis area Battery-powered televisions, radios, flashlights and emergency lights Telephone, contact, and media directories

16 Street and highway maps Food and drinks Crisis management plans and crisis communication plans Press kits Walkie-talkies Police radios Uninterruptible Power Supply systems Cameras and films First aid and medical kits (Fearn-Banks, 2011)

Handy Documents The following documents will be gathered in advance as they may be needed for analysis and decision making after the earthquake: List of other outlets Safety records Safety procedures Local maps (Beach, n.d)

Ryan will appoint the employee who will be responsible for compiling copies of these documents and having them accessible for any member of the crisis management team who may need them. Key Messages The messages that will be relayed to the public will include (in no particular order): Instructions: These include general instructions to the public on how to handle the emergency in their respective locations, how to administer First Aid treatment for minor injuries, safety precautions that need to be taken, etc. The number of victims who are receiving medical care: The public needs to be aware of this because they will be eager to know how many people got hurt, and if the company does not let them know firsthand, then any speculative figure by unauthorized sources would be believed by the media as well as the public.

17 The number of victims who lost their lives: The official and confirmed figure regarding the number of victims who lost their lives will be relayed to the media. In some cases, with the approval of the relatives of the casualties who must have been contacted first, the names of casualties would be made public as well. What is being done to manage the crisis: The steps that the company is taking to effectively manage the situation will be revealed to the media. This includes the siteclearing process (in the case of heavy structural damage), relief efforts, etc.

The chief communications officer will approve these messages before they are released to the public. Company Website The services of a webmaster has been outsourced, so the contracted webmaster will be provided with information that the chief communications officer deems fit and will upload them on the website immediately. This will help to reduce the call traffic that the company contact center will be receiving. The message displayed on the webpage will be the same as what was presented to the general public via the media. Social Media Since the social media play a very important role in the companys marketing and public relations campaign strategy, it will also be effectively used in the event of an earthquake. The company currently maintains a Facebook page, YouTube channel, and a verified Twitter account that are run by a social network representative of the company who was appointed by the chief communications officer. The social network representative will constantly update the Facebook fan page and Twitter timeline of the company to keep the Facebook fans, YouTube, and Twitter followers abreast of the latest updates on the events. The company is aware of the medias access to these Facebook and Twitter pages and will therefore provide only confirmed information approved by the chief communications officer. Crisis Sensing and Prodromes The prodromal stage of crisis management is the most important stage as it provides the company with the opportunity of averting the crisis completely or buffering its effects. As a result of this, we propose a crisis sensing network that will be on the lookout for information that will help the company prepare adequately for an earthquake. It will be in two stages: information collection and information analysis (Coombs, 2006). Information Collection One key factor that will play a huge role in the earthquake crisis stems from the geographical location of the company. Because of the awareness that the location may be prone to earthquakes, information should be regularly gathered from reliable sources regarding the latest

18 trends in seismic activity. This will keep us abreast of events and prevent us from being caught completely unawares. Information Analysis Any obtained information will be presented to the crisis management team for evaluation purposes. List of Useful URLs http://www.earthquake.usgs.gov http://www.ready.gov/earthquakes http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/earthquakes/

19 Crisis Management Plan for a Food Poisoning/Contamination Case In the restaurant business, the risk of having a food contamination or poisoning crisis is very high. As a matter of fact, efforts are made by each states food governing body to make sure that restaurants meet the established hygienic standards of food preparation (Beach, n.d). This is to ensure the safety and well-being of customers of fast food outlets. When it eventually happens, it could be disadvantageous to the company if not properly handled. One of the success factors of the business is the brand awareness that the company has, which is based on the value that the customers get for their money. If this awareness is marred by the negative effects of such publicity, the market share or customer base of the organization will see a steep decline, and the resultant effect is financial loss (as seen in the case of the E. coli outbreak that occurred at Jackin-the-Box). Managing this sort of crisis effectively will further promote the brand and increase its market share (as seen in the case of Johnson & Johnsons Tylenol crisis). Likelihood Measure It has a possible chance of happening, though it has not happened for over five years. Therefore the probability of it happening falls between 5% and 10%. Severity Measure On occurrence, it could cost the company over 10% of its revenue and a substantial harm to the companys public outlook as well as regulatory harm. However, it will result in some damage but will have a limited impact on operations. Process of Notifying the Publics When a food poisoning case is reported, the receiver of the call or report should immediately notify Jack, the President/CEO and then Thomas, the chief communications officer. Jack and Thomas will then decide the next line of action on whom to contact next on the list of key publics. The complete contact details for Jack Bakersfield and Thomas Smith are listed with others in appendix 1. On confirmation of the issue, the members of the board of directors will be contacted via phone, fax, or email (Fearn-Banks, 2011). The shareholders on the other hand, will be contacted by means of email and through the media. When present, the key management personnel will be made aware of the crisis by means of an emergency meeting, but when in absentia, they will be reached by telephone. As for the employees, they will be summoned to the conference room for an emergency meeting as well. The companys legal representative will be reached by means of email, telephone, or fax, and the media will be contacted by phone first before a news release is scheduled. The companys chief communications officer (Thomas Smith) will issue the news release, which will be the official statement relating to the crisis. It is through the media that we intend to make our customers aware of the crisis.

