Every day, states, cities and counties face situations that can easily spiral out of control without timely communication from government agencies. Regardless of the type of crisis — be it a natural disaster, terrorist event or even a controversial tweet that goes viral — it’s critical for government agencies to respond quickly. In today’s connected world, an effective response must be shared through social media alongside more traditional communication channels. Government agencies have plans and protocols for a physical response when disaster strikes. In much the same vein, a Crisis Communication Plan (CCP) can serve as a resource for state and local government agencies to prepare, react and respond to a crisis online.