BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSE HIGHLIGHTS BROADER CRISIS COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES

By David Klucsik

Principal, Same Page Communications LLC

Communicating clearly, accurately and effectively during a crisis is never simple or easy, especially when there’s a human toll and when the cause(s) are not immediately apparent. Both factors apply in the immediate aftermath of the tragic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, Maryland (USA) on March 26, 2024.  

Everyone mourns the loss of six workers who were maintaining the bridge roadway at the time of the container ship collision. And everyone acknowledges the quick action of others who kept motorists from unknowingly approaching the crumbled span, and first responders who quickly mobilized to attempt a water rescue at night. All are heroes.

Over the years, I’ve worked on industrial crisis preparedness in the Curtis Bay area of Baltimore, an industrial area of rail yards and bulk commodities near the bridge, which I crossed many times. My work was unrelated to the bridge but it underscores the context and challenges faced by spokespeople in an industrial setting.  

The Key Bridge collapse highlights a number of challenges that are important to anticipate in a crisis. Consider these points:

From the outset, address first things first: Maryland Governor Wes Moore rightly focused first on the human loss and deferred discussion of the bridge’s economic impacts on the port.  And he met with grieving families of the victims.

Second, spokespeople should resist the temptation either to blame or to credit the role of technology or human interactions in a crisis event.  Curious journalists will ask, but, immediately after a tragic event, it’s often impossible to know what caused or contributed to the problem. Sometimes a crisis unfolds from a series of human and technical actions that might be incredibly unlikely, even if they occur separately, let alone concurrently.  With that in mind…

Don’t guess; don’t speculate.  Early conjecture is often wrong, incomplete or downright misleading, and can quickly erode credibility once the facts are known.  Stick with what you know and confirm, not what you think you know.  Let the armchair experts speculate from a distance, instead of a spokesperson at the press conference podium.

Finally, a crisis involving risk to workers or the public might be mitigated if public safety teams are familiar with a company’s operations, hazardous materials, site layout, etc.  It’s always best to include those teams in a company’s emergency planning. Their knowledge, experience and bravery can save lives, save the day---and perhaps save a company’s reputation.

To learn how you can prepare for, and respond in a crisis, contact David Klucsik, principal, Same Page Communications (www.samepagecomms.com), at info@samepagecomms.com.