20 Identification of the Media Spokesperson The chief communications officer will serve as the media spokesperson. The spokespersons communication techniques are found in appendix 2. Crisis Communications Control Center The company conference room will be designated as the communications control center. Equipment and Supplies The following equipment and supplies are available for use by the crisis management team and media when the need arises. The technical coordinator will be responsible for selecting a team that will organize them as appropriate. The equipment and supplies include: Furniture Desk phones and cellular phones Laptops, internet modem, fax machine, printers, scanners, and copiers Bulletin boards, flip charts, and marker boards Telephone, contact, and media directories Food and drinks Crisis management plans and crisis communication plans Press kits Cameras and films (Fearn-Banks, 2011)

Handy Documents The following documents will be gathered in advance as they may be needed during a crisis situation: Quality control procedures List of other outlets Safety records Safety procedures Company fact sheets (Fearn-Banks, 2011)

21 Ryan will appoint the employee who will be responsible for compiling copies of these documents and making them accessible for any member of the crisis management team who may need them. Key Messages During any crisis situation, the main points of the key messages that will be prepared or approved by the chief communications officer will be emphasized irrespective of the maneuvers of the media personnel. Such messages will be brief and memorable so as to make them more effective and helpful to the appointed spokesperson in avoiding trick questions from the media representatives (this will be treated later) (Fearn-Banks, 2011). Some of the information that will be released to the media and the general public on approval by the chief communications officer include: What caused the crisis: By the time the media will be summoned, the accurate cause of the crisis would have been ascertained. Additionally, why and how the crisis happened will be made known to the public, and this information will be released to the media as deemed fit by the chief communication officer. When the crisis happened: The exact moment that the first case of contamination was reported will also be made known to the public. This is in a bid to encourage customers who may have been around at that time to seek immediate medical attention to ascertain their health status. Where the crisis happened: This will help customers to know the particular outlet that was affected so as to know if they must have been exposed or not. The number of victims: The exact number of people who have been affected by the crisis will be relayed to the public. We will also mention that they are currently receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed location. What is being done: The public will be made to understand the steps that the company is taking to effectively manage the crisis as well as how we are going about doing so. Apology: We will not fail to apologize to the general public concerning the damage that the company has caused. The manner in which we will go about compensating the affected individuals will be publicized as deemed fit by the chief communications officer

Consistency is the most important aspect of passing these messages along to the public. The various sources within the company should deliver accurate and uniform information across all communication platforms.

22 Company Website The website of the company will be regularly updated in the event of a crisis situation. The services of a webmaster has been outsourced so the contracted webmaster will be provided with information that the chief communications officer deems fit and will upload them on the website immediately. This will help to reduce the call traffic that the company contact center will be receiving. Social Media Since the social media play a very important role in the companys marketing and public relations campaign strategy, it will also be effectively used in the event of a crisis situation. The company currently maintains a Facebook page, YouTube channel, and a verified Twitter account that are run by a social network representative of the company who was appointed by the chief communications officer. The social network representative will constantly update the Facebook fan page and Twitter timeline of the company to keep the Facebook fans, YouTube, and Twitter followers abreast of the latest updates on the events. The company is aware of the medias access to these Facebook and Twitter pages and will therefore provide only confirmed information approved by the chief communications officer. Trick Questions These sorts of questions are likely to put the company in a bad light if they are not properly answered. Some likely trick questions are in the appendix section. The appropriate answers to questions like this should have been deliberated on by the crisis management team before they start taking media calls or before they set up press conferences. Crisis Sensing and Prodromes Information Collection The information collection stage will be enacted by every employee with specific tasks assigned to the health and safety officer. He will be responsible for: Identifying potential internal hazards by walking around the kitchen area and other areas of the outlets and observing things that pose a risk. He will then talk to the staff in such areas who will inform him of their experiences, concerns, and opinions. Noting down concerns of employees regarding safety, as well as who could be harmed doing what and how individuals could be harmed. Identifying the controls in place to eliminate or reduce the likelihood of somebody getting injured. Implementing actions that his assessment has deemed fit to require attention (Health and Safety Executive, n.d).

