Practicing for Disaster

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When they aren't helping clients cope with real disasters, PR professionals hone their skills by simulating fake ones and rehearsing their responses. PR Week recounts the advice of "four seasoned crisis experts" as they respond to a disease outbreak at a fictional seafood plant. Their advice:

• "Call all the families that have been affected to let them know that we care."
• "We need to devise what I call a constituent audience matrix."
• "Should we mention the previous outbreak in the statement we put out?"
• "No, absolutely not."
• "I see the CEO outside reading a statement. It's not a press conference, it's a press briefing. You're not there to answer questions. You're there to demonstrate your concern."