What do you need to think about if you have to respond to a crisis?

Think about the following:

Is there clear political will and authority to help you respond to the crisis?
Do you need to create a crisis response team or some other structure to guide the response? See also Good Practice Guide No. 2—What Structure Works Best?
Does everyone who will respond to the crisis know what their role is? Clarify this as soon as possible.
Do you know the protocols for communication in a crisis? What is the formal chain of command so that information is properly distributed and decisions are appropriately decided?
Do you have a media management team? Efforts at media management will be critical in shaping proactively your agenda for the following day—consider a dedicated team to address this.
Can you find time each day to address emerging medium-term to long-term issues? It is important to be able to move into a recovery phase smoothly.
Do you need to work with people outside the APS? If so, how are they best incorporated into the crisis response? Usually, state and territory governments and non-government organisations will be key players in responding to a crisis.

What do you need to think about between crises?

Have you debriefed on how everyone responded to the crisis? This is the best way to learn the salient lessons that mean the next crisis will be managed well. It is also important for everyone involved to download their experiences as a mechanism to relieve built-up stress.
Does your agency have a crisis plan? It might be called a ‘business continuity plan’ or a ‘disaster recovery plan’. Are you familiar with it? Do you know your role under the plan?
Has your agency tested its plan? Often agencies will simulate a crisis to keep their plans up to date.
Do you know what financial responses your programs or agency can make in a crisis? This is an important part of a crisis response plan.
Are you aware of the role of Emergency Management Australia in responding to crises? They hold whole of government plans. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade responds to overseas crises affecting Australians. Be familiar with who does what.