Home » Your first hour of crisis

What to do in your first hour of crisis

Golden Hour Rule

What to do in the first 60 minutes of a crisis

Action Team / Roles Messaging Risk / Governance

0–15 minutes — Stabilise & Signal

Confirm what’s real, activate the plan, and give clear ownership.

0–5 min
Trigger & classify Open the crisis log, set the level — minor, major, or critical — and pause scheduled posts while you assess. Owner: Crisis Lead
Crisis log openLevel set
5–10 min
Assign the team Name the Crisis Lead, Intel Lead, Comms Lead, Approver, Legal, and Channel owners — and post the list in the crisis channel so everyone knows who’s doing what.
RACI visibleBackups named
10–15 min
Create the SITREP (Situation Report) Start a shared document to capture what’s known, what’s unknown, and when the next update is due. This becomes your single source of truth and keeps all teams aligned. Switch on social listening and log key findings here.
Next update set

15–30 minutes — Prepare the first words

Agree the core truth, shape the message, and get drafts ready for fast approval.

15–20 min
Run an intel sweep In 10–12 minutes, confirm who and what is affected, the campus impact, and the big unknowns. Share a one-line summary in the SITREP. Owner: Intel Lead
20–25 min
Build your message triangle Lead with empathy, state what action is underway, and promise a time for the next update. Keep language plain and human. Owner: Comms Lead
25–30 min
Draft in parallel Prepare the public holding statement, a short internal note, a social post that links to the canonical page, and a single media line. Use one fast approver with a backup; ask Legal for risk checks only.
Drafts readyApprover on standby
Set the cadence Publish a clear promise: “Next update by HH:MM,” and keep to it. Owner: Crisis Lead

30–60 minutes — Publish, point, protect

Get a credible first message live, align every channel to it, and keep listening.

30–40 min
Publish in order Go live on your canonical web page, then send the internal note, post to social with a link, and share the media line with your list. Make the page the single source of truth.
Canonical page live
40–45 min
Pin and point Pin the social post, add a site-wide banner if appropriate, and route all queries to the page so messages stay consistent.
45–55 min
Brief key stakeholders Update the President/Provost, student union, IT/Security, and switchboard with the line to take and the update cadence. Owner: Crisis Lead
55–60 min
Monitor and build FAQ v1 Track questions and misinformation; add a short FAQ to the page and schedule the next update time.
FAQ backlog startedNext update scheduled

Tip: Prepare a hidden “dark page” on your site to activate as the canonical hub.

..

Get your guide to crisis communication

Download your guide and get a series of 5-emails, packed with useful resources like this.

..

Disclaimer:
Please note that this framework is provided for general guidance only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Organisations are responsible for adapting it to their own policies, governance structures, and legal obligations. Hubbub Labs accepts no liability for any loss, damage, or consequences arising from the use or reliance on this material.

…

Don’t regret the things you didn’t do. Work with Hubbub

We help you grow your education brand through strategy, creative campaigns, community building and digital marketing services.

Book a 20 min chat with Mel

Sales director Melissa Palleschi delivers a training session for the Hubbub Labs team in Barcelona