# Crisis Social Update

Prepare a concise, time-stamped social update containing confirmed facts, immediate guidance, acknowledged unknowns, source ownership, and the next update.

## Usage note

Use this worksheet inside an established incident command and crisis communication process. It does not replace emergency services, official public warnings, technical response, or qualified safety guidance. Publish only facts confirmed by the authorized incident source. Identify the time zone, accessibility route, and next-update commitment. Do not speculate about cause, responsibility, impact, or resolution to make an update appear complete.

## How to use this template

1. Confirm incident authority, affected scope, known start, current status, public actions, support routes, unknowns, and prohibited details.
2. Draft the time-stamped update in priority order: status, affected audience, immediate guidance, organizational action, unknowns, and next update.
3. Verify every sentence with its named source and obtain the defined incident, safety, legal, or executive approval for the risk level.
4. Test the final post, links, media, captions, alternative text, translation, account identity, and consistency with the canonical status page.
5. Publish, monitor interpretation and new evidence, issue versioned corrections, and continue until an authorized closure update transfers ownership.

## Blank template

### Incident control

- **Incident ID and name:** [Internal reference]
- **Severity and communication level:** [Approved classification]
- **Incident lead:** [Name or role]
- **Fact source:** [System, team, or official authority]
- **Communication owner:** [Name or role]
- **Affected service, place, or audience:** [Confirmed scope]
- **Known start:** [Date, time, and zone]
- **Current phase:** [Investigating, responding, monitoring, or resolved]
- **Restricted details:** [Security, privacy, safety, or another]

### Public update

- **As-of timestamp:** [Date, time, and zone]
- **Opening status:** [What is confirmed now]
- **Who is affected:** [Known scope and uncertainty]
- **Immediate action:** [What people should do or avoid]
- **Organization action:** [What responders are doing]
- **Known impact:** [Verified effect]
- **Unknowns:** [What is not yet confirmed]
- **Help route:** [Accessible, staffed destination]
- **Canonical update page:** [Stable route]
- **Next update:** [Specific time or condition]

### Verification and release

- **Statement-to-source check:** [Owner for each material fact]
- **Safety review:** [Reviewer and result]
- **Privacy or security review:** [Reviewer and result]
- **Translation status:** [Locales and reviewer]
- **Accessibility check:** [Text, links, media, and low-bandwidth route]
- **Final account preview:** [Evidence]
- **Approver:** [Name, role, and time]
- [ ] Cause and resolution are not stated beyond confirmed evidence.
- [ ] The timestamp and time zone appear in the published message.
- [ ] Advice does not exceed organizational authority or qualified expertise.

### Sequence and aftercare

- **Previous update:** [Reference and timestamp]
- **What changed:** [New, corrected, or unchanged]
- **Rumor or misunderstanding to address:** [Verified response]
- **Correction required:** [Exact change and destinations]
- **Monitoring owner:** [Channels and hours]
- **Closure authority:** [Role]
- **Final public state:** [Resolved, restored, continuing risk, or another]
- **Post-incident record:** [Archive and review owner]