ACCG Property & Liability Program Helps Counties in Crisis

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Crisis Management is the newest coverage to be provided to the members of the ACCG Property & Liability program (ACCG-IRMA). The Board of Trustees recently approved this addition, which will be effective July 1, 2017. In the event of certain emergency situations or workplace violence events that result in significant adverse media coverage about the county, the program will pay an approved crisis management firm and/or workplace violence counseling expenses up to $100,000 per event and annual aggregate subject to a $2,500 deductible. This endorsement will be included for all members at no additional cost.

This coverage is meant to help counties navigate through a crisis situation, when tensions and the stakes may be high. The goal is to slow the process, control the panic, identify and prioritize the concerns, and provide direction to the county on how to prevent the response to the incident from becoming the NEXT crisis. Take for example, workplace violence in a county facility. That may be the first time the county staff, including responding deputies and emergency responders, have had to deal with a crisis of that proportion.

County leaders may need immediate advice from someone who has previously handled crises on how to best manage the situation after the event, beginning with a review of what happened and who and what is affected. They may need help setting priorities to achieve the best outcomes. That could include assistance from professional counselors for county staff, guidance on press releases, and help responding to questions from the media about the county’s preparedness and/or response to such an event. Knowing what to say or do – or sometimes more importantly what NOT to say or do – can make a situation better or worse.

Many mistakes can be made in the first few hours of a crisis situation, some of which cannot be corrected and can hurt the reputation of the entire county government. What happens in the moments after the crisis could lead to a claim against the county and its employees since the natural response to explain and defend may generate even more negative attention towards the county. It would be advantageous to have assistance from a professional, experienced crisis manager who can provide knowledge and the appropriate resources when needed.