A crisis is a pivotal moment for a company, and having prepared communicators can impact the reputation and financial state of a company. But there is currently a gap in learning how to manage a crisis and performing in the workplace. To explore this problem, I analyzed the four most popular textbooks in crisis communications and analyzed how they used theory to help students craft a fitting response to a crisis. My thesis recommends incorporating rhetorical theory, specifically the theory of the rhetorical situation, to bridge theory and practice and provide students with flexible theory to learn how to respond in a crisis.