23 The prevention stage of the crisis requires that the steps taken to avert the crisis are effectively monitored. While we take extreme measures to adhere to the HACCP guidelines and teach every employee the proper food-handling techniques, the following outlines are generally observed before food contamination is reported in order to prevent it from happening: Raw foods with odors are not to be used in any way. Meat should always be boiled at a temperature high enough to kill bacteria. Canned food should always be inspected for spoilage before and after opening. Leftover canned food that has not been refrigerated below 5 oC or 41 oF should be considered unsafe and should not be used. Water used for cooking, washing, and drinking must be certified safe and potable. If food is to be reheated for any reason, it should be done to a minimum of 74 oC or 165 o F. Foods that are perishable should be stored at 5 oC (40 oF) or below. Dishes, cutleries, and cooking utensils should be stored in a clean place. Hands should always be washed before, during, and after cooking (Government of Saint Lucia, 2003).

Near misses and accidents provide the best source of information required to prevent crisis. Such occurrences should be fully and accurately documented by the health and safety officer so that they may be referred to when the need arises. Other key factors that may result in crisis for the management of the company also need due attention. These factors stem from: The customer: The customers should be listened to at all times because their complaints serve as prodromal points of reference. They also constitute a major medium through which a food crisis (outbreak for instance) is made public. As a result of this, those employees that regularly interact with customers will need to be sensitive to customers remarks about the company while they are being served. They will present the human resources manager with this information as soon as they are aware of it. The suppliers: Supplies have to be monitored for contamination to meet our quality standards. It is also necessary to pay attention to the procurement process and ensure that backup suppliers are reachable as soon as they are needed. Personnel in charge of procurement will regularly keep tabs on suppliers to confirm their ability to keep supplying foods that meet our quality standards. Employees: Employees have to be on the lookout for practices that may lead to food contamination crises and should report such to the necessary personnel.

24 Food production process: This is one very sensitive aspect of our operations, and the process needs to be frequently monitored by the qualified personnel in order to avert crisis in the prodromal stage. This will be in the person of Sidney Roberts. His job will be mainly to gather information that could be worked on in order to avert crisis. Management: Management policies can affect all the previously mentioned factors; therefore, management should analyze the effects of any major decision that is to be made in the company from a crisis-causing-potential perspective. Information Analysis The information analysis stage will be enacted by the management of the company. They will act on the information gathered from the risk assessment carried out by the health and safety officer and procurement officer. They will deliberate on what needs to be done based on the recommendations of the reporting parties, and consider the most appropriate and cost-effective ways of making any necessary changes. List of Useful URLs www.dhs.ca.gov/ www.fda.gov/Food/default.htm www.cdc.gov Crisis Evaluation Form

Date of Crisis: Time Notified: Type of Crisis: How were you notified of the crisis?

How long did it take for the Crisis Management Team to assemble:

Was the Crisis Management Plan used to its full capacity during the crisis? Explain.

25

Were there any unexpected elements during the crisis that need to be improved upon?

Was the appropriate information prepared and provided during the crisis?

Please make other comments worth mentioning:

26

References Beach, M. (n.d). The Most Important Food Poisoning Prevention. Retrieved November 30, 2011, from Food Safety News: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/01/the-most-importantfood-poisoning-prevention/ Coombs, T. W. (2006). Code Red in the Boardroom: Crisis Management as Organizational DNA. Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group. Coombs, T. W. (2011). Ongoing Crisis Communication: Planning, Managing, Responding (3rd ed.). California: Sage Publications. EHP Web Team. (2011, February 10). Earthquake Hazards Program. Retrieved November 30, 2011, from USGS: earthquake.usgs.gov Fairfax County Public Schools. (2011). Crisis Management Workbook. Fairfax: Office of Safety and Security. Fearn-Banks, K. (2011). Crisis Communications: A Case Book Approach (4th ed.). New York: Routledge. Government of Saint Lucia. (2003). Post Disaster Food Protection Guidelines. St. Lucia: NEMAC. Health and Safety Executive. (n.d). Example Risk Assessment for Food Preparation and Service. Retrieved November 30, 2011, from HSE.gov: http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/casestudies/foodprep.htm Indiana University South Bend. (2007). Emergency Action Plan. South Bend: Indiana University Press. Woodyard, T. (1998). Crisis Communication: A Commander's Guide to Effective Crisis Communication. Alabama: Air University.

