Whatever You Do, Don't Panic

Whatever You Do, Don't Panic

Simulation 12 min

Get ready, the hurricane's ETA is 72 hours!

Category 3 Hurricane Hazel formed in the mid-Atlantic and is projected to make landfall along the New Jersey shore. Located approximately 500 nautical miles southeast of Cuba, sustained winds are 105 MPH and intensification is expected as it nears the coast.

Your mission will be to effectively respond to this crisis situation. You must communicate vital information to the public and internal audiences during this crisis situation. Resources and other information regarding the mission will be provided to help you along the way.

Your Mission

The setting is Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst, New Jersey
From your Base Commander: We need to prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Hazel before it makes landfall.
This storm is projected to develop into a major weather event for the area.
Safety is the primary concern.
Your priority is to save lives, protect property, stabilize the incident and provide for basic human needs.
Timely and accurate information is critical to saving lives and easing panic.
As members of the armed forces, we employ the HURCON alert scale, which indicates the state of emergency or preparedness for an approaching hurricane.
We are currently in HURCON 4 as the storm is roughly 72 hours out.
The Emergency Operations Center has been set up and all EOC members have been recalled.
I need people to fulfill three primary roles: Mission Partner Support, Public Affairs Media Operations and a Crisis Action Team Member.
Your mission is to identify your role and carry out your duties to communicate the commander’s directive and mitigate unforeseen circumstances to the best of your abilities.
Make sure all of your people are accounted for and remember...

crisis communication is the most important role of the PA Office. Don’t let us down!

Objectives

Based on your role, communicate with appropriate internal and external publics to:
  1. Prepare them for the hurricane
  2. Assist with emergency preparations
  3. Disseminate potential evacuation orders when they are directed
  4. Communicate relief and recovery efforts

Resources

Don't forget, the resources in the upper right corner will stay with you throughout the mission.
Q. 1 OF 4
The Base Commander needs you to carry out the duties for one of these roles during this crisis. Use your Crisis Management Team Roles and Tasks Checklist in the Resources tab to help you choose which role you will perform and fulfill the commander’s directive to the best of your abilities.
Select your role and fulfill the commander’s directive to the best of your abilities.
Q. 2 OF 4
You are the Mission Partner Support member that will stay throughout the storm to assist in performing the ESF 15 duties.
What duties will you perform leading up to the storm?
Q. 3 OF 4
You are responsible for posting to the Joint Base MDL social media channels. You must decide which post is most appropriate during the storm.
Which of these social media posts should be approved and disseminated at this point?
Q. 4 OF 4
With Hurricane Hazel approaching, the storm is expected to reach Category 4 strength during HURCON 1, and an evacuation order is prepared for release.
What should the Public Affairs Office do to reassure personnel and private citizens?
Q. 2 OF 4
Your office is small, and the Sergeant has been called away to support the EOC, and the PAO has been called away to support the CAT functions of the impending storm. You are assigned to media operations and community engagement.
What are the primary tasks you need to carry out?
Q. 3 OF 4
Before an evacuation, in the middle of the storm, WKRZ News is calling the main PA office for a query, another Facebook page is announcing inaccurate information regarding evacuation and there has been an accident at the gate. Your team has no information about any of the developing issues.
What should you do first?
Q. 4 OF 4
With Hurricane Hazel approaching, the storm is expected to reach Category 4 strength during HURCON 1, and an evacuation order is prepared for release.
What should the Public Affairs Office do to reassure personnel and private citizens?
Q. 2 OF 4
You have been sent to the CAT to work with other installation leadership during the crisis.
What functions will you perform during the storm?
Q. 3 OF 4
The CAT/EOC has determined that there may be an evacuation of all base assets.
In planning for the event, what will you do?
Q. 4 OF 4
With Hurricane Hazel approaching, the storm is expected to reach Category 4 strength during HURCON 1, and an evacuation order is prepared for release.
What should the Public Affairs Office do to reassure personnel and private citizens?

Your Debrief

Hurricane Hazel has passed! During this event, every decision you made had an impact on many lives. Your ability to respond effectively and calmly is one of the key functions of crisis communication.

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