Crisis Management

A natural disaster can strike anywhere , at any time . Earth-shattering explosions . Natural catastrophes. Paralyzing cold . Some disasters , such as hurricanes , can be anticipated . Others strike quickly , unexpectedly and often leave devastation in their wake . Since there may be little or no warning , as with any other crisis , it 's best to have a communications plan ready in advance . When people 's lives are shattered by disaster instant response is important

Hot Springs

The residents of Hot Springs , AK a city known for its

natural springs and spas , faced this situation in the spring of 1990 when a flash flood struck one week prior to the start of the traditional tourist season Memorial Day Weekend . Tourism is a major economic force in the area employing more than 20 of Garland County 's civilian labour force and bringing in millions of dollars and more than one million tourists every year . Following the flood , problems within the community and the negative national publicity surrounding the event could have spelled economic disaster for an area so dependent on tourism . But the community 's ability to turn the situation around helped it have a strong season in spite of the obstacles

Late Saturday evening , May 19 , 1990 , the sky over Hot Springs opened up and torrential rains caused a flash flood that engulfed the resort town By the early morning hours of May 20 , 13 inches of rain had fallen stranding tourists and sending cars and other belongings floating through the town 's central business district

By Sunday morning , the sun replaced rain clouds and the water subsided Members of the community began cleaning up and repairing damage to shops and restaurants in the historic district . By the end of the day evidence of the flash flood had diminished considerably . But deeper infrastructure problems and concerns about the town 's ability to be ready for the upcoming holiday weekend worried the town 's business community and residents . Many people living in the county had another concern : how they would obtain recovery help without flood insurance--safeguard no one thought necessary living in the hilly community (quake .ualr .edu

Local concerns were not the only challenges facing city officials . The national media had been busy on Sunday , too , collecting information about the flood and filing reports filled with dramatic s and pictures of the flood 's worst . As a result , Monday morning the nation learned of the event . USA Today ran a dramatic photo and story , and the morning network newscasts carried vivid footage and s of damage

Additionally , calls began coming in from worried tourists , motorcoach operators and other tourism industry leaders . Their perception . based on what they were seeing in the media , was that the town 's streets were still flooded . Fears and cancellations were mounting

The Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB , with assistance from its agency , Walker Associates based in Memphis , TN , began implementing a three pronged crisis communications plan addressing these problems . The efforts included : community relations...

These were the effects not only of the weather in that city but the media that create an awful panorama that pictured a negative vision of that place. Even when we live in a beautiful place, the media can create another view; only if they are interested in underestimate the citizens, and the politics. In most of the cases, press do not care the real situation but they try to persuade people to believe what they show, to sell what they sell.

Answer the questions related to the text visiting this Web site...

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TDY5TSN