The Mass Shooting Playbook Introduction by Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications… A mass shooting is not just a tactical emergency. It is a communications crucible. This article introduces the Mass Shooting Playbook, a research-driven, practical handbook for leaders and communicators responsible for communities under threat. Built on real-world cases, it offers checklists, clear roles, and guidance […]
By Justin Snair, Sarah K. Miller and Emma Erwin, writing for the Texas Division of Emergency Management and DomesticPreparedness.com Bad alerts can cost lives. Jargon, acronyms and unclear actions waste precious characters. This article shows how emergency managers, researchers and technologists are using generative AI to build evidence-based, multi-platform warning messages with built-in readability and […]
Crisis communications is a sub-specialty of the public relations profession that is designed to protect and defend an individual, company, or organization facing a public challenge to its reputation. Crisis communications is aimed at raising awareness of a specific type of threat, the magnitude, outcomes, and specific behaviors to adopt to reduce the threat. […]
Introduction by Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications… Every issue of Crisis Communications Today is written with one hope: to teach and give our readers usable, do-able information. Unfortunately, we know the reality many of you live with every day: the threat of a mass shooting is no longer theoretical for city halls, schools, colleges, hospitals and […]
Fires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, arson and active shooters can all affect houses of worship. With incidents occurring with little to no warning, many houses of worship are developing and updating plans and procedures to ensure the safety and security of their congregations, staff, and facilities. Training and planning exercises may enhance the disaster preparedness – […]
For the third consecutive year, Hennes Communications has been named one of the top U.S. crisis communications firms by Chambers and Partners, the world’s leading independent legal research and rankings organization. Hennes Communications is one of only 20 communications consultancies in the United States included in the prestigious 2025 Chambers Crisis & Risk Management guide. […]
In recent years, it seems nearly every PR firm now claims to offer crisis communications. If an agency already sells marketing plans, product launches, social media, branding, employee engagement, investor relations, and digital marketing — it’s all too easy to simply add “crisis communications” to the list, often without experienced professionals to back it up. […]
Editor’s Note: This must-read article reveals how real disasters test — and prove — he power of crisis communications training. From the Key Bridge collapse to the Nashville shooting, Tropical Storm Helene, and California wildfires, it shows how classroom lessons become life-saving action and how every response reshapes future teaching. Blending insight, authenticity, and […]
Are you ready to elevate your career and become an indispensable asset to your organization? Ohio University’s prestigious Scripps College of Communication offers an exceptional opportunity that could transform your professional trajectory. Through an innovative partnership with Hennes Communications, if you recently attended a seminar with Bruce Hennes, you can receive one free credit hour […]
By Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications In today’s high-stakes environment, rising to the C-suite is one challenge. Navigating a full-blown crisis is another entirely. Leading an organization into financial success, operational growth or market dominance does not automatically prepare you for the turbulence of public scrutiny, viral misinformation or emotional social media backlash. While your boardroom […]