1. Dam Safety in the News Be Ready for your Close-Up Dam Safety 07 September 11, 2007

2.

Almost everyone has preconceptions and prejudices about journalists

3. 4. Strong Negative Feelings Typical

Missed the point

Got the facts wrong

Had their idea of the story and fit me into it

Focus on the negative

Out to get you

5. Impact of Negative Feelings

Can be defensive, suspicious

Feel as though preparation doesnt matter

Focus on the journalist rather than on the audience

6. Change the Mindset

Old : Survive without embarrassing yourself

New : Accomplish an objective

• Increase awareness

• Increase understanding

• Get people to take action

7. Change the Mindset

What would you want the headline to say?

How would you want the news anchor to lead into the story?

Write it down!

8. Crisis Communications Fundamentals For Dam Safety 07 Presented September 11, 2007 9. The Fundamentals

The three components of crisis communications are crisis planning, response and recovery

10. Crisis Planning 11. Fundamentals: Definition of Crisis

A crisis is an unexpected and uncontrolled event or series of events that disrupt normal operations for a prolonged period and cause unwanted public scrutiny

12. Fundamentals: Definition of Crisis

A crisis always has victims, which can be either human or animal. If nobody was vicitimized, its not a crisis.

13. Developing a Crisis Plan that Works

One of the first things you learn is you have to have a plan in place. It doesnt matter whether its sophisticated or simple youve got to have one. Frankly, the simpler the plan, the better.

-Larry Hincker, Virginia Tech

14. Developing a Crisis Plan that Works

Most plans I see are convoluted, unrealistic, out-of-date nightmares to interpret and never tested by a drill. Good plans point you in the right direction so you can act fast. If yours doesnt, throw it out and start over.

-Richard Amme

15. Developing a Crisis Plan that Works

Keep it simple

Focus on functional aspects of response

Build out crisis infrastructure

Examine and mitigate vulnerabilities

16. Planning: Keep the Plan Simple

The process of planning involves an objective inward-assessment

• Examine operations and processes

• Evaluate and catalogue assets

Good plans can be hundreds of pages

Better plans are just a few pages

17. Planning: Functional Aspects of Response

Who is on the Response Team and who are their alternates?

At what point do you activate the Crisis Response Team?

How can they be reached 24x7?

Who is spokesperson?

18. Prioritizing Target Audiences

Insiders

• Employees, suppliers, customers

Government

• Local, state and federal regulators and lawmakers

Neighbors

Media to reach community

19. Prioritize from the inside out

• Employees

• Shareholders

• Suppliers, customers

Government

• Local, state and federal regulators and lawmakers

Neighbors

Media to reach community

20. Crisis Response 21. Specifics of Crisis Response

Scheduling and adequate staffing cant be overlooked

• 24x7 means 158 hours per week

Be ready for a crush of calls from media, customers and others

• Your infrastructure may not handle the volume, contributing to confusion and perceptions of poor response

22. In the Media Spotlight: The Critical 10 Minutes

Today, everyone with a nice phone can be a journalist

Video and photos can be posted on the Web within minutes

Speculation has a life of its own, so stating facts can quell rumors

23. Guiding Principles of Crisis Response

Quickly assess situation and lay out options

Your first concern should be the health and safety of anyone involved

Express concern and sympathy

24. Guiding Principles of Crisis Response

If the case, emphasize that there will be a complete investigation and your organization will fully cooperate

Stick to the facts

• Focus on the 5 Ws

Never guess or speculate about information you dont know

25. Guiding Principles of Crisis Response

Understand that leadership may be part of problem

Making a statement quickly can help define the story

• You cant wait for comprehensive information

26. Crisis Response Realities

In a crisis, confusion and inaccurate information dominate

The media deals in black and white and simplicity, but a crisis is shades of gray and complexity

Media will assess blame

Media often gets information you dont have

27. Think Actions Over Words

Look for opportunities to exhibit concern and control

Resist blatant photo ops

Document your organizations efforts, but resist the temptation to self-promote too soon

28. Crisis Recovery 29. Crisis Recovery: The Crisis Lifecycle Discovery True impact clear Personal stories On to the next story Duration Intensity 30. Crisis Recovery: The Crisis Lifecycle Discovery True impact clear Personal stories On to the next story Duration Intensity 31. Examples of Organizations that Recovered Quickly

Southwest Airlines Plane skids off runway

City of New York Terrorist attacks

NASA Columbia disaster

Johnson & Johnson Tylenol tampering

Pepsi Syringe hoax

32. What They Had In Common

Visible senior leadership

Immediate expressions of concern and sympathy

Rapid unequivocal action in the publics interest

33. Organizations that Failed to Recover Quickly

Merck Product recall

Exxon Environmental disaster

Tobacco industry - Lawsuit

Firestone Faulty product

34. What They Had In Common

Leadership was late to show

Slow to express concern or sympathy

Slow to take definitive action

Lied and/or stonewalled

35. Contact: Dan Keeney, APR DPK Public Relations [email_address] Dallas: 214-432-7556 Houston: 832-467-2904 www.dpkpr.com