What Snowstorms Taught Me About Crisis Communications

On the first really nice day of the year, most people stop thinking about winter.

If you’ve worked in government or public affairs, you don’t.

Getting to the point where you no longer have to manage public response to a snowstorm still feels like a relief.

When I led communications for Pennsylvania and Governor Wolf, snowstorms were one of the most consistent and challenging crisis communications scenarios we faced.

Crisis Communications Planning Matters. But It’s Not Enough.

PennDOT leaders and operators planned ahead. They positioned plows and other assets across the state.

We coordinated with PEMA and the National Guard, sometimes activating the National Guard in advance.

We developed plans, secured approvals, and held press conferences to communicate our preparations.

From a crisis communications standpoint, we did everything right.

Then it snowed.

Crisis Communications Needs Operational Support 

No matter how much planning went into the response, the outcome felt the same.

Roads became difficult. Travel slowed. Accidents increased.

Everyone impacted was frustrated.

We worked to over-communicate our efforts to clear the roads.

We pushed updates nonstop. What was treated? What was cleared? What was next?

But until the roads were actually clear, no one was satisfied.

That is the reality every crisis communications firm understands.

Many organizations and leaders default to messaging. They try to manage perception. They try to make the problem go away.

That instinct creates risk.

The role of a crisis communications professional is not to spin. It is to push for action.

Fix the problem.

Because your audience judges you on one thing. When the problem is fixed.

The Core Principle of Effective Crisis Communications

Iterative updates matter. Constant communication is essential.

But communication alone will not resolve a crisis.

You need to restore normal operations as quickly as possible. Then communicate that outcome clearly.

That is how you rebuild trust.

That is what effective crisis communications looks like.