Is it really that hard to spin up an IRC server for moments like these? I too have had to switch to Skype communications today. I wish people used IRC in the first place so I could write my own bots.
Inspircd is pretty easy to set up (as a server). Hexchat is a great client, Weechat is great for a commandline client. If you have server access you can also set up Kiwi which is a webclient, making it easy for those with less tech prowess to connect.