Human-Centered Crisis Management: Lessons from the Frontlines

About Aviem International

Aviem International is a crisis response organization specialising in Human Services Response, an approach that blends logistical coordination with compassionate care for victims and their families. Founded by Jeff Morgan in 1999, Aviem supports both private and public organizations in preparing for and responding to major incidents.

Jeff’s background in the aviation industry, including his leadership role in emergency response at Delta Air Lines, has shaped Aviem’s mission: helping companies respond honorably after a crisis or trauma by providing conscious, compassionate care to survivors, families, and employees. Aviem’s services include preparedness, response, and training so that organizations are equipped to put the needs of people first in a crisis.

Understanding Human-Centered Response

Unlike traditional incident management—which often focuses on logistics, response time, and operational flow—human-centered crisis management emphasizes care, communication, and cultural sensitivity. Jeff described this as the “other side” of a response plan: the emotional and psychological toll events take on victims, families, staff, and first responders.

These human factors become particularly important in large-scale incidents such as:

• Swissair Flight 111: A catastrophic plane crash off the coast of Nova Scotia, where coordinated victim support and family assistance became as important as technical recovery.

• White Island Volcano Eruption: A sudden and deadly natural disaster in New Zealand, requiring global coordination and communication with victims' families.

• Malaysia Airlines MH370: The mysterious disappearance of a commercial airliner, testing long-term communication plans and resilience among both families and response teams.

In a crisis, organizations must consider and prepare every level of their team, from frontline personnel and customer service representatives to dedicated care team members and executive leadership. Aviem helps organizations better prepare by offering tailored training that ensures each of these roles understands their responsibilities, communication protocols, and the importance of empathy under pressure. This comprehensive approach means that whether someone is answering the first call from a distressed family member or making high-level decisions in a boardroom, everyone is aligned in delivering a compassionate, consistent, and coordinated response.

Public vs. Private Sector Response

One of the key insights from the session was how the human response can differ between the public and private sectors.

In private sector incidents, particularly in aviation and transportation, organizations often have structured family assistance plans, dedicated crisis care teams, and the budget flexibility to deploy support services rapidly. The public sector, however, often operates under stricter budget constraints, bureaucratic structures, and a heavier reliance on mutual aid and volunteer networks.

Despite these differences, both sectors face common challenges:

• Managing accurate and timely communication

• Coordinating multi-agency logistics

• Supporting emotionally affected individuals in the immediate and long-term aftermath

Jeff stressed that cross-sector collaboration can elevate the quality of response in both environments when organizations are aligned around the shared goal of putting people first.

The Impact of Social Media on Crisis Communications

One major shift in recent years has been the role of social media in crisis response, especially in the initial hours after an incident. Jeff pointed out that, in the past, there might have been a single news outlet reporting on an event, allowing organizations more time to validate facts, contact families, and coordinate a clear message. Today, that luxury is gone. The moment something happens, photos, videos, and unverified stories flood social platforms, often spreading misinformation.

This presents a serious challenge for organizations trying to manage the crisis with compassion and control. Families may see posts before they’ve received official information, which can cause confusion, panic, or even false hope. According to Jeff, one of the most important responsibilities during a crisis is to ensure that families receive the truth first and that it is the same truth being shared with the media and the public. Consistent, compassionate, and factual communication is not just a best practice, it’s a moral obligation.

Preparedness in Practice: Real-World Lessons from Jeff Morgan

“People can forgive accidents. They can’t forgive you for not being prepared for an accident.”
— Jeff Morgan, Founder & CEO, Aviem International

From his early days at Delta Air Lines to founding Aviem, Jeff has been at the forefront of human-centered crisis response, and his message was clear: being prepared is not optional. This conversation reminded us that behind every headline is a family waiting for answers, and behind every crisis plan should be people who are trained, equipped, and ready to respond with compassion.

For Jeff, one of the most critical aspects of crisis management is showing up. He emphasized that when a disaster strikes, you either show up or you don’t, and people notice. You can have the best-written plan in the world, but without the training, the preparation, and the willingness to act, it’s meaningless. It’s about actively demonstrating that you're responding not just operationally, but emotionally and ethically.

That visible, human presence builds trust, and it begins long before an incident occurs. It starts with realistic exercises, multi-agency drills, and the hard work of preparing every level of an organization for the moment they’re needed most.

