10 Commandments of Municipal Crisis Control

Heavy rains cause sewage to overflow. A boil order is issued. A project goes over budget. The media smells a story — they want answers, and they want them now. What do you do?Hopefully, you have a communications strategy in place and a go-to list of contacts who can expertly answer incoming questions. Take it from those in the know: When it comes to crisis control, these 10 rules will come in handy.1. Don’t say, ‘no comment’ Joseph Ryan, public information director for the City of Bayonne, N.J., says “no comment” infers you have something to hide. It builds a wall.