Hard-Won Lessons in Crisis Communications from Hurricane History
By: Elisa Rochford
In the world of crisis communications, there’s an old saying: “If you don’t tell your story, someone else will.” As a crisis communications professional, I’ve seen firsthand how this plays out during natural disasters. But you don’t have to take my word for it — history has some powerful lessons to teach us.
The Cost of Spin: A Century of Learning the Hard Way
Picture Miami in 1926. A devastating hurricane has just torn through the city, leaving widespread destruction in its wake. What did the local business community do? They tried to downplay the damage, hoping to protect property values and tourism. Spoiler alert: it didn’t work. When the truth emerged, the cover-up damaged Miami’s reputation far more than the hurricane itself.
Fast forward to modern times, and we’re still learning these lessons. During Hurricane Maria in 2017, Puerto Rico’s main utility company, PREPA, thought underestimating power restoration times would keep people calm. Instead, it led to a massive erosion of public trust when those optimistic timelines proved false.
The Three Pillars of Crisis Communication
Through these historical examples, three fundamental principles emerge:
1. Transparency Over Spin
During Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the American Red Cross faced significant criticism due to unclear communication about how donations were being allocated. This lack of transparency led to public speculation and eroded trust. The key takeaway is that people can generally handle bad news if it’s communicated clearly, but ambiguity or perceived dishonesty creates a much deeper issue, often leading to mistrust and damaging the organization’s reputation. Transparency is essential to maintaining public confidence, even in challenging situations.
2. Consistency is Key
During Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Superdome became a stark example of communication failure. The facility’s management failed to provide clear, consistent updates about building capacity, supplies, safety protocols, and exit timelines to the 30,000 people sheltering there. The result? The Superdome became a national symbol of mismanagement, requiring years and millions in renovation and rebranding to restore public trust. The lesson? Inconsistent communication doesn’t just confuse — it can permanently damage institutional reputation.
3. Empathy Over Efficiency
During Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Houston’s Lakewood Church faced intense backlash after initially communicating that the church was inaccessible due to flooding, leading to its delayed opening as a shelter. While the church explained that logistical concerns, such as flooding and safety, were the reasons for staying closed, the message appeared to prioritize building issues over urgent community needs. The defensive response to criticism sparked outrage, as many residents felt that the church, one of the largest in the country, was not stepping up to help. Although Lakewood eventually opened its doors to those in need, the damage was done. The lack of initial empathy became national news, overshadowing later relief efforts. The lesson? People need to feel heard and supported in a crisis, not just managed through logistical decisions.
What This Means for Your Organization
Whether you’re a small business owner or a corporate communications director, these lessons apply to you. Here’s how to put them into practice:
Be Proactive: Don’t wait for perfect information. Share what you know, acknowledge what you don’t, and keep the updates coming.
Stay Human: Behind every crisis are real people facing real challenges. Communicate with empathy and understanding.
Build Trust Before You Need It: The time to establish credibility isn’t during a crisis — it’s now.
The Bottom Line
In today’s world of instant communication and social media, the old playbook of controlling the narrative has evolved. The most successful organizations during a crisis are those that manage both the narrative and expectations through honest, consistent communication. It’s not about spinning the truth, but about shaping the story with transparency and timely updates.
When facing a crisis, ask yourself: “Am I trying to protect my organization’s image, or am I truly serving my community’s needs?” History shows us that when you focus on the latter, the former tends to take care of itself.
Remember, in crisis communications, transparency isn’t just an ethical choice — it’s a strategic imperative. The hurricanes of the past century have taught us that lesson time and time again. The only question is: are we finally ready to listen?