27 Appendix 1 Contact Details of the Crisis Management Team Name Home Address Home phone number Mobile number Office extension Fax Next of Kin phone number (559) 533- 2722

Jack Bakersfield

46, Lindale St, (559) 827Porterville, 4628 CA 932572913 122 N Reservation Rd, Porterville, CA 932579675 (559) 4560982

(559) 3544254

672

(559) 9238327

Thomas Smith

(559) 6369213

671

(559) 7328284

(559) 846- 2847

Michael Boris

553 Road 156, (559) 647Ivanhoe, CA 2839 93235-1056 733 W Cherry Ct, Visalia, CA 932775793 36 Creek Court Ave, Farmersville, CA 932231321 304 Fair Oak Dr, Tehachapi, CA 935612468 729 Avenue 90, Terra (559) 4339234

(559) 5905329

676

(559) 6327283 (559) 8883421

(559) 327- 4782

Kathy Madison

(559) 5228240

(559) 984- 8487

Ryan Beecher

(559) 2348534

(559) 8391643

669

(559) 9284526

(559) 450- 3638

Winifred Keller

(661) 8421088

(661) 2927499

680

(661) 4675362

(661) 543- 4829

Sidney

(559) 923-

(559) 429-

663

(559) 543-

(559)

28 Roberts Bella, CA 93270-9648 6576 8129 4772 527- 2636

29 Appendix 2 Spokesperson Communication Technique Be Prepared Know what the interview subject is about. Find out who is doing the interview. Get familiar with the subject matter. Find out what happened. Establish rules of engagement and length of interview.

Know Your Message What information do you want to get across? Prepare and rehearse your response. Stick to the facts. Dont volunteer negative information. Dont minimize the situation, acknowledge the obvious.

Package Your Message Anticipate the questions and prepare responses. Package your message in a format the media can use. Talk in short, useable sound bites that are quotable. Make your message clear and understandable. Tell what happened and what youre doing about it.

Deliver With Conviction Be accessible and willing to talk to the media. Credibility is essential and the most important quality of a spokesperson. Believe what you are saying, or get someone else to say it. Establish a record of telling the truth (Woodyard, 1998).

30 Appendix 3 Trick Questions Speculative questions that begin with if: If the hamburgers that were infected were served during the normal lunch hour instead of late at night, how many people would have been infected?

Leading questions: You do agree that Tummylicious could have avoided this crisis right?

Loaded questions: Isnt it true that the health inspection officer should have been aware of the warning signs of this crisis?

False questions More than eight people have been affected by the food contamination right?

Know-it-all questions: I have all of the details, but could you give me some wrap-up comments about this crisis?

Accusatory questions Who is actually responsible for this crisis?

Multiple-part questions What is the temperature at which you cook your meat, and is that the regulation for California? If it is, then how can the food become contaminated if the heat is supposed to kill it?

Labeling questions: Would you call the fast-paced environment stressful enough for one to lose sight of a specific task?

Adapted from Fearn-Banks, 2011. Some effective tips for responding include: Key phrases that can help to organize ones thoughts, e.g.

31 What I can tell you is The important facts are If you dont know the answer, just say I will get the information and get back to you. What is your deadline?

Direct the media to whoever is responsible for answering the question, e.g. This matter is under police investigation. This is a medical issue. Please contact the Health center.

Adapted from Fairfax County School, 2011.

32 Appendix 4 List and Phone Numbers of Emergency Personnel Fire Department (559) 313- 3259, 122 Calihealth Medical Center (559) 329- 1987 California Police Department (559) 444- 5432, 911 Banderia Mason (559) 383- 1331 Uvicorp Health Center (559) 432- 7685

33 Appendix 5 List of Key Media Houses Long Beach Leader 909.889.0597 Downtown Gazette 562.433.2000 KSCI 18 TV 310.478.1818 Family Radio 1.800.543.1495 KJazz FM 562.985.2982