Public Communications Playbook for Energy Emergencies

Key Elements to Consider When Communicating During an Energy Emergency

Proactively Plan Ahead

Preparing for an energy emergency is a continuous process. Proactive planning should refer to official state response plans or protocols, such as Comprehensive Emergency Management Plans, State Energy Security Plans and Emergency Support Function 12 (Energy) Annexes (ESF-12). It is equally important to incorporate regular training and exercises into the planning process to simulate the flow of information during a major event. Including Public Information Officers (PIOs) in training exercises helps communication experts better understand messaging channels and protocols. A template of communications engagement timelines can be found in the Appendix on p. 22 – 23.

To supplement official protocols, a state or territory may implement the following tactics to effectively manage the communications response:

• Identify Energy Stakeholders and Determine Communication Roles: As outlined in the NASEO and NARUC Energy Emergency and Preparedness Guidance, it is important to identify the response team communication roles and where they fit into existing public information programs and communication processes ahead of an energy emergency. The energy response team may include members from the Governor’s office, State Energy Offices, Public Utility Commissions, Emergency Management Officials and Public Safety Officials. Data to gather:
  • Who is responsible for gathering and reporting information regarding the status of the energy emergency and the public response to the event?
  • Which agencies will receive this gathered information?
  • Who are the energy subject matter experts that can help translate energy complexities to the public?
  • What does the flow of information look like? (e.g., incoming information, draft responses, approval and distribution).
  • Which agency or office has the responsibility to engage with the public directly, or is the office responsible for providing information to other state agencies?
• Create a checklist: There are common foundational elements across incidents that can be reviewed, updated and practiced ahead of time. The checklist can be organized based on team roles or by order of events. See a sample communications engagement timeline in the Appendix.
• Coordinate with relevant partners: Identifying key public and private stakeholders prior to any disaster will improve the effectiveness of the response. Contact lists should be compiled and verified annually at a minimum.
• Prepare energy specific messaging: Draft statement templates and frameworks for common energy incidents, such as power outages, safety guidance and temporary sheltering instructions, which can be modified or filled in to help quickly disseminate information. Common data points for the public include:
  • Location of current outages and areas at risk for power outages.
  • How many residents are impacted/are expected to be impacted.
  • Any energy-related hazards that pose a threat (e.g., downed lines or leaking natural gas lines).
  • Any critical assets/facilities affected (hospitals, water/wastewater, food distribution, telecommunications).
  • What actions are being taken (emergency declaration, damage assessments, transportation waivers, etc.).
  • Where utility restoration crews are located and any resulting closures or changed travel patterns.
  • Projected restoration timelines from utilities.
  • Storage and inventory updates from the fuel sector.
• Practice the Plan: Before an emergency occurs, the state or territory can host or participate in energy emergency communication response exercises. An exercise will run through a potential scenario, allowing participants to practice their roles, including communications and information sharing, enabling a broader understanding of how the group will coordinate all actions during an emergency. This process will also help to identify and resolve potential gaps in the plan. Ensuring that key partners such as utilities, pipeline owners/operators and fuel vendors are invited to participate can improve the effectiveness of these exercises.
• Update Plans Annually: Roles and responsibilities evolve, and staff turnover occurs. It is important to regularly update plans to reflect changes, verify contact lists and train staff.

The Roles of Private and Public Entities

• Energy infrastructure is primarily owned by private entities. Effective energy emergency management involves regular communication between these entities, state and territorial agencies and other government leaders.
• These systems are regulated by multiple state and federal entities and supported by an array of industry coalitions. These structures may vary by jurisdiction and energy type; thus, it is important to understand those constructs before an emergency to determine who will be gathering what information and how that information will be shared.

Restoration Considerations

• Energy system restoration efforts can be hampered by factors such as inaccessible roads, ongoing hazardous conditions, concurrent disasters, widespread destruction and limited access to fuel or equipment.
• Extended outages may trigger additional cascading effects, potentially including interruptions to cellular service, disruptions to the water supply or other impacts on critical infrastructure and services. This can leave many people without adequate access to necessities such as heat/air conditioning, the ability to chill or cook food, communications and others:
  • Proactive communication messages should be crafted to provide clear instructions on civilian preparedness, limit overconsumption of any limited resources and maintain calm.
  • Consider other channels, such as the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS), including emergency alert systems and wireless emergency alerts, where appropriate.
  • During an extended outage, keep the public informed by providing an estimate on restoration time and, if timelines change, explaining why restoration timelines are longer.
• Disruptions to the petroleum sector may spur public hoarding of transportation fuels which could limit supplies for critical back-up power operations during restoration. Messaging should focus on easy-to-understand facts, safety, usage of proper containers, when fuel shipments might be replenished, if known, and discouraging panic buying.

