DRAFT/PRELIMINARY/CONFIDENTIAL

Crisis Communications Plan for:

Prepared by:

Myelle Marley, Austin Helms, Hannah Styles, Abbey Ball, & Dexter Phuong

Date October 24, 2019

Purpose: A crisis communications plan provides organizational leaders with a framework for understanding and making decisions about how to communicate with those impacted during a crisis. The elements outlined in the plan should be considered for both strategic planning and implementation purposes.

I. Background information about the organization including past crises or negative publicity

● Folkmoot is a nonprofit organization started by Waynesville surgeon, Dr. Clinton Border . His dream was to bring bring diversity and advocates for understanding of international traditions through a festival demonstration. Folkmoot works to educate Western about different cultures, and customs practiced around the world. ● The folkmoot festival season occurs yearly. It begins on the third Thursday of each July and continues until the last Sunday of the month. Each year, 7-9 international performing groups along with local Cherokee and Appalachian performers are invited to perform at various venues between the Cherokee Qualla boundary to Hickory, North Carolina. Audiences can expect approximately 200+ musicians and dancers throughout the various events. Weekend events are usually, but not always, scheduled in the towns of Waynesville, Canton, Maggie Valley, Clyde and Lake ​ Junaluska. ○ Crises situations or negative publicity: language barriers, tension between acting groups, misunderstandings between performers and public. ○ Past crises: ■ A terror threat from an individual on Facebook which lead to a police investigation ■ A performer stole clothing from a mall and a security guard did not want to let the performer leave which caused legal issues since they were not a citizen ■ A performer had a panic attack and was unable to function at certain events ■ An entire event was rained on which made vendors, attendees, and performers angry. Thus, an event coordinator had to reschedule the entire event. ■ Two different performance groups did not get along due to cultural beliefs, and at one point a fight broke out. ■ Performers were harassed at the local Walmart with racial slurs and a guide tried fighting back. ■ Crisis where a performer had a bad reaction to a medication and an individual said that the performer overdosed which lead to panic.

II. Prodromes: Prodromes are warning signs and can be determined by reviewing and learning ​ from organizations or individuals in similar industries or situations.

● We are going to discuss past crises in order to highlight prodomes in case an active shooter event were to happen at Folkmoot ● The Gilroy Garlic Festival is a food festival held in Gilroy, California in July. In July of 2019 19-year-old Santino William Legan opened fire at the festival killing three individuals and injuring 12. Legan was an angry and unstable man who acted out violently and used racial and ethnic anger to justify the shooting. ○ On the final day of the festival, Legan entered the festival by cutting a hole in a fence ○ Police at the festival reacted to this situation within a minute ○ The heavy presence of security and police at the festival resulted in a quick end to his violence ○ Although the Garlic Festival crisis could not be averted the police presence and security helped while the crisis was occuring. ○ However, Legan bypassed security screenings by cutting his way into the fence, thus there needed to be more security at the fences surrounding the festival. ● The Route 91 Harvest music festival was a festival held on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada. 58 people were killed and 413 were injured. The shooter, Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old man from Mesquite, Nevada, fired more than 1,100 rounds of ammunition from his suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel. His motive is unknown. This is the deadliest mass shooting committed by an individual in the history of the United States. ○ Paddock was able to smuggle a stockpile of weapons into rooms without getting questioned. Bellhops even helped him carry many bags. ○ Because of his status as a high roller nobody questioned why he was bringing so many bags into separate rooms. ○ This festival is a perfect example of why security is a must ○ This crisis could have been averted if the security presence was much stronger within the Mandalay Bay ○ The placement of this festival also made it a high risk zone since it was a highly populated area ○ There were two main prodromes during this situation such as the main big one being the lack of security presence throughout the Mandalay Bay Hotel, and Paddock’s multiple heavy bags.

III. List of Potential Risks/Crises ranked by likelihood and impact

● Active Shooter ● Internal crises (Performer/ staff issues or building issues) ● Weather related issues ● Medical emergencies ● Bomb threat ● Fatality/ Fatalities ● Hostage situations

IV. Identification of Crisis Scenario/Objectives for which plan is being developed

● For the crisis scenario we will be focusing on an active shooter attacking Folkmoot headquarters in Waynesville, North Carolina. The objectives for this particular scenario will be to inform people on the grounds of Folkmoot first and foremost, contact the families of those affected, have as little injured/casualties as possible, and to stay in contact with WLOS, radio stations, and newspapers in the area. We want to keep people informed on what has happened with sincerity and empathy.

V. Identification of Crisis Team and contact info 24-7

The Folkmoot Crisis Team is responsible for communicating with their key publics as well as the media.

