Response to the public when something goes horribly wrong is critical; handled poorly, it can make matters much worse.

Yesterday, there was an incident in our preschool that’s bound to evoke a predictable response — one of fear and revulsion. However, I feel that our Superintendent, Tom Bailey, is to be commended for following the most basic rule of crisis communications:

If handled correctly the damage can be minimized.

One thing to remember that is crucial in a crisis is tell it all, tell it fast and tell the truth.

Faced with a situation that no one wants to be part of, immediate action was taken to mitigate the potential for harm. Then he gathered all the facts, conferred with the appropriate sources to determine potential impact, notified the personnel involved and affected, established a mechanism for contacting parents, and then notified* responded to the media.  *Edit: I ran into Bob Fowler today, who indicated that the Sentinel learned of the incident via the letter that went home to parents.  I told him I’d note the correction.
Something like a mouse in the green beans isn’t going to remain a secret, so it’s better to get the facts out than to wait for the rumor mill to create a bigger problem. Like a story about possum in the meatloaf.

Without question, it’s gross to think about. But knowing that proper cooking procedures were followed, that the health department deems it to be “minimal if any risk,” and that a process has been established to ensure that information can be collected and disseminated in an efficient manner to ensure the safety of students and staff, is the best possible antidote to a bad situation.

There are a few people hanging out in a forum I used to visit who will undoubtedly use this to cast blame, but there are some folks who simply can’t be satisfied.

After several years with a public relations firm, I’ve been part of a number of crisis communications plans (though I was not at all involved in this one). Dr. Bailey handled this one absolutely right.

UPDATE:

After seeing the coverage on WATE this evening, let me add my admiration for the calm and straightforward way that Dr. Phillips (principal at the preschool) handled the interview, along with several parents who indicated their understanding of the situation. It seems that the mouse arrived canned along with the green beans, meaning it could have ended up anywhere.

Note to Bill: No, I don’t know what brand they were. I think you’ll be fine without throwing away all your green beans. Myself, I eat the home-canned kind. No mice, but maybe a cat hair here and there.