In the event of any crisis, no matter how large or small, there is always a very good chance that it will generate some interest from the local, national or even international media. This can lead to some very serious negative impacts on the organisation facing the crisis as they focus their efforts on trying to resolve the situation.

Crisis can strike at any time, which is why it is important for organisations to have risk management plans in place. A risk assessment can help to identify situations within the organisation that might be exploited and create crisis situations. Risk management is a process that can help deter crisis, although in reality it can be very difficult to control events that lead up to a crisis as they are often influenced by external factors.

Once risk management has been exploited, Crisis Management plans kick into action.

Crisis Management plans are reactive; as opposed to risk management plans with a proactive. Crisis Management plans react to the situation in front of those managing the situation and its important that these people are able to make split second calculated decisions in an attempt to resolve the situation and often to help save lives.

In a remote location Crisis Management has added pressures. For example, an aid worker or military dispatch might be caught in a hostile situation that requires careful planning and intelligence to resolve. This is where the use of GPS technology can come into play, becoming a third eye for the crisis management team.

Below are some hints of Crisis Management.

1. Always prepare a contingency plan. Crisis often happens at short notice and where possible crisis management teams should be able to rehearse a crisis situation as if it were real. Although a real crisis is very different to a staged situation a rehearsal can help members to know what their role is within the team.

2. Organise a clear P.R. plan. Only the designated people should communicate with the outside world to avoid mixed stories.

3. If in doubt consider hiring external crisis management consultants.

4. Evaluate your decision making - but do it quickly. Consider the long term effects of a short term decision.

5. Work as a team. Everyone needs to be pulling the same way in order to be able to resolve the situation and save lives.

Crisis Situations can be scary. They don't have to be in the middle of a desert or in a foreign land. A crisis could occur by somebody falling down a set of stairs, or suffering a potentially fatal medical condition.

Consider your Risk Management strategy now, and you might just prevent the next crisis from actually happening...