Clear, Consistent and Unified Messaging

• Immediate Needs: Simple, direct messages reduce confusion and misinformation. Examples could include projected restoration times for power, safety instructions for downed wires or gas leaks and warming or cooling shelter information.
• Unity of Messaging: Align messaging across levels of government and with impacted energy providers.
• Verification Process: Information during an incident can change quickly, therefore it is important to have a verification process in place so that those with the latest authorized information can approve what is being shared.
• Tailored Messages: Different message content may be better suited for different audiences depending on the nature or impacts of the emergency. This could include, for example, guidance for households with electric-dependent residents.
• Message Delivery: Different segments of the population may trust different sources, so tailor message delivery appropriately and utilize local leaders, community organizations or media where possible.

Effective communication is critical when informing the public, ensuring safety and mitigating misinformation and panic. Below are best practices to ensure your message is clear and impactful:

Highlight Actions Being Taken: Provide clear information, actionable steps and public resources for assistance. Some of the key things people affected will want to know include:

• What’s being done to resolve the issue,
• An estimated restoration timeline for energy services,
• When is the expected return to normalcy and
• What actions should be taken.

The amount of information communities will want will likely increase with the duration of the outage. This might include information on the available resources, recovery or industry-specific impacts. It may be useful to develop an informational hub for longer outages to link to the latest information, all the actions taken and available resources.

Base Your Communications on Known Facts: In the early stages of an event, a full picture of the situation may not be available. As damage is being assessed, utilities may not have access to damaged infrastructure until active danger subsides, and roadways are cleared. Start with what is known, acknowledge what is unknown and commit to providing updates as more information becomes available.

Provide honest estimates for energy restoration based on information that the utilities provide and indicate whether those estimates have shifted as more information is gathered. Simplify complex information into colloquial language with the help of experts. For human attacks on critical infrastructure, coordinate with your Governor’s homeland security advisor, public safety officials and federal law enforcement partners to determine what can be shared.

Rule of Three: People often need to hear messages multiple times to process, understand and retain information. Stressful situations increase the need for repetition and simplicity. Stick to the “Rule of 3s” – 3 key points / facts, repeated 3 times.

Timing is Everything: Communicate promptly and continue to provide regular updates to stay ahead of rumors/misinformation and to ensure that the community feels informed and reassured.

Communicate with Empathy: Always approach communication with sensitivity to the emotions and concerns of those affected, which will demonstrate that their well-being is the top priority.

Maintain a Professional Tone: Avoid humor or any tone that could be perceived as casual or insensitive. Stay away from jargon and speak in a way that is accessible to all. Avoid casting blame as these are complex situations.

Ensure Unity of Messaging: The Energy Emergency Assurance Coordinators Program (EEAC) provides a foundational information-sharing and emergency communications guide for multistate and national communications and coordination. Using this resource and coordinating closely with state, federal, local and sector partners will ensure the public receives consistent and accurate information.

Make information accessible to all members of impacted communities: Consider a multilingual response or offering translated resources depending on which communities are affected.

Best Practices to Mitigate Misinformation

Any crisis can result in the spread of misinformation since it can take time to fully understand the situation, leading to confusion. Malicious actors can also take advantage of a stressed population to sow discord on social media. The dissemination of misinformation and disinformation can gain momentum when there is a vacuum of information. Keeping the public up-to-date and engaging key messengers such as reporters, community leaders and elected officials is essential in preventing the spread of misinformation. As in all interactions with the public, it is important to be mindful of individuals’ civil rights and civil liberties, including protections of rights afforded under the First Amendment. When misinformation occurs, consider the following before responding.

