Communicating in a crisis: Lessons for everyone from the Boston Marathon Bombing

1. Communicating in a crisis:Lessons for everyone from the Boston Marathon Bombing Brooke Tyson Hynes, Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications

2. Patriots Day, Marathon Monday

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15. Monday, April 15, 2:50 p.m.: • Bombs Go Off Tuesday, April 16: ? Wednesday, April 17: ? Thursday, April 18: • President Obama Attends Interfaith Service • Late afternoon: FBI identifies 2 suspects, releases photographs • MIT Police Officer killed Friday, April 19: • Early morning - Shootout in the suburbs • Entire Day - Region on lockdown – shelter in place • Evening - Lockdown lifted, Suspect captured

17. Have Amnesia For A Moment Tip 1: You won’t know the end when you are in the middle of the storm

18. Tip 2: It will all happen so quickly The first alert – 2:59 pm

19. Tip 2: It will all happen so quickly The contact from a reporter – 9 minutes later

20. Tip 2: It will all happen so quickly 2:50 PM: Explosions – live on television 2:53 PM: Central Medical Emergency Direction notification 2:59 PM: Notification from the HHAN 3:00 PM: Trauma Teams On Ready in ED 3:05 PM: Code Triage called to activate HICS 3:08 PM: First Contact From Media 3:27 PM: First Patient Arrives 3:33 PM: Law Enforcement On-site 3:27-4:00 PM: Peak Activity (12 seriously injured patients) 4:00 PM: First 4 Patients to OR 18 minutes 37 minutes What if your business is the site of an attack, your business is near by, a data breach at your company has just been leaked, etc. Get your brain and comfy shoes ready.

21. Tip 3: The media response will be likely nothing you have known before • Non-stop calls and coverage for 10 days • More than 200 media contacts reaching out to us – across the country and internationally • 1,500+ calls and emails over the 10 days

22. Tip 3+: Dealing with the Media • Get them what they want before they need it • A doctor • A less harmed patient • A more seriously harmed patient • Human interest stories • Patients who haven’t spoken • Know your spokespeople for different scenarios • Bring in help • Media door guards, phone answering, patient interaction, media interaction. • Change your voicemail message • Have a “media monitor”

23. Tip 3+: Dealing with the Media • Have a letter for patients – who are you, what can you do, what can’t they do • Get creative and get ready for pushy but stay firm • Try to treat everyone the same – especially the locals

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26. Tip 4: Anticipate That Everyone Wants To Help • Have a protocol for food, gifts, deliveries, celebrity visits • Find others to do this. The Communications team won’t have time.

27. Tip 5: Own Social Media But Know You Can’t Own It • Social media front and center from beginning • How we used it, how we saw it used • Reporters can get to your subjects without going through you -- the gatekeeper. Photos aren’t off limits.

28. Tip 6: Remember your internal audiences

29. Tip 7: Develop relationships before a crisis

30. Tip 8: Have it all on paper or tablet

31. Tip 9: There will be crises within the crisis

32. Tip 10: Have a crisis plan for your personal life

33. Tip 11: Wear Pockets