Purpose This study aims to point at the vulnerability of the networks on which companies rely, willingly or not. This vulnerability, it is argued, can be harnessed if firms proactively engage with their partners toward collective crisis management. Design/methodology/approach The case study relies on a three-year fieldwork, including over 100 interviews and 560 hours of observations at a public organization specialized in crisis and emergency management. Findings This case study shows how practitioners who are trained in emergency management prepare for crisis mitigation via the harnessing of networks. The paper translates these insights into networking practices and heuristics for business settings. Originality/value Because it reports on an extreme organization specialized in crisis and emergency management, this case study reports on observations that are derived from the best. Promising practical implications for businesses are discussed.