Field Guide · 9 min read
The First 24 Hours of a Viral Crisis
A precise timeline-based checklist for the first full day after a crisis breaks.
Hour 0–1: Triage
Confirm scope: what is being said, where, by whom, and how fast.
Identify the principal. Remove all other voices from the surface.
Contact legal within 30 minutes. Do not draft anything without counsel.
Hour 1–6: Containment
Assess origin: organic, disgruntled party, competitor, coordinated.
Decide on holding statement, denial, clarification, or silence.
Begin publisher outreach to top 3 outlets carrying the story.
Hour 6–12: Narrative
Draft the narrative you want in place by hour 48.
Identify credible voices who can amplify it.
Secure domain and social handles if any are vulnerable.
Hour 12–24: Amplification
On-the-record interviews with trusted outlets only.
Social: short, calm, human. Not legalese. Not corporate.
Update owned properties with corrected context.