The White House predicts that 20 to 40 percent of all Americans may develop H1N1 flu this season, and that 30,000 to 90,000 could die from it. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers a more conservative prognosis, it does expect H1N1 to hit more communities in …
New CPR Method
Everywhere we look in life, we see forms of crisis management. Nowhere are these more prevalent than in the work of first responders – police, paramedics and firemen. A new CPR method is saving lives and fast establishing itself as the standard nationwide. In an interview for a CNN article …
Sorry!
To anyone involved in crisis management on a regular basis, the idea that a sincere apology can mitigate damages is a no brainer. In other sectors, however, this idea is only just beginning to catch on. The success of legislation which has been adopted in 34 states, based on the …
Cleaning Up
We frequently discuss crisis prevention and response, but a topic that’s not touched upon as often is the clean-up phase. In an article penned for the latest Crisis Manager, Jonathan Hemus, founder of Insignia Communications, explains his way of thinking: Getting through a crisis successfully can suck every bit of …
Planning to Respond
One of the most critical parts of crisis management is having a plan in place before crises hit. Featured in the most recent edition of the Crisis Manager is an excerpt from PR expert Bob Roemer’s book, “When the Balloon Goes Up: The Communicator’s Guide to Crisis Response,” in which …
Online Reputation Crises
With the public nowadays looking to the Web for the vast majority of their news and information, having a poor online reputation is a major no-no. In an article written for our latest Crisis Manager newsletter, Rose Jensen offers up some advice for online crisis management. Whether you’re an individual …
New Crisis Manager Newsletter!
After a long delay due to extensive work travel, we’ve finally got a new issue of our Crisis Manager newsletter up on the BCM website. In return for your patience, this edition features three enlightening guest articles representing different aspects of crisis management, all drawn from the real-life experiences of …
The Other Side
Almost every public relations professional has, or will, manage a client’s communications in a crisis situation. We all know the drills. But, how many of us have been on the other side, crisis management for the plaintiff’s side; working for the organization that wanted the publicity to continue. In a …
Extreme Measures
Those in the medical field face some of the most extreme crisis management situations one could imagine, including this one, described in an article from ProPublica.org: With scant public input, state and federal officials are pushing ahead with plans that — during a severe flu outbreak — would deny use …
Crisis Management is a 24/7 Business
Crisis management is a 24/7 business. The fact is, Lady Luck can turn fickle at any time, and she pays no mind to time zones or busy schedules. A bad decision or freak accident can quickly derail your organization and plunge it into crisis. A quote from a recent press …
Using Twitter
It’s no coincidence that Twitter is in the news daily. The success of the platform is obvious, and the question is no longer how to convince clients that they should use the service, but, as an article from Affinitive’s Social Media Playground says, how to use it to meet your …
Out of Control
When acclaimed UK eatery, “Fat Duck,” once named the #1 eatery in the world, was stricken by a series of shellfish-related food poisonings earlier this year, it raised major questions over their safety procedures. With a total of 529 diners sickened and the owners unsure of the cause of their …
Falling From Grace
Though celebrities with tarnished reputations are no rarity here in the U.S., the heights from which they can fall are often astounding. According to a CNN.com article, actress-singer LeAnn Rimes, once considered to be as squeaky-clean as they come, has been accused of embarking on an extremely public affair with …
Reputation Repair
Michael Bryant, former Ontario attorney-general, is just one of the long list of public figures recently finding themselves in need of professional crisis management in order to repair their reputations. You’ll find some comments from me in an article from the Globe Investor which details his first exposure to the …
The Big Crash
If the entire Internet went down today, would you be able to survive? While most would be quick to say “yes,” I believe few have truly thought about the impact this would have. In the event of a crash, everything but the very simplest tasks would be impossible – no …