Media Advisory - PR Expert coming to Toronto to advocate crisis readiness one year after Broncos' tragedy

Humboldt Broncos' crisis management lead Grant Bastedo on cross-Canada speaking tour discussing lessons learned in the aftermath of the crash – in Toronto April 2-4.

REGINA, April 2, 2019 /CNW/ - Voted by Canadian newsrooms as the most important story of 2018, the horrific Humboldt Broncos' tragedy generated unprecedented international media attention and awe-inspiring world-wide support over the past year. At the time of the crash, the Broncos' organization was caught off-guard and unprepared to handle a crisis of that magnitude – they called on Grant Bastedo and his team from Takt Communications to help manage the crisis response.

takt communications (CNW Group/Canadian Public Relations Society)

From the outset of the crisis, Bastedo and the Takt team had to overcome huge hurdles under incredibly tight time pressures. The Broncos' communications efforts were severely hindered when it was discovered that passwords to their social media accounts and website were only known to those lost in the crash. With international media calling around-the-clock and the public clamouring for updates regarding the condition of survivors, information about memorial services, and locations where they could donate, Takt was forced to quickly improvise a crisis response while the world watched.

Bastedo, an award-winning public relations veteran with over 28-years of experience in crisis management, is doing a Canada-wide speaking tour with the Canadian Public Relations Society talking about the many lessons learned while managing the tragedy and the importance of advanced crisis preparation. His presentation, "Staying Strong: Crisis Management Lessons Learned in the Midst of the Humboldt Broncos' Tragedy," shares important information that will help others who unfortunately experience their own crisis situations.

"The Broncos' experienced a crisis within the crisis, because they did not have a crisis plan and had not given consideration to what they would do if they faced an emergency situation," said Takt Communication's Grant Bastedo. "Not having a crisis plan added stress and chaos to an already stressful and chaotic experience – it stretched all of us involved to our very limits."

SOURCE Canadian Public Relations Society

To arrange an interview or for further information contact: Natalie Tomczak, Phone: [phone], [email protected]