A Turning Point: Swissair Flight 111

One of the most pivotal events in Jeff’s career was the crash of Swissair Flight 111 in 1998. At the time, Jeff was working with Delta Air Lines, and this was the first major disaster they faced after forming a formal crisis response team. What made this incident different was that for the first time, they had a structured plan.

Because of that preparedness, Delta was able to immediately activate its response protocols, provide trained support to families, and demonstrate a clear, compassionate presence both in the media and on the ground. The result? Positive press coverage, public trust, and most importantly, support where it was needed most.

Legislation That Changed the Industry

The foundation for this shift in airline preparedness came just a few years earlier. In 1996, the U.S. passed the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act, a groundbreaking law that required all domestic airlines to implement formal family assistance plans. In 1997, the law was expanded to include all foreign carriers entering U.S. airspace.

This legislation catalyzed a significant change in the industry, forcing airlines to re-examine not just how they responded operationally, but how they supported victims and families. Jeff and his team at Delta quickly became a go-to resource for partner airlines looking to develop compliant, compassionate response strategies.

That demand for support revealed a much larger truth: the need for thoughtful, human-centered crisis response extended far beyond aviation.

From Aviation to All Industries

What began as internal preparedness at one airline soon grew into a broader mission. Jeff realized that other sectors, utilities, rail, public safety, energy, healthcare, and more, faced many of the same challenges during major incidents. They were operationally sound but often lacked the training, structure, and awareness to manage the human impact of a crisis.

That realization was the beginning of Aviem International. Today, the organization works globally to help companies across industries prepare, train, and respond with empathy, not just with technical solutions, but with a deep understanding of what families and communities need when the unthinkable happens.

White Island Natural Disaster  

Another powerful example of mutual aid and coordinated disaster response, Jeff shared, was the White Island volcanic eruption in New Zealand. While first responders and even bystanders acted heroically in the immediate aftermath, Jeff and his team were brought in during the longer-term recovery phase. The majority of victims suffered severe burn injuries, resulting in lengthy hospital stays and long-term care, with individuals transported to facilities across New Zealand and Australia. The incident heavily impacted Royal Caribbean, whose passengers were on the shoreline excursion at the time. While Royal Caribbean had family assistance teams, they were quickly overwhelmed by the scale and duration of support required. Thanks to Aviem’s work with the Family Assistance Foundation, and the fact that both Royal Caribbean and Air New Zealand were clients, a unique solution emerged: Air New Zealand’s trained team members stepped in to assist Royal Caribbean's response efforts. Because both organizations had received the same standardized training, they were able to seamlessly support one another, showcasing the power of mutual aid and preparation. Jeff noted that Aviem now has over 10,000 trained team members across 40–50 countries, forming a global network capable of providing compassionate, consistent support whenever and wherever disaster strikes.

Flexibility during a Crisis  

Jeff also spoke about Aviem’s involvement in the response to Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in 2014, one of the most complex and prolonged aviation crises in modern history. Once the immediate needs were identified, Aviem issued a global notification to its network and was able to identify over 150 trained team members fluent in Mandarin. Within 90 minutes, they were ready to support affected families if asked.  

Recognizing the need for flexibility and accessibility, Aviem established a Virtual Family Assistance Center, a remote support model that allowed families to receive care via phone, text, and email, no matter where they were in the world. This approach eliminated the need for families to sit idle in hotel rooms watching the news in fear and uncertainty, and instead offered them proactive emotional support and real-time updates. Jeff noted that many families prefer this remote format, appreciating the privacy and immediacy of communication without having to wait in person. The MH370 response highlighted how technology and training can work hand-in-hand to deliver compassionate care, even in the most logistically challenging situations.

Final Thoughts

Crisis management is about more than just managing chaos; it’s about managing people through chaos. Whether responding to a natural disaster, a transportation accident, or a missing aircraft, the most successful outcomes come from those who plan for people just as carefully as they plan for logistics.

Jeff’s real-world experience reminds us that the way we respond defines us. Families don’t expect perfection, but they do expect to be seen, heard, and supported. With every drill, training session, and plan revision, we’re building the muscle memory to ensure that when a real incident occurs, we show up and we show we care.

It all comes down to #PeopleFirst.

Watch the full interview on YouTube: Watch Now