Emergency Planning: Why Communication Can Make or Break Your Response

When an emergency happens, seconds matter — and so does clarity.

The way you communicate during a crisis can determine whether your people get to safety quickly, your operations recover smoothly, and your organisation maintains trust with staff, customers, and regulators.

Yet, time and again, we see businesses discover that their emergency communication plan doesn’t work when it’s needed most.

This isn’t because they didn’t care about safety — it’s because plans were incomplete, untested, or overly reliant on one method of communication.

In this article, we’ll explore the most common pitfalls in emergency communication, how they show up in real-world situations, and the practical steps you can take to ensure your plan works under pressure.

The Role of Communication in Emergency Planning

Emergency planning covers many aspects — evacuation routes, first aid arrangements, hazard identification — but communication ties them all together.

A well-structured communication plan ensures that:

Everyone knows what is happening

Everyone knows what they need to do

The right information reaches the right people, at the right time

Without effective communication, even the best technical safety measures can fall short.

Imagine this: a fire alarm goes off in your building. Some employees head for the exits, others stay at their desks assuming it’s a drill, and managers are scrambling to figure out whether the fire brigade has been called.

This confusion wastes precious seconds — and in an emergency, seconds save lives.

Common Communication Pitfalls — and How to Avoid Them

1. Confusion Over Roles

The Problem:

During an incident, uncertainty over “who does what” is one of the fastest ways for things to unravel.

In a high-stress situation, people either freeze, duplicate efforts, or make conflicting decisions.

Example:

We worked with a client whose evacuation took twice as long as it should have because two managers each assumed the other had called the emergency services.

Neither had done it.

The Fix:

Pre-assign roles and make them part of your written emergency plan. Clearly document:

Who calls the emergency services

Who communicates instructions to staff

Who manages visitors and contractors

Who is responsible for accounting for everyone at the assembly point

Run through these roles in drills so they’re second nature — not something employees have to figure out mid-crisis.

2. Inaccessible Communication Channels

The Problem:

Far too many plans rely on a single method of communication. This might be email, an internal messaging system, or a PA announcement.

The trouble is, emergencies rarely go to plan. Power cuts, internet outages, or damaged equipment can render your primary method useless.

Example:

During a flood incident in an industrial facility, the PA system was knocked out almost immediately. The site manager had no alternative method to reach workers in remote areas of the plant.

The Fix:

Build redundancy into your communication plan. Consider:

PA system for immediate mass notifications

Two-way radios for on-site teams

SMS alerts for employees off-site

Printed emergency instructions for when technology fails

Hand signals or air horns in noisy environments

Don’t just have these channels — make sure staff know how to use them, and test them regularly.

3. Overloading Staff With Information

The Problem:

In a crisis, brains are working in survival mode. Complex or overly detailed instructions can overwhelm people, causing hesitation or panic.

Example:

During a chemical spill drill, one supervisor began explaining the source of the leak, the chemical’s hazard classification, and the upcoming clean-up process.

Half the team froze, unsure of what to do first.

The Fix:

Stick to clear, concise commands. For example:

“Leave the building via the north exit. Assemble at Car Park B.”

This is the kind of instruction that saves lives.

Once the immediate danger has passed and everyone is accounted for, you can share more context.

Testing Your Emergency Communication Plan

A plan is only as good as its last test.

Regular drills — and varied scenarios — are essential to making sure your people can act quickly and confidently.

Key elements to test:

Can everyone hear/receive the message within seconds?

Do designated roles step into action immediately?

Are alternative communication methods available and functional?

Is there a process for confirming everyone is accounted for?

Tip:

Make some drills “no-notice” to simulate the unpredictability of real incidents. Controlled surprise can reveal weaknesses in a way scheduled drills can’t.

Building a Culture of Communication Readiness

Emergency communication isn’t a one-off document. It’s an ongoing part of your organisational culture.

Practical steps to build readiness include:

Incorporating communication checks into daily operations

Holding refresher sessions every 6–12 months

Encouraging staff to ask “what if” questions about scenarios

Reviewing your plan after any real incident or near miss

When communication is woven into the fabric of daily work, it’s far easier to execute under pressure.

Final Thoughts

Effective communication during an emergency isn’t just about having the right words — it’s about making sure the right people get them at the right time, through channels that work, with clear roles and no ambiguity.

At SJH Safety Consultants, we design and test emergency communication plans that stand up to the stress of real-life situations, helping you protect your people, your operations, and your reputation.

If you’d like to ensure your organisation is truly prepared, get in touch with us today. We can audit your current plan, run practical drills, and recommend improvements that give you confidence — no matter what comes your way.

DM us to find out more about how we can strengthen your emergency planning.