Part Two
IN last week’s column, we began to answer the inquiry of Sheila on how their company can be better prepared for disaster response.
We replied that this was a growing concern for PR practitioners. Natural disasters are everywhere—Typhoon Ompong in the Philippines, Hurricane Florence in the US and the recent earthquake in Indonesia.
Ironically, these major disasters took place in September, which has been named National Preparedness Month in the US. It is when the federal government offers resources for people to prepare in the event of an imminent natural disaster.
We shared some initial takeaways from PRSA’s New York Chapter panel discussion, “Disaster Communications: Preparing Yourself, Your Team, and Your Company for the Unexpected” at FleishmanHillard’s New York Office.
This was documented by Justine Joffe in an article, titled “How to Handle Your Brand’s Disaster Response in Phase” in PR News. There is a lot we can learn from these discussions.
To begin with, this was moderated by David Rosen, vice president of programming at PRSA New York. The panel included MSNBC Senior Vice President of Communications Errol Cockfield, American Red Cross Communications Officer Michael de Vullpillieres, NY Emergency Management Communications Director Allison Pennisi, NYU Langone PR Director Neal Gorman, and FleishmanHillard’s Crisis Lead for the Americas, Senior Vice President Chris Nelson.
We highlighted the difference between a crisis and a disaster, and how a brand’s response to a crisis and disaster should be executed with three priorities in mind—people, business recovery and community recovery.
This time, we will discuss some tips from the resource persons in a disaster’s three phases as documented by Joffe:
The Preparedness phase
- American Red Cross Communications Officer Michael de Vullpillieres said, “If you’ve had advance warning, you are in the preparedness phase. Your absolute priority is ensuring the general public is empowered with the tools, often by amplifying the messages of our government partners, and how the Red Cross is preparing.”
- NY City Emergency Management Agency Communications Director Allison Pennisi said, “The tone should be authoritative yet accessible. In order to communicate calmly, communicators must be in a preparedness state themselves.”
- MSNBC’s Cockfield said, “You’ve got to identify all your audiences. What is the message for each of those audiences? What are the vehicles for your message?”
The Emergency phase
- De Vullpillieres said, “When an emergency is unfolding, you really want to make sure you’re communicating where people can find help. You want a tone of empathy and emergency, and make sure that mirrors the work that you’re carrying out.”
- Pennisi said, “If you don’t have additional information, you never say, ‘I don’t know.’ You say ‘this is the information we have now; we’ll provide updates.’”
- Cockfield said: “Even mentioning casually that you’re exhausted can be quoted and on the record. Communicators should be especially mindful of drawing those boundaries with reporters during a disaster, even the reporters they have worked with for years.”
The Response phase
- De Vullpilleries said, “You have the response phase when you’re carrying out the relief. You want to make sure that you’re messaging how your business is helping, and where people can help/volunteer, but you’ve got to balance this messaging so you don’t come across as self-serving. You’re putting people first.”
- Pennisi said, “You want to show you’re in control of this message; you’re the one that’s putting this out there, but you don’t come off as self-serving or pompous.”
- FleishmannHillard’s Crisis Lead for the Americas, SVP Chris Nelson said, “Figuring out how your business should respond to disaster ultimately comes down to thinking ahead about what part it should play. What is your role in the story? Are you part of the affected? Are you the villain? Understanding your role in the story is important.”
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie Dizon, the senior vice president for marketing and communications of SM, is the former local chairman.
We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.
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