The outcome of this project will be an audit instrument - a Scorecard and relevant Guides - as a tool for ensuring effective crisis communication strategies and implementation. The Scorecard will enable public authorities to measure and improve their readiness for crisis communication. The Guides facilitate effective media relations and crisis communication strategies for various public groups. This will be made available for public authorities on a digital platform together with support materials. By this proposal we pursue to improve crisis communication, by identifying critical factors in media relations and relations with civilians and miscellaneous groups (survivors, casualties, deceased victims, family to workers, first responders and affected communities) before, during and after crisis situations. These crises may be the result of acts of nature, or acts of man (both intended, such as terrorism, or unintended, such as major accidents and infrastructure failure). We will study communication strategies in various recent cases and analyse the reception of information in stressful situations.