text: We delivered bad news but did so with good reason, explained ourselves and, by doing so, won public support, and prevented an emergency from becoming a crisis.
  There were lots of gaps in that PR activity but identifying, evaluating and debriefing the good and bad did more, in one weekend, to establish better ways of working for the future than an entire year of work before that.
  Plans – and testing them regularly – help ensure the right resources, relationships, equipment and channels are there when the worst happens.
  However, equally importantly, planning also helps us understand the environment better to identify how plans can flex, because crises and emergencies ultimately mean something bad is happening for someone somewhere and that requires a human response, not just a framework.
  Bridget Aherne is the former communications and engagement lead at Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service
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