In recent years, campus tragedies across the country have prompted leaders of education institutions to redouble their crisis planning efforts. Too often, however, these emergency plans focus almost exclusively on facilities, hardware and systems without sufficient consideration for the people they potentially affect. People, not equipment, will bring an end to an emergency and help save lives. Different people react in crisis in different ways. This article discusses how to prepare and encourage people to take the most effective action. Crisis communications planning is essential and should focus on the critical human element in a school's crisis management approach.