Pre-incident:

• Identify communication platforms that can be used to amplify messaging during an energy emergency so that the community knows where to go for information. Understanding where the community regularly receives their information will help assist in platform identification. These may include social media accounts and web-based resources such as:
  • Federal accounts: The Department of Energy (DOE); DOE’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and FEMA regional accounts; the National Weather Service; the American Red Cross; Center for Disease Control (CDC) Emergency and CDC Environment; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
  • State-specific accounts: Governors’ offices, state emergency management offices, state energy offices, public utility commissions, state departments of transportation, state environmental agencies, utilities and law enforcement.
• Identify which social media platforms will be leveraged to disseminate key information throughout an emergency. Some common channels to consider analyzing through search and hashtags: Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, Twitter, and YouTube.
• Identify community influencers who may be willing to share vetted information during an incident.
• Discourage staff from posting or sharing anything that is not from official channels on agency accounts.

Immediately after an incident occurs:

• Support the PIOs, where appropriate, in development of social media language and keep messaging short:
  • Coordination through a Joint Information System (JIS), a virtual coordination center, can align messaging for communications leads.
  • Share ongoing information on the incident with communications staff in a timely manner to avoid inadvertent amplification of inaccurate or outdated information.
• Ongoing review of social media activity:
  • Monitor the accounts of energy companies, key stakeholders and the press.
  • Share content from partner stakeholders with PIOs to increase the reach of relevant content.
• Additional content for consideration:
  • Amplify information from trusted industry partners such as impacted electric utilities.
  • Be clear about what you don’t know as this can mitigate the number of conflicting statements issued as a situation evolves.
  • Inform the public if an incident is evolving and may require changes in recommended actions in the future. Consider making notes about what was known at the time and what changed to be able to answer questions effectively.
  • Keep key leaders informed so that they have access to the latest, accurate information to share.

Media Outreach

News coverage is a crucial way to inform the public before, during and after an emergency. Keeping reporters and the community engaged is essential to keeping the public informed and preventing the spread of misinformation.

There are a variety of tactics to engage the public through media outreach, depending on the gravity and urgency of the announcement. The following chart outlines the media channels that can be deployed and important considerations for when to leverage them.

Media Statements

• Immediately following an incident to alert reporters that the state is aware of the situation and acting on it.

Press Conferences

• Up to 48 hours in advance of a significant weather event with notice requiring public attention or action (e.g., wildfire evacuation, heat wave preparedness, hurricane).
• In some cases, immediately following a significant no-notice event, if conditions are safe (e.g., cyberattack, power infrastructure failure, earthquake).
• Regularly after an event as outages and/or dangerous conditions persist.

Press Release

• Up to 48 hours in advance of a significant weather event with notice (prepare for power outage), if a press conference is not feasible.
• Immediately following a Tier 3 event (e.g., notice of a local fuel or power disruption).
• Up to 24 hours following an incident to provide new facts or response updates.

Responding to Media Requests

• If a reporter requests clarification. Developing FAQs for regular reporter questions can help reduce the burden on staff to respond.
• If appropriate, refer to industry stakeholders.

Opinion Pieces

• Best deployed following an emergency or during a long restoration period.
• Should be used when messaging needs reinforcement or to correct misinformation.
• Can be useful during non-emergencies to foster preparedness or promote mitigation actions particularly during specific awareness days or months.

Communication Considerations When Key Platforms Are Down

In scenarios where traditional communication platforms are disrupted, state officials must utilize alternative communication methods to effectively reach the public. Although not an exhaustive list, this may include:

Battery-powered or hand-crank radios can operate independently of the electric grid for emergency use, although these devices may not be as widely owned by households today. Officials should establish partnerships with local radio stations well in advance to ensure that they can broadcast critical updates and instructions during a crisis, as well as encourage residents to consider backup communication devices. Many communities have officially designated radio stations as part of the emergency broadcast network.

Mobile communication units establish a temporary cellular network and can be deployed in strategic locations, such as community centers or town squares. These units can serve as hubs for officials to disseminate information and for residents to charge devices and obtain face-to- face updates.

Community networks, including neighborhood associations, local community leaders, law enforcement, faith-based organizations and volunteer organizations active in disasters (VOADs), can help relay information through word-of-mouth, ensuring that even those without direct access to electronic communication means are kept informed. In some cases, and for longer-duration outages, consistent meetings and the distribution of flyers can help keep the public informed.

