posted on August 18, 2008

National Post: PR experts question city's response to blast

'It was a lot of verbiage without a lot of help'

By: Allison Hanes
Published: August 16, 2008
Source: National Post

A mayor who returned from holiday to handle a disaster only to leave again before a fallen firefighter's funeral. A volatile city councillor yelling at a constituent to "shut up" on live television. The comparison of devastating property damage with the Holocaust and Chernobyl.

Experts in communication during a crisis are questioning the city's response to the propane explosion that rocked a North York neighbourhood on Sunday.

Wednesday's press conference at the scene of the blast -- where an angry mob confronted officials over their fears of asbestos exposure and Councillor Maria Augimeri (York Centre) lashed out angrily at a detractor -- was no doubt the communications nadir of a difficult week for the city.

http://www.nationalpost.com/related/links/story.html?id=727885