This is an old presentation from 2006 on leadership and media communication in the wake of Hurricane Rita. Considering the threat posed by Hurricane Sandy and the extent of the evacuation orders all along the East Coast, I figured it might be a timely presentation to share. Full citation: Weisgerber, C. & Butler, S. (2006, April). “Should we stay or should we go? Leadership communication in the face of a potentially catastrophic hurricane”. Paper presented to the Crisis Communication Division of the Southern States Communication Association, Dallas, TX.

1. Leadership & Media Communication
in the Face of a Potentially Catastrophic Hurricane

2. Hurricane Rita: Crisis Communication Model
Intensification Loop
NOAA Media Officials Media Public Media
Insiders
Aid Services Discussion
1st Responders
Experience
Context: Hurricane Katrina
Gatekeeping functions & sensationalism reduces the Cone of Uncertainty.
Path of devastation becomes inevitable.
Discussion of alternative scenario becomes irresponsible.

3. MEDIA COMMUNICATION
“When this is over and
everybody’s home, two things
need to be investigated and
corrected: Houston’s evacuation
plans - and television news’ role
in making us all crazy this past
week.” Ken Hoffman (Houston Chronicle)

4. ‣ An official category 5 monster
‣ The most powerful hurricane ever to
enter the gulf
‣ One of the largest storms ever to hit
the Gulf Coast
‣ One of the largest and most
destructive storms that people in
these parts have ever seen
‣ Third strongest Atlantic hurricane
ever recorded
‣ A very enormous storm
‣ The worst of hurricanes
‣ About as strong as a hurricane gets
Naming the Storm in the Media
(Examples from news broadcasts between Sept. 21 & Sept. 22)

5. Media Descriptions of Worst Case Scenarios
“Pretty much everything in
its path is going down,
Wolf. Well constructed
buildings, they’d have to
be pretty solid concrete to
be able to sustain winds
like that.” CNN meteorologist
“Well-built homes will be “Residences and industrial buildings (will) be
destroyed. [...] But well- destroyed. All shrubs, trees, signs (will be)
constructed homes, (will blown down.”
be) very well demolished
through the storm system, “There could be as much as $73 billion worth
not much can survive of damage, 124 million tons of debris,
that.” CNN meteorologist destroying maybe 120,000 homes.”

6. Graphics as Fear
Appeals
“You see Galveston there, the
inlet. What we’re talking about,
if you went to this category of
storm would be flooding [sic]
that would make the picture
look like that.”
“Basically the island would
disappear underwater.”
“Essentially it would all go
completely underwater.”
-- Wolf Blitzer talking to CNN correspondent
(The Situation Room, Sept. 21)

7. Blitzer: Hurricane Rita now officially a
Category 5 monster [...] the mayor
now calling for a voluntary evacuation
of the Houston area. That’s about 4
million people in the Greater Houston
Metropolitan Area. Mayor Bill White
said this only a few moments ago.
(Begin Video Clip)
White: All people who are in the storm
surge areas, all the regions, A, B, and
C, are encouraged to evacuate.
Amplifying the Problem in the News
The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (Sept. 21, 2005)

8. Hurricane Rita: Crisis Communication Model
Intensification Loop
NOAA Media Officials Media Public Media
Insiders
Aid Services Discussion
1st Responders
Experience
Context: Hurricane Katrina

9. “We are calling for voluntary evacuation from several
different areas.” Mayor Bill White, Sept. 21.
“Is there a mandatory evacuation in Houston or is this
simply voluntary?” “There is a mandatory, and
mandatory does not mean that we’re going to force
people to leave.” Wolf Blitzer talking to Houston Police Chief Harold
Hurtt, Sept. 22.
“We’re not going to stop anybody. And now we are in
the process of adjusting the plans to accommodate
everybody that wants to leave.” Police Chief Hurtt, Sept. 22.
“If some people insist on staying -- perhaps they should
write their Social Security numbers on their arms with
indelible ink.” Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco & Port Lavaca Mayor
Alan Tharling, Sept. 22.
42% of people outside evacuation areas left.
Mandatory, voluntary, or general evacuation?

10. Messages before &
during the evacuation
‣ Get see Galveston there,
“You water & batteries the
inlet. What we’re talking about,
‣ Stay on the evacuation route
if you went to this category of
‣ Fuel trucks are flooding [sic]
storm would be underway
that would make the picture
‣ Contra-flow is about to open
look like that.”
‣ You made the right choice
“Basically the island a hotel
‣ Drive until you find would
disappear underwater.”
“Essentially it would all go
Problem:
completely underwater.”
‣ No routes out & no gas
-- Wolf Blitzer talking to CNN correspondent
‣ No hotels Situation Room, Sept. 21)
(The
‣ 100+ degree heat

11. Official Advice: “Buy water and batteries”
Empty store shelves in the wake of Rita

12. Messages before &
during the evacuation
‣ Get see Galveston there,
“You water & batteries the
inlet. What we’re talking about,
‣ Stay on the evacuation route
if you went to this category of
‣ Fuel trucks are flooding [sic]
storm would be underway
that would make the picture
‣ Contra-flow is about to open
look like that.”
‣ You made the right choice
“Basically the island a hotel
‣ Drive until you find would
disappear underwater.”
“Essentially it would all go
completely underwater.”
-- Wolf Blitzer talking to CNN correspondent
(The Situation Room, Sept. 21)

13. Traffic

14. Traffic
21% spent 20 hours
or more on the road

15. Messages before &
during the evacuation
‣ Get see Galveston there,
“You water & batteries the
inlet. What we’re talking about,
‣ Stay on the evacuation route
if you went to this category of
‣ Fuel trucks are flooding [sic]
storm would be underway
that would make the picture
‣ Contra-flow is about to open
look like that.”
‣ You made the right choice
“Basically the island a hotel
‣ Drive until you find would
disappear underwater.”
“Essentially it would all go
completely underwater.”
-- Wolf Blitzer talking to CNN correspondent
(The Situation Room, Sept. 21)

16. “Drive until you find a hotel” Best Western Vacancies

17. “Drive until you find a hotel” Best Western Vacancies

18. Rita: A Communication Crisis?
‣ Unclear evacuation orders ‣ Media graphics as fear appeals
‣ Unhelpful advice to stranded ‣ Media discussion of worst case
motorists scenarios
‣ Exaggerated statements of the way ‣ Media sensationalism in naming
back the storm
‣ Media misrepresentations of
official messages

21. CREDITS
Corinne Weisgerber, Ph.D. Shannan Butler, Ph.D.
Associate Prof. of Communication Associate Prof. of Communication
St. Edward’s University St. Edward’s University
@corinnew @shannanbutler