Amateur (Ham) Radios are operated by private citizens in the local community. Amateur radio can fill in gaps when more traditional communication systems fail. These operators are often passionate about providing communications services during emergencies. Check with local leaders on their availability along with local Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) in the impacted community.

Activate Communications Plan

When an emergency occurs, refer to the state energy security and emergency response plans. A response plan ensures that the right personnel and procedures are in place to effectively address the issue and protect the public in the event of an energy emergency. It is best to activate a plan during the earliest signs of an incident to closely monitor any potential situations and engage key stakeholders.

Align On Core Messaging

Given the number of departments and agencies involved in any emergency response, establishing a regular cadence for meetings, calls and communications through a Joint Information Center (JIC) or Joint Information System (JIS) will ensure consistent information sharing and messaging across agencies and partners.

Message Flow Example – While every energy scenario is different, the below timeline represents an example of how information typically flows, though if information can be verified sooner, it may be prudent to distribute as soon as possible to ensure the community remains informed:

• Pre-Incident: For anticipated, notice events, offer preparation tips. These may include safety measures advising proper generator usage, how to prepare for power interruptions or methods to stay warm or cool during extreme weather. In the case of no-notice events, regularly provide guidance for common events in your region (for example: what to do during a tornado, wildfire or flash flood).
• Pre-Incident Through First 12 Hours: Focus on the “what” – Share initial incident details that have been verified.
• Within 24 Hours: Focus on the “who” – Introduce key players involved in the situation and the response.
• Within 36 Hours: Focus on the “how” – Explain the causes of the incident, identify responsibility appropriately and chart a path forward.
• Within 72 Hours: Evaluate the “how” – Be prepared for scrutiny and questioning of your response efforts.

When applicable, the following information should be provided to the public as soon as possible, if not already provided by other relevant agencies:

• Nature of the event
• Location of the event
• Time of the event
• Public safety status and guidance if action should be taken
• Impact or anticipated impact of event (e.g., power outage, damage to critical facilities and other infrastructure, status of individuals involved)
• Expression of concern or sympathy for any impacted communities or victims of the incident, and discussion of support services being offered
• The response of the relevant state agency and immediate next steps
• Where to go for additional information or resources (e.g., where to obtain gasoline)
• Highlight paths for obtaining important information

Be prepared for the following questions:

• The timeline of the response (e.g., when will power be restored, power lines cleared from a roadway or when the pipeline will be operational)
• The steps that the agency did or did not take that could have prevented the incident
• Severity and status of public safety as the incident progresses
• What steps the agency will take to lessen the severity of and ultimately prevent similar events in the future

Examples of strong state communications during an energy emergency can be found in the Appendix.

This playbook outlines essential strategies for managing communications during an energy emergency. This guidance is intended to equip state officials with a simple framework to effectively navigate the complex challenges in providing unified public communications during energy supply and infrastructure disruptions.

Key Takeaways:

• Importance of Exercising: Hosting or participating in energy emergency response exercises allows participants to practice their roles, increase coordination and improve processes prior to an emergency. Ensuring that crisis communications plans are incorporated into exercises is important for building emergency preparedness.
• Preparedness and Proactivity: Effective crisis communications require preparedness. Regular training, updating emergency plans, pre-crafting communication materials and developing trusted public communications platforms are crucial for rapid deployment when an emergency unfolds.
• Unity of Message: Consistent and clear messaging is key to avoid public confusion and counteract misinformation. A unified message across all levels of government and the private sector presents a cohesive narrative to the public.
• Engagement and Empathy: Energy-related crises can cause stress among the public. Understanding and addressing the emotional and practical needs of the community through empathetic communication can help reassure the public, maintain the calm and encourage cooperative behavior.
• Adaptability in Communication Channels: State officials understand the importance of using both traditional and non-traditional communication methods to reach the broadest audience possible, especially under circumstances where typical channels like cell service or internet may not be operational.

Glossary

Emergency Operations Center (EOC): A central command and control facility responsible for carrying out the principles of emergency preparedness and management or disaster management functions at a strategic level during an emergency. The EOC is managed by the state’s Emergency Management Agency, and during an emergency response, it supports resource needs and requests, coordinates plans and determines current/future needs, as well as provides coordination and policy direction.

