How to Form a Crisis Response Team (Step-by-Step)

Here’s a step-by-step guide to forming a capable crisis response team:

1. Assess Needs and Risks

First, assess the various crises your organization may face and the risks of each. This could include natural disasters like floods or earthquakes, security threats such as data breaches or cyberattacks, and public relations issues like product recalls or negative media attention.

For each scenario, evaluate the potential impact on your organization and stakeholders, which may include:

• Property damage
• Loss of revenue
• Reputational harm
• Threats to employee safety 

Understanding these potential consequences guides your team’s preparation and resource allocation.

2. Define Objectives and Scope

Once the potential crises have been identified, the crisis response team must define its objectives and scope. Common objectives include:

• Ensuring the safety of employees and customers
• Minimizing damage to property and assets
• Protecting the organization’s reputation
• Restoring normal operations as quickly as possible

You must also determine the scope of the crisis response team, which includes what type of crises they can handle, their level of authority, and communication protocols. For example, is their role only crisis stabilization, or should they perform crisis intervention as well? Is there a point at which they should consult experts, including behavioral health and law enforcement professionals?

3. Select Team Members

Next, select team members with the right skills and experience to handle crisis situations. This could include representatives from the communications, legal, human resources, IT, and operations departments. Recruit a diverse team to bring different perspectives to crisis management. 

4. Develop Plans and Procedures

With the team in place, create a comprehensive crisis management plan that outlines how the team will respond to different crisis scenarios. Include communication strategies, decision-making processes, and resource allocation. Define roles and responsibilities for each team member to ensure clarity and efficiency during a crisis.

5. Commit to Routine Training and Exercises

When the plan is complete, prepare routine drills and training exercises to prepare your crisis response team to act immediately when a crisis occurs. In a severe weather event, this may include testing the emergency communication network and cloud infrastructure, holding “lock-in” tests using survival resources, and running power shut-off tests to ensure equipment is swiftly shut down properly or switches to backup power immediately.