Crisis Simulation: How Prepared is Your Community College Team?-Presentation

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This document outlines a crisis simulation exercise led by Dr. Carrie Phillips, focused on testing and improving a team's preparedness for emergency communication in a college setting. Participants are assigned roles—Communications Director, Media Relations Manager, Communications Manager, and Social Media Manager—and divided into groups to work through a realistic crisis scenario.<br /><br />The simulated crisis involves shots fired at a campus party at 3 a.m., with one victim shot and the shooter fleeing. The team must decide whether to send an immediate campus-wide emergency alert or wait for more information. Pros and cons for early notification are discussed, weighing student safety versus potential confusion and impact on enrollment. Participants use polling tools to reflect on their decision-making.<br /><br />As the situation develops, the shooter is apprehended, but the victim dies, making it a homicide. It is revealed that both shooter and victim were party guests, not students, and parents, media, and students demand updates. The team has 10 minutes to prepare a campus-wide message for a scheduled 7 a.m. update, considering message format, audience variation, platform strategy, question handling, and approval processes.<br /><br />The exercise continues with a review of communication outcomes 24 hours later, revealing confusion among students, numerous questions from parents, and critical news coverage alleging timing errors.<br /><br />The event concludes with a reflection and debrief session, inviting teams to evaluate their feelings about the response, what could have been done differently, useful tools needed, and impactful suggestions.<br /><br />Key lessons learned include excessive hesitation ("too much gut check"), delays in decision-making, and the need for better processes. The session emphasizes the importance of clear, timely, and well-coordinated communication during campus crises.<br /><br />Dr. Phillips encourages continued engagement via LinkedIn and email. The simulation highlights the vital role of preparedness, swift action, and strategic communication in managing campus emergencies effectively.

Keywords

crisis simulation

emergency communication

college campus

preparedness exercise

communication roles

shooting incident

emergency alert

media relations

message strategy

crisis management