Identify which emails are real escalations before they become crises

Three emails are written in capitals and exclamation marks, but only one of them is an actual problem. This assesses each message against your escalation criteria, separating true escalations that need you now from anxious senders who can go through normal channels. You react to what is genuinely on fire, not to whoever has the most punctuation.

Here are the emails in my inbox. Some may represent real escalations; others just feel urgent:

{EMAIL_LIST}

My role: {MY_ROLE}
My escalation criteria: {ESCALATION_CRITERIA}

For each email, assess:
- TRUE ESCALATION: something is broken, delayed, or at risk. Needs immediate attention from me or my manager.
- PERCEIVED URGENCY: sender is anxious but the issue is manageable through normal channels.
- ROUTINE: no escalation signals, standard handling applies.

For each TRUE ESCALATION:
1. Summarise the issue in one sentence.
2. Identify who needs to know right now.
3. Suggest the first action to take in the next hour.

For PERCEIVED URGENCY emails, draft a reassuring one-line reply that buys time without dismissing the sender.