Crisis is unpredictable. It can hit anywhere, anytime, and with little to no warning. Even with our modern technology, it’s difficult to forecast the scope and size of a crisis situation until after it’s done the damage.

For city and community leaders, this is a sobering reality that can’t be ignored. That’s why having a response plan is of utmost importance. And if there’s anyone in Alabama who knows this, it’s Tuscaloosa Mayor Walter Maddox.

Maddox had the unfortunate task of navigating his city through one of the worst disasters to ever hit the state: the April 27th, 2011 Tornado Outbreak. In one day, Alabama was ravaged by 55 tornadoes. Tuscaloosa was one of the cities hit the hardest, suffering widespread damage from a violent EF4 tornado that ripped straight through the heart of downtown.

We recently had the privilege of speaking with Mayor Maddox about responding to disaster and the role that modern technology and communication play in aiding response.

WideNet: What is the most important role the mayor plays in a time of crisis?

Maddox: As the Chief Executive Officer of the City, the mayor must stay at 40,000 feet and allow the incident command system to function without interference, especially within the first 48 hours. The mayor’s primary roles needs to be in crisis communication (internal/external), asset and resource management, intergovernmental relations, and most importantly, being out with the community listening, learning and providing comfort.

WideNet: What are some of the challenges you face when your city is faced with a particular crisis?

Maddox: In our particular case, it was uncontrollable chaos on multiple fronts. The greatest challenge, in a broad sense, was that dozens of critical issues hit you simultaneously which stretches your operations, logistics and resources beyond measure.

WideNet: The public only sees a fraction of what the city leadership has to go through during a crisis. What actions are happening behind the scenes that the rest of us might not know about?

Maddox: Even under complete exhaustion, the systematic approach and professionalism of our employees who were working under the most stressful of conditions. Our team was simply amazing, and that is why they are heroes.

WideNet: What sort of plan does your city have in place for communicating with citizens about a crisis?

Maddox: Our plan is simple: (1) Calm and hopeful; (2) Transparent (3) Limit spokesperson(s) (4) Clearly express need (5) Stay Local (focus on local media and avoid the national media trap)

WideNet: What sort of tools do you use?

Maddox: It is multi-layered with a combination of traditional media approaches, social media outreaches and the use of City’s web and apps.

WideNet: How has technology helped crisis management? Has it made it more efficient?

Maddox: The digital revolution is a benefit, especially with most people having a handheld device with access to the Internet, email, social media and text. This is why each of our seven humanitarian centers had charging stations. If people are connected and informed, it creates the conditions to accelerate response and ultimately recovery.

WideNet: What’s the one piece of advice you would give to a first term mayor about crisis management?

Maddox: It is critical to be prepared in advance – an effective response is not an accident. It is the result of preparation and training across multiple disciplines of the City.

The Takeaway

The most important takeaway from our talk with Mayor Maddox is that communication is THE most important factor in a crisis situation. With so much chaos happening at once, keeping everyone informed about what to do and where to go makes all the difference—and modern technology is making it easier to do that.

Social media, mobile apps, and text can be major life savers in these situations. The ability to connect from anywhere at any time gives communities a major advantage in navigating a crisis. In fact, a 2015 study performed by The Institute for Public Relations concluded that “research shows strong evidence that strategic use of social media in crisis planning will yield a positive impact on and impression of management of a crisis situation.”

Bottom line? Modern technology is your friend during a crisis, and more cities and communities would be wise to start investing it.