A printable emergency decision sheet for the first hours of a possible crisis briefing. Do not rush into a live room merely because a checklist exists: sometimes an accurate holding statement is the safer first response.
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First-hour decisions
Assign an incident owner, verify what is known and unknown, check immediate safety needs, preserve source records, and agree who can approve a holding statement. Do not speculate about causes, liability or affected people.
Before inviting media
Confirm legal and operational sign-off; train a spokesperson to answer verified questions, acknowledge unknowns and commit to a realistic update. Agree who handles social channels, press enquiries and corrections. Confirm a venue, safe access, working sound and a fallback before announcing details.
After the briefing
Log unresolved questions with owners and deadlines, send approved source material, correct mistakes promptly and respect the privacy of affected people. Read the four-hour crisis guide for the full decision sequence. This is a communications aid, not legal or emergency-response advice.