Emergency Support Function 12 (ESF-12): Emergency Support Function 12 (Energy) is a plan that states may use to describe how they will coordinate information sharing, procedures and resources to support the response to and recovery from shortages and disruptions in the supply and delivery of energy of all kinds to the people of the state. ESF-12 is typically an Annex to the state’s emergency operations plan, detailing which agencies are responsible for what functions, legal authorities and a tiered system for understanding the severity of the energy emergency and complimentary response measures. Some states will bifurcate the state-level ESF-12 role between the Public Utility Commission (PUC) and State Energy Office (SEO), with the PUC having direct authority for the electric sector and the SEO maintaining responsibility for liquid fuels.

Fusion Center: A multi-agency center owned and operated by a state or urban area that serves as a focal point for the receipt, analysis, gathering and sharing of threat-related information between state, local, tribal, territorial, federal and private sector partners.

Joint Information Center (JIC): A facility established as the central point of contact for news media and interested parties to coordinate incident information activities at the scene of the incident. Public information officials from all participating federal, state and local agencies should collocate at the JIC. A Joint Information System (JIS) integrates incident information and public affairs into a unified organization that provides consistent, coordinated, accurate, accessible, timely and complete information to the public and stakeholders during incident operations.

Public Information Officer (PIO): The individual responsible for communicating with the public and the media, and/or coordinating with other agencies concerning incident-related information requirements. The PIO is responsible for developing and releasing information about the incident to the news media, incident personnel and other appropriate agencies and organizations. There should be a lead PIO assigned to each incident, and depending on the size or complexity of the incident, the PIO may have assistants, including supporting PIOs representing other responding agencies or jurisdictions.

Publicly Available Web Resources

• DOE CESER:
  • Emergency Response Hub
  • Energy Security and Resilience Learning Series
  • @DOE_CESER, and LinkedIn
• FEMA: Recovering from Disaster
• CDC: What to Do to Protect Yourself From Electrical Hazards
• NWS: Safety After the Storm
• SafeElectricity.org: Safety Before and After Storms
• Edison Electric Institute:
  • Restoration Process Step-by-Step
  • EEI Industry Response and Restoration Communication Tools
• American Public Power Association: Storm Center and Mutual Aid
• American Gas Association: Severe Weather and Emergency Preparedness Handbooks

Examples Of Strong Communication During An Emergency

Pre-Event Resources

• California: Tips for Power Preparedness and Conserving Energy
• Florida: Tweet on Pre-Hurricane Power Outage Prep Tips
• National: NOAA Wildfire Speed Infographic

Event in Progress Resources

• Arkansas: Governor Sanders Executive Order on Extreme Flooding and Tornados
• New Jersey: Governor Murphy shares post on X with outage reporting instructions during winter storm
• Alabama: Governor Ivey issues statement to prevent panic
• Kentucky: Governor Beshear’s Facebook Post Following Pipeline Explosion
• New York: Governor Hochul’s Blizzard Recovery Press Release

Timeline For Engagement Template

The following timeline of engagement provides an example of key communications actions in the hours and days of an incident response. A printable version of these templates can be found here, and an editable version of this grid can be found here for communications teams to tailor actions, status and action owners during a communications response. When adapting, consider tailoring the timeline template for notice and no-notice events as well as large-scale events with longer duration outages.

Information Gathering, Verification And Coordination

In addition to the Energy Emergency Assurance Coordinators Program presentation, the following resources provide guidance for cross-agency and cross-sector collaboration:

• The National Governors Association’s State Resources Center on Energy Security provides Governors with a one-stop-shop for the information and resources they need to plan for and respond to energy emergencies.
• The Southeastern Petroleum Shortage Response Collaborative Regional Framework’s Public Information Section provides petroleum-specific internal coordination and public information guidance.
• The National Incident Management System Basic Guidance for Public Information Officers provides an overview of formal structures and information flows, including regional coordinated response, communication flows, information verification and effective decision-making.
• NASEO State Energy Assurance Guidelines provide lessons learned from responding to energy emergencies in recent years and the results of the dialogue at conferences, exercises and meetings on energy assurance.
• The American Gas Association provides the Emergency Preparedness Handbook as a framework in coordinating mutual assistance, defining leadership roles, and ensuring industry- government communication for crisis response and recovery.