● David Francis - Board President - [email protected] - ​ ​ (828)-400-0212 ● Angie Schwab - Executive Director/ Key spokesperson - [email protected] - ​ ​ (828)-550-9336 ● Marion Ferguson - Transportation coordinator ● Bill Graham - Programming Coordinator - [email protected] ● Elizabeth Burson - Operations and Administrative Coordinator - [email protected] ● Laura Shepherd - Ticket and Events Coordinator - [email protected] ● Lisa Wilnoty - Cherokee Coordinator - [email protected] ● Vivian Popas - Operations Assistant - [email protected] ● Interns (Group Guides)

VI. Identification of other organizations/individuals with which organization may need to coordinate:

● Waynesville Police Department ● Haywood County Emergency Services ● Waynesville Fire Department ● Haywood Regional Medical Center ● Mission Health ● Counseling/Grief services

VII. List of Key Publics (Prioritized)

● Event Attendees ● Performers ● Staff ● Citizens of Western North Carolina (Waynesville, Asheville, Sylva, Cullowhee, Franklin, Bryson City, Cherokee, etc.) ● Citizens from around the world ● Media outlets: ○ WLOS TV ○ The Mountaineer ○ WNCW FM (public radio station) ○ WCQS FM ()

VIII. Identification of Channels/Methods for reaching publics

Role of website? To tell about Folkmoot, location, contact information, past festivals, inform the public about events, and post updates about crises Key bloggers? Interns manage blogs Social Media? Twitter, facebook, instagram Who will monitor? Bill Graham Key media outlets? WLOS, The Mountaineer, Asheville Citizen Times, possibly Asheville radio stations. IX. Identification of Key Questions/Media Preparation:

Sample questions:

What happened? (facts only; no speculation) ● A man with a firearm entered Folkmoot headquarters in Waynesville, North Carolina around 11:07 a.m. Saturday morning. Multiple shots were fired and injuries were reported. What do we know? What do we NOT know? ● We know that police reached the scene approximately 10 minutes later and were able to apprehend the suspect. We do not know exactly how many were injured or the extent of their injuries, but all victims were transported to Haywood County Hospital. The reasoning behind this horrible attack is still under investigation. We will reach out again when we have more details. Thank you. What are we doing to address the situation? ● We are working closely with the Haywood County Police Department and the Waynesville Police Department to better understand this horrible situation. We are also answering questions from media outlets and consoling everyone who was affected by this tragedy. There are grief services and translators at headquarters to help those who were impacted. Victims families are being contacted as we work to console both staff and performers. Why did this happen? ● We are unsure what gunman’s motives were at this time. Did organization do everything it could to prevent this from happening? What policies or training programs do we have in place? ● Folkmoot has active shooter training once a year, although we can never be fully prepared for a situation like this one. Most individuals inside were able to get to the safe areas we practiced in the drill which resulted in less injuries. Our policy is a gun-free zone, but in this situation, the policy was not applicable. What can or will be done to prevent this from happening again? ● We will be working carefully with the Haywood County Police Department and Waynesville Police Department to further our preparation for the future and we are considering administering armed guards at entrances during events as well as multiple active shooter trainings a year. When will more information be available? ● We will issue another statement in the next few hours as more information arises. When will the situation be over/return to normal? ● The threat is over because suspect has been removed from the premises and is in custody, but our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We don’t know if Folkmoot will ever be the same after this tragedy, but we do know that time heals. We will keep everyone updated through our website and social media as both performers and staff collectively heal from this tragedy. At this time we are unsure if we will continue with this year’s festival. X. Development of Key Messages:

5 steps for immediate response/basic message: 1. Explain the problem. An incident occured today, July 20, 2019, on Folkmoot festival grounds in Waynesville, North Carolina. An active shooter fired multiple gunshots during a scheduled performance. The number of deaths/injuries have not been confirmed yet, but we will be sure to inform the public when we know. 2. Explain what is being done about the problem. The police were contacted and the assailant has been taken into police custody. Emergency services have also been contacted for the victims. Events occuring today will be cancelled and rescheduled until further notice. Folkmoot is releasing a press release, contacting media outlets (WLOS TV, WNCW FM, WCQS FM), posting on their social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and website, and offering grief support to all those affected. 3. Tell audience(s) what they need to know, feel and/or do. Information objectives (know): There was an assailant who fired multiple gunshots at Folkmoot headquarters and they are currently in police custody. Attitude objectives (think/feel): We please ask that everyone stay calm and check our website and social media for updates as we learn more from the Waynesville Police Department and Haywood Regional Medical Center. We understand that this event has impacted our community profoundly, and we are doing our best to manage this situation while keeping everyone updated. Behavior objectives (do): If you have any family members affected by this tragedy please contact them to make sure they are okay. If you cannot contact them then definitely call us and we can get you in contact with them. We are more than willing to answer any questions you may have. Additionally, there are grief services available at our headquarters to anyone who may need them. 4. Tell audience where to go for more info. Further information concerning the active shooter will be released on our website, https://folkmoot.org, social media (Facebook ,https://www.facebook.com/FolkmootUSA/, ​ ​ ​ Twitter, https://twitter.com/folkmoot_usa?lang=en, Instagram, ​ ​ https://www.instagram.com/folkmoot/?hl=en), and various media outlets (WLOS TV, WNCW ​ FM, WCQS FM). Updated information will be released after communication with Folkmoot Emergency Teams. 5. Tell audience when you will be communicating again. The shooting is under investigation and information will be released following police investigation. For immediate updates concerning this tragedy visit our website, https://folkmoot.org. Please follow procedures and wait for instructions from volunteers and ​ staff.

