A statement can be argued with. A record can be checked.

In the room, not on the call

Communications belongs where the facts are being established, not two hours later when someone forwards a decision and asks for a paragraph about it. On November 6, 2024, that room in North Miami Beach held the City Manager, the Chief of Staff, the Police Chief, the Deputy Chief, a detective, the HR Director, the City Attorney, the Communications Manager, and PCG. We made a recommendation. Most of the room supported it. Not all. The City Manager acted the same day, because the decision was his. That is what one voice means. Not everyone agreeing, but one person accountable and one account of the facts.

A hard morning at City Hall, answered in one voice.

Answer with the record

A statement asks a reporter to take your word for it. A record lets them check it. In January 2024, a reporter had been told North Miami Beach was holding up the permits keeping Crestview Towers residents from home. We answered with the complete permit history, including the letter the city’s counsel had written setting out exactly what the building code required, and a report to help her make sense of a large mix of documents. Our job is to make a reporter’s job easier. We do not lie and we do not hide.

A story about to go wrong, answered with the record.

Write the plan while nothing is happening

Don’t wait until there is a crisis to call. The better we know an organization, the better prepared we are. If you do not have a crisis plan, we can build one with you. If you have one, we can be the number on its first page. On-call crisis communications and public relations usually sits as a clause inside a broader contract, and one morning it is the only part of the contract that matters.

This page covers our government crisis practice. We also work crisis for companies, executives, and their counsel and for nonprofits, foundations, and advocacy organizations. The crisis communications overview sets out the method that is common to all three.