How to Build a Crisis Communications Plan for Small Organisations: Lessons from a Water Outage

When water stops, trust can evaporate faster — build a crisis communications plan that keeps your school, club or small workplace in control

A multi-day water outage in Kent and Sussex in January 2026 left tens of thousands without reliable supply and created long queues for bottled water. For small organisations — schools, sports clubs, and local employers — that disruption exposed two things: operational vulnerabilities and how quickly stakeholders judge the organisation by its communications. This guide gives a step-by-step crisis communications plan template you can implement this week, using lessons learned from that outage and 2026-ready tools and practices.

Why this matters now (2026 context)

Storm-driven infrastructure damage and power-related failures have become more frequent through late 2025 and into 2026. Regulators and communities now expect faster, clearer and independently verifiable updates. At the same time, AI tools make drafting and distributing updates faster — and increase the risk of errors or deepfakes if not checked. Small organisations must be prepared both technically and operationally.

“During service disruptions, stakeholders judge competence by clarity and cadence of updates — not just by the speed of restoration.”

Quick overview: The template in one view

Use this as your ready checklist. Each element is expanded in the sections below.

1. Activation triggers and immediate actions
2. Core team, roles and escalation matrix
3. Stakeholder mapping and priority messages
4. Multi-channel messaging templates (SMS, email, website, social)
5. Verification and information sources
6. Updates cadence and record keeping
7. Practical logistics and support (e.g., water supply, sanitation, closures)
8. Media & spokesperson preparation (interview tips)
9. After-action review and practice schedule

1. Define activation triggers and initiate immediate actions

Start with objective criteria so teams don’t debate activation when minutes matter.

• Activation triggers: loss of potable water supply, low pressure affecting toilets/sinks, PHE or local authority advisory, supplier outage affecting site(s), or when >10% of your user base reports issues.
• Immediate actions (first 15–60 minutes):
  • Activate crisis channel (dedicated Slack channel, WhatsApp group or phone tree).
  • Assign an incident lead and a communications lead.
  • Alert facilities staff and local authorities (if needed).
  • Send an initial holding message to stakeholders — short, factual, and setting expectation for next update.

Sample initial holding message (SMS / email subject)

Priority: Inform — not explain. Keep it short.

“We are aware of a water supply issue at [LOCATION]. We are investigating and will provide an update by [TIME]. Please avoid non-essential use of water until then. – [ORG NAME]”

2. Build a compact crisis team and escalation matrix

For small organisations a compact, repeatable structure works best. Define roles in advance and publish them where all staff can see.

• Incident Lead: decides actions, liaises with external agencies.
• Communications Lead: drafts, approves and distributes all stakeholder messages.
• Operations / Site Lead: manages facilities, health & safety, logistics (e.g., bottled water delivery).
• Safeguarding / Welfare Lead: ensures vulnerable people (children, older staff) are supported.
• Legal / Compliance Advisor: for regulatory notifications and public liability checks.

Map silent backups for each role — who steps in if the primary is unavailable.

3. Stakeholder mapping: Who needs what, and when

Segment your audience and tailor messages. Small organisations must prioritise safety, parents and staff.

• Immediate priority: Staff, students/participants, and anyone on-site.
• Secondary: Parents/guardians, volunteers, affiliated clubs, contractors.
• External: Local authority, supplier (water company), emergency services, press.

For each group define: message type (safety, operational, reassurance), channel (SMS for urgent, email for details, website/social for broadcast), and frequency (e.g., hourly updates while incident is active).

4. Multi-channel messaging templates and best practices

Use short, consistent messages adapted to each channel. Below are templates proven during recent 2025–26 incidents.

SMS (urgent, short)

Limit to 160 characters where possible. Reserve SMS for immediate safety-critical updates.

Template: “[ORG] URGENT: Water supply issue at [SITE]. Avoid using toilets/washrooms. Next update at [TIME]. Call [PHONE] only for emergencies.”

Email (details & FAQ)

Email gives space for context and links to resources.

Template subject: “[ORG] Update: Water supply incident at [SITE] — [DATE/TIME]”

Body structure:

1. What happened (brief).
2. Who is affected.
3. Immediate safety instructions.
4. What we’re doing (e.g., liaising with water supplier, bottled water distribution).
5. Next update time and how to get help.

Website banner / homepage

Put a banner above the fold linking to a dedicated incident page with live updates, FAQs and operational guidance for parents and staff.

Social media (public, short form)

Use social to reassure the wider community and control the narrative. Cross-post official updates and correct misinformation quickly.

Phone tree / Automated calls

For settings with many non-digital stakeholders, record a concise phone message that staff can trigger to multiple contact numbers.

5. Verify facts and sources before publishing

Misinformation spreads faster during incidents. Use a verification checklist before every public message.

• Confirm facts with the Operations Lead and supplier (water company). Note the timestamp and name of the person you spoke to.
• Cross-check safety guidance with local public health or council advisories.
• If using AI to draft messages, always perform a human review and add a source line (e.g., “According to [SUPPLIER], water is expected to be restored by…”).

6. Update cadence and record-keeping

Set expectations: stakeholders value predictability. If you can’t give new information, say so and give a time for the next check-in.

• Cadence example: Initial alert (0–60 mins) → hourly updates while active → twice-daily updates during longer incidents → final confirmation when resolved.
• Keep a message log. Record every public message, author, approver and timestamp for accountability and post-incident review.

7. Practical logistics to include in the plan

Communications must be tied to practical support. In the Kent & Sussex outage there were long queues for bottled water — small organisations can do better with planning.