Additional messaging: Communicate sympathy and concern for the victims and their families ● Folkmoot USA sends out a genuine apology for the families, friends, and participants that survived the active shooting. At this time we are offering grief services to the performers and others who were affected by this tragedy. Our condolences and thoughts are with those who witnessed this tragic event. Communicate our preparation for managing this situation ● Folkmoot will send out emails to the crisis team which will highlight how they will manage the mass shooting. We will also post this email to our website and social media to reinforce that we are managing the situation. ● The email will state the following: Following the tragedy that occured on Folkmoot headquarters, we are making sure that all performers families are contacted immediately. We are bringing in grief services and psychologists to help those affected by this tragedy. We are also bringing in translators to help console victims who do not speak English. Additionally, we will pay for any performers who must go back home. For future festivals we are doubling down on active shooter training, and there will be more security at the festival headquarters. ○ Side note: We must be transparent and open with any media outlets who ask us about what happened. The main people we must inform first are the town of waynesville, people attending events, and the surrounding counties. Communicate plans for regaining normal operation ● We are trying to relocate our headquarters momentarily so that performers and staff will feel more comfortable. We must communicate with performers and staff to see if they are willing to continue with the festival. If that is not possible, we will unfortunately have to postpone or cancel the festival for the year. XI. Sample communications/holding statements: -one news release ● July 20, 2019 ● On Saturday July 20th, at Folkmoot headquarters in Waynesville, North Carolina, an active shooter fired multiple gunshots during a performance. The suspect has been taken into custody by Haywood County Police. Emergency services took victims to nearby Haywood County Hospital. We do not know the number or extent of injuries at this time, but we will update as soon as we have more information. Scheduled events will be cancelled and rescheduled until further notice.

-two social media posts ● We are saddened to announce that on Saturday July 20th, 2019 at around 3 p.m. an active shooter fired multiple gunshots at Folkmoot headquarters in Waynesville, North Carolina. The exact number of victims is not yet confirmed, but we do know that the perpetrator is in police custody. As of now, we are unsure if the festival will carry on, however we will keep everyone updated through our website and social media. At this time, we ask that everyone please keep us in your thoughts as we try and overcome this terrible tragedy. Thank you - Folkmoot staff. ● We regret to inform our festival goers that the 2019 Folkmoot festival will be cancelled due to the tragedy that occurred on July 20th, 2019. We are using this time for our staff and performers, and we are hoping that we can overcome this tragedy.We hope to see you next year, but until then thank you to the Haywood community, festival goers, and supporters for supporting us for all these years. Folkmoot’s main goal is to spread diversity through the Western part of North Carolina and that goal will not change no matter what. We hope to overcome this terrible tragedy and come out stronger than before. -two website updates ● A suspect has been noticed on Folkmoot grounds in Waynesville, North Carolina with a weapon. At this time performers and event attendees have been moved to a safe location. The Waynesville police are investigating the issue. ● Haywood County Police have taken into custody the individual. At this time Folkmoot would like to send out our condolences to our actors, family, and friends. Continue to check our website for updated information. -one email (or other method) specifically targeted internally ● Dear Folkmoot staff/faculty, The shooting that has occured has been heartbreaking for our Folkmoot community and the Haywood County community as a whole. There will be heavy media coverage of this tragedy in the coming days and I would like to designate people to speak to the media if asked to. These people will be David Francis, Angie Schwab, Marion Ferguson, Bill Graham, Elizabeth Burson, Laura Shepherd, Lisa Wilnoty, and Vivian Popas. If asked to comment on the shooting please say only the facts that we know such as “we are unsure of how many casualties and injuries we have, but those injured have been transported to the hospital. The suspect is in custody at the police department. We will inform the public when we have more information.”

XII. Date for the organization to review, test, share the plan internally.

January, 1 2019 (yearly)

XIII. Date for the organization to review and revise the plan (at least annually).

January, 1 2019 (yearly)

- Good Social Media Uses During Crisis

● Our group had the research paper on the best practices for social media when handling a crisis. ● A successful business requires lots of positive advertising, customer testimonials and feedback, and must be viewed as trustworthy by their community. With growing technology and expanding social media, an organization’s online presence is crucial to maintain a favorable profile. Consequently, a strong crisis communication plan that includes social media guidelines in case of an emergency or event that requires an immediate response is necessary. Social media is the fastest way for an organization to contact their stakeholders. ● While conveying research information was gathered on social media and some of the best practices of social media during a crisis it was found that some of these practices include being human, knowing how to sympathize, and when there is information that is unknown it is important to reassure the public that they will be informed as soon as the company learns more about the situation.