A major incident at a live event is a media event before the first ambulance arrives. Social media posts from inside the venue begin circulating within seconds of an incident, often before event staff have confirmed what is happening. Managing the information environment during an emergency is not optional—it is an operational requirement that must be planned in advance.

The New Media Reality

Every patron with a mobile phone is a potential news reporter and a content publisher with a global audience. FEMA’s crisis communication guidance (2016) recognizes that the speed of social media has fundamentally changed how emergencies are perceived and reported—and that organizations that fail to communicate quickly and accurately cede control of the narrative to unverified sources.

The Astroworld Festival tragedy in November 2021 illustrates this in real time. Videos of crowd distress circulated on social media for hours before the event was officially stopped. The gap between what was visible online and the official response created lasting reputational and legal consequences for the organizers (Texas Task Force on Concert Safety, 2022). Effective media management does not eliminate bad news—it ensures that accurate, authoritative information reaches audiences before misinformation fills the vacuum.

Appoint a Public Information Officer Before the Event

NIMS requires that all incidents of significant complexity have a designated Public Information Officer (PIO) as part of Command Staff (Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], 2017). For live events, this person should be identified by name and role in the major incident plan, with clear authority to speak on behalf of the event organization. FEMA (2010) recommends that a media liaison area be designated on the site plan—a location that gives media personnel access to authorized spokespersons while keeping them away from the incident scene and operational areas.

In a major incident, the police PIO typically assumes lead responsibility for coordinating the overall public information response. The event organization’s PIO must know in advance how to interface with law enforcement’s public information function, and who has final authority over public statements (FEMA, 2017).

The Media Liaison Area

A designated media liaison area should be identified in the site plan and known to all event security and stewarding staff. The location should be:

• Away from incident operations, triage areas, and any restricted zones
• Accessible to media vehicles and broadcast equipment
• Staffed by a trained spokesperson or PIO during an incident
• Established at a distance that respects the dignity of those affected

FEMA’s Basic Public Information Officer course (IS-702) emphasizes that establishing and holding the media liaison area prevents media personnel from interfering with operations and reduces the risk that graphic or distressing images will be captured and broadcast without context (FEMA, 2018).

Pre-Scripted Messaging

During an incident, the instinct to say nothing until the full picture is clear can backfire. A prolonged silence while social media fills with unverified footage signals disorganization and indifference. FEMA’s crisis communication guidance (2016) recommends three principles for emergency public communication:

• Be first — release information as quickly as accuracy allows
• Be right — verify facts before releasing; acknowledge what you do not yet know
• Be credible — say what you will do and do what you say

Prepare at least three tiers of holding statements for different incident types: (1) an initial statement acknowledging an incident and committing to an update timeline; (2) an operational update with confirmed facts; (3) a resolution or transition statement as the incident is resolved or handed off to another agency.

Social Media During an Incident

Your organization’s social media channels should be monitored continuously during the event and actively managed during an incident. FEMA (2018) recommends designating a social media monitor whose sole function during an incident is to track public posts, identify misinformation, flag emerging concerns to the PIO, and coordinate approved responses through official channels. Do not attempt to suppress or argue with witness accounts. Acknowledge them where appropriate and direct audiences to official channels for verified information.

Post-Incident Communication

After the incident is resolved, the communication work continues. NFPA 1600, Standard on Continuity, Emergency, and Crisis Management (National Fire Protection Association [NFPA], 2022), requires that post-incident communication plans be included in crisis management programs. A post-incident statement should acknowledge what happened, describe the response, express appropriate concern for those affected, and outline next steps. Prepare this as soon as the immediate response phase is complete—not days later.

References

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2010). Special events contingency planning job aids manual. U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2016). Crisis communication principles. U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2017). National Incident Management System (3rd ed.). U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2018). IS-702.a: NIMS public information. Emergency Management Institute.

National Fire Protection Association. (2022). NFPA 1600: Standard on continuity, emergency, and crisis management. NFPA.

Texas Task Force on Concert Safety. (2022). Final report of the Texas Task Force on Concert Safety. Office of the Governor of Texas.