• Pre-arrange a supplier for emergency water and hand sanitizer.
• Designate collection points and staff to distribute supplies safely, with social distancing if needed.
• Plan for temporary closures or relocation of activities; publish criteria for closures in the plan.
• Consider transportation needs for vulnerable people.

8. Media handling and interview tips (for spokespeople)

Small organisations may face local press attention. Treat media interviews like stakeholder communications — clear, calm and consistent.

Before the interview

• Designate a trained spokesperson (usually the Headteacher, Chair, or Communications Lead).
• Prepare 3 key messages: what happened, who you’re helping, and what you’re doing next.
• Anticipate hard questions (e.g., “Why weren’t we better prepared?”) and craft short truthful answers that accept accountability where relevant.

During the interview

• Start with a clear headline: “Our priority is safety and restoring services.”
• Use simple facts and avoid speculation. Keep answers 20–30 seconds for radio/TV soundbites.
• Bridge technique: answer then bridge back to your key message (“That’s a valid point; what we are doing is…”).

After the interview

• Log the interview: outlet, interviewer, airtime and a short summary.
• Correct factual errors publicly and promptly.

9. Practice, drills and continuous improvement

A plan is only useful if practiced. Small organisations often skip drills — don’t.

• Run table-top exercises twice a year: simulate a 24–72 hour water outage and run through messaging, logistics and media interactions.
• Test your channels: verify SMS lists, confirm parents’ contact details, and check website banners and phone line recordings.
• After each test or real incident, run an after-action review documenting what worked, what didn’t and a prioritized action list.

Case study: Kent & Sussex water outage — practical lessons for small organisations

In January 2026 a combination of storm damage and power cuts left up to 30,000 homes without water for several days in parts of Kent and Sussex. For community organisations the disruption highlighted several repeatable lessons.

What went wrong (communication failures)

• Slow initial attribution: people needed to know whether the issue was local (the building) or regional (supplier).
• Unpredictable update cadence created anxiety — long gaps between updates fuelled rumours.
• Insufficient coordination for distribution points produced long queues and safety concerns.

What worked (and you can copy)

• Visible, staffed distribution points that communicated opening times and ID requirements reduced confusion.
• Local community groups and schools that pre-posted clear guidance in multiple languages saw fewer individual calls and calmer parents.
• Organisations that tied messages to verified supplier updates (timestamped quotes) avoided conflict with social media rumours.

2026 trends to incorporate into your plan

As we move through 2026, these developments should change how you design and practice your crisis communications:

• AI-assisted drafting with human oversight: Use generative tools to create initial drafts of messages and FAQs, but always add a human verification step to avoid inaccurate or tone-deaf copy.
• Mandatory transparency expectations: Regulators and parents expect timestamps and source attribution — include “information last verified at [TIME] by [SOURCE]” in updates.
• Countering misinformation & deepfakes: Keep photo/video provenance and note official channels to verify messages. A short verification phrase (e.g., “Confirm via our website”) helps stakeholders verify authenticity.
• Accessible, multilingual communications: Use simple language and pre-translated core messages for the most common community languages.
• Integrated alerting: Use mass-notification tools that combine SMS, email, voice and push notifications to guarantee reach even if one channel is down.

Simple, ready-to-use plan template (copy & paste into your handbook)

Below is a condensed template you can adopt. Replace bracketed items with your organisation’s details and store the plan where all staff can access it.

Incident: Service disruption — water outage

1. Activation trigger: Any loss of potable water or supplier advisory affecting operations.
2. Incident Lead: [NAME / PHONE]
3. Communications Lead: [NAME / PHONE]
4. Operations Lead: [NAME / PHONE]
5. Safeguarding Lead: [NAME / PHONE]
6. Initial message (SMS): “[ORG] URGENT: Water supply issue at [LOCATION]. Avoid non-essential water use. Next update: [TIME].”
7. Next update schedule: Hourly until stability, then every 6–12 hours.
8. Distribution plan: Bottled water supplier [NAME/CONTACT], pickup point [LOCATION], times [TIMES].
9. Closure criteria: If toilets unusable or handwashing impossible for children, close or relocate until resolved.
10. Media spokesperson: [NAME] — 3 key messages prepared and rehearsed.
11. Post-incident review within 7 days with action log and updated plan.

Checklist: What to do in the first 24 hours

• Confirm the scope (site-level vs supplier-level).
• Send holding message to all stakeholders within 1 hour.
• Open incident log and record every update.
• Arrange emergency supplies and confirm distribution protocol.
• Schedule hourly updates and publish on website/social with timestamp and source.
• Prepare spokesperson and press line; correct misinformation publicly when necessary.
• Run a welfare check on vulnerable people and make alternative arrangements.

Final checklist for readiness

• Do you have up-to-date contact lists for staff, parents and suppliers?
• Is there a nominated crisis team with backups?
• Are your communication templates saved and approved?
• Have you pre-arranged emergency water and a supplier contact?
• Have you scheduled practice drills this year?

Closing: Practice beats panic

During the Kent & Sussex outage, the organisations that coped best were those that had pre-planned messages, verified supplier lines, and clear distribution logistics. For small organisations, the difference between a chaotic incident and a controlled one is often a matter of minutes and a prepared message.

Start today: adopt the template, schedule a table-top exercise, and nominate your communications lead. Small actions now save reputational damage and stress later.

Call to action

Download our ready-to-use crisis communications checklist and editable templates for schools, clubs and small employers. Practice a 90-minute table-top exercise this term — sign up for our free walkthrough session and get tailored templates for your organisation.

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