In a crisis, speed and clarity are the message

Frequent social updates, visible leadership kept the crisis from escalating.

When a Florida high school received an anonymous tip about a potential shooting and bomb threat, the situation created a need for fast action and careful communication.

Amanda Granit, chief communications officer at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, said that a quick response grounded in frequent updates was the key to keeping the community informed and calm. Their efforts during the incident landed the team a Zenith Award in crisis communications.

“You can’t wait in a situation like that,” Granit said. “The longer you wait, the more control you lose, so our focus was being the source of truth and communicating clearly and often.”

The call initially sounded like it could be a hoax. But Granit said they needed to take the information seriously due to safety concerns and social media rumors.

“We had an anonymous tip (via our hotline) saying someone would shoot someone at the school and bring a bomb. They taunted us in subsequent tips directly. It was engaging with us, which made it credible enough to treat as real,” she said.

Ultimately, the threat proved to be a hoax. Every student was checked and no weapons or explosives were found. Parents and the wider community were updated as soon as HCSO conducted their investigation, Granit said.

But the steps HCSO took in real time made the difference between maintaining trust or losing credibility with their community.

Managing rumors and social media

The first key move was putting a statement out on X, Granit said. This was a short, plain language message saying the Sheriff’s Office was aware of a threat and they were investigating the tip.

HSCO wanted the community to know some information right away, she said. It was important to maintain control and be the official source of information. They then worked with school officials at Newsome High School to lock down the campus, meaning no one could come in or leave.

“We (previously) sat down extensively and thought about what we’d need to know right away and what information we could put out immediately to be the source of truth,” Granit said. “Planning ahead is crucial. Everybody knew their role. That saved time and allowed us to think about what was coming next instead of scrambling at the first step.”

HCSO kept updating social media every 10 to 15 minutes, even if there was no new information. This ensured the public knew the Sheriff’s Office was actively monitoring the situation.

When the team realized a hiccup in their strategy, because some parents didn’t have X, where HCSO was posting the majority of updates, the team quickly adapted, Granit said.

UPDATE: Friday, September 13, 2024, 1:06 p.m.

HCSO deputies are on the scene, systematically maneuvering through the school to ensure the safety of all students and staff. https://t.co/HznLf7js0o

— HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) September 13, 2024

“We realized we weren’t reaching the audience we were trying to reach, so we had to put (updates) out on everything. Facebook, Instagram, everything,” Granit said.

Their updates included time stamps so people could follow their messaging chronologically. This was important to craft a timeline people could easily track.

Refuting misinformation

But one of the biggest challenges was controlling misinformation. Granit’s team assigned a group specifically to monitor social media, tracking rumors and correcting them immediately.

“Kids on Snapchat, parents in Facebook groups — if we weren’t watching, we’d lose control of the narrative. Any little thing could be important to someone, so you have to clear it up,” she said.

The strategy was simple but effective. One part of the team stayed at the office, managing social media, rumors and updates. Another team went to the scene with the sheriff, gathering information and recording updates directly. The two teams stayed in constant contact, she said.

Social listening plays a major role in a crisis response, Granit said. With its speed, it’s important to be an authoritative voice and refute misinformation. Assign teams to monitor social pages and clarify false information, she said. This will alleviate added stress during an incident.

Direct, personal communication

While part of the team stayed focused on social at HCSO’s offices, another team drove with the sheriff and other members of law enforcement to the school.

When they got there, Granit and the team opted for a personal approach, which helped with heightened emotions and parents who couldn’t reach their kids. They noticed crowds of parents standing outside the school. They needed to know what questions they had, where there was the most confusion and what information would help soothe tension and worry, Granit said.

“We sent a deputy to walk through the crowds and then report back what people were saying,” Granit said. This allowed them to prioritize the information people were concerned about, she said.

Instead of a traditional briefing, Granit and the sheriff walked through groups of anxious parents, giving updates on the situation and setting expectations for the hours-long process of checking every student. It wasn’t ideal, but it helped send the message that someone was here, listening and ready to provide information, she said.

“We told them, ‘Here’s what’s happening inside, it’s going to take a couple of hours. You’re not going to hear from us for a bit, but this is what’s happening,’” she said.

The approach worked. Parents were reassured, and the narrative remained under control. They invited the media to join these briefings, which helped spread the message to the broader community.

As updates were being given, Granit recorded the statements from the sheriff on her phone and quickly sent them back to the team tracking social media. They were able to post immediately on their channels, ensuring fast and frequent video updates alongside their written updates, she said.

“People needed to see the sheriff or principal on site. Hearing from someone on the scene makes a difference. It’s not just words on a screen,” Granit said.

During a crisis, visibility from trusted leaders matters, Granit said. In situations where safety is questioned, this is critical. It offers support and builds trust.

The real-time communication prevented panic and maintained community trust, Granit said. This is because people knew the information was coming often and they knew the information was accurate.

“Even when things feel like quicksand, if you can calm everything down, grab the ball again and keep moving, you’re in control,” she said. “If you do the prep work ahead of time, you’ll be so relieved when the day comes that you need it. It makes all the difference.”

Courtney Blackann is a communications reporter. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at courtneyb@ragan.com.

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