Amusement Ride

Crisis Communications: Lessons Learned

November 15, 2018

Bob Johnson, Outdoor Amusement Business Association (OABA)

Alicia Shoults, Ohio State Fair

Bob JohnsonOutdoor Amusement

Business Association (OABA)

@OABAINFO

Alicia ShoultsOhio Expo Center &

Ohio State Fair

@aliciashoults

OABA immediate actions:

❑ Contact Carnival Owner

❑ Contact Margulies Communications

❑ Communicate with OABA Board

❑ Review Industry Safety Statistics and Carnival Rides Website

❑ Develop spiel for Media calls

❑ Contact IAAPA Safety Committee

❑ Contact KMG ride manufacturer (Attorney)

❑ Communicate Press Release with Industry

❑ Contact ASTM F24 Committee (Amusement Rides/Devices) Executive

Board

Actions by states and fairs

Actions by State Amusement Ride Regulatory Authorities

Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and others to require additional

NDT testing, inspections, etc.

Actions by State/County Fairs

Discussion of whether or not to operate other KMG rides or other rides with

similar action at their fairs, with their midway providers.

We don’t have all the

answers.

What happened

• Breaking international news

• Lead national news story for 24 hours

with continuing national coverage for

48 hours

• Local coverage lasting the following

year

Lessons

Learned

Be prepared.

• Crisis Communications Plan + Distribution

• Public Relations / On-Grounds Safety Meeting

(2 weeks before accident)

• Ride Safety Meeting (2 days before accident)

• Know your contacts (regulatory, association, etc.)

Work as a team, but …

… stay in your lane.

• Investigators (Ohio State Highway Patrol)

• Ride inspectors (Ohio Department of Agriculture)

• Independent ride inspectors

• Amusement ride provider

• Ride manufacturer

• Governor’s Office

• Others

Notify all involved parties.

• Public Relations

• General Manager

• Governor’s Office

• Staff

• Stakeholders

• PIOs

• Customer service

• The public

• The media

Customers want to know...• Can I get a refund?

• Is the attraction open?

• Why is the attraction still open?

As well as…• Sharing “evidence”

• Accusations

• Support

Use social media.

Social’s role is …• As a breaking news source

• As a validator of events (photos, videos, quotes)

• As a way for journalists to contact the business / witnesses

• As a way news spreads

• A way to monitor news and public comments

Review & remove content❑ All scheduled social (buys, too)

❑ Video and content review

❑ Paid advertising buy – web, television, radio, etc.

Share statements

Mini press releases• Factual, relevant updates

• Anticipate and answer questions

• Refund procedures

• Closures, resuming business, etc.

• Basic verbiage

• Minimal punctuation and emotion

Mini press releases and communicating progress

Press conferences + tours• Check-in sheet

• Mult box

• Podium

• Flags

• Speaker selection

Tours for equal accessThe day after…

Tours for equal accessNearing 48 hours

Be transparent.Create a one-stop shop for mediaMedia website (ohiostatefair.com/media-fireball)

• Video of press conferences

• B-roll

• Requested documents

• Updates

• Contact information for all involved parties

Logistics are vital.

• PEOPLE!

• Radios

• Golf Carts

• Portable chargers

• Crisis files (Dropbox)

• Laptops

• Phones

• Media Center

• Media Staging Area

What are your media

access policies?

Standard operating procedure helped:

• No credentials mailed in advance

• Camera = Escorted by Fair staff

• Every single person is checked in

• Can’t just get into the fair with media badge

Media staging area

• Designated area

• Already fenced in

• A good shot, but not “the shot”

• Restrooms

• Someone in charge.

Feed the beast.

Don’t be caught off-guard

by anniversaries.

• Memorial

• Funeral

• Anniversaries

• Sweeps Mindset (February, May, July and November)

• Grey’s Anatomy

Anniversary coverage

One year laterMedia Ride Safety Day

• 9:00 a.m.- Pre-meeting with all participants

• 11:00 a.m.- Press conference with speaker

intros (3-5 min.)

• Ohio Dept. of Ag director

• Ohio Dept. of Ag chief ride inspector

• Amusements of America spokesperson

• Wagner Consulting, third party inspector

• Bob Johnson, Outdoor Amusement

Business Association

One year laterMedia Ride Safety Day

• 11:30 a.m. - Speaker interviews, Ride Inspection video opportunity

• Each speaker has PR representative to help move process along

• Each media outlet has PR representative to escort them

• Around 1 pm – Event concluded

• 5 pm, 6 pm – local outlets returned for live shots

One year laterMedia Ride Safety Day

One year laterAnniversary coverage

• Two-day anniversary

• Positive coverage

• Moment of silence

• Families / victims visited

• Goal of resuming typical coverage by

third day of fair

Get ready for scrutiny.

Everything under scrutiny

Everything under scrutiny

Keep your ear

to the ground.

• Litigation

• Legislation

• Regulatory changes

• Victim condition• Media opportunities

Lessons Learned

1. Be prepared.

2. Work as a team, but stay in your lane.

3. Notify all involved parties (associations, owners, manufacturers).

4. Use social media.

5. Strategically use press conferences and tours to provide updates.

6. Be transparent.

7. Logistics are vital.

8. Don’t be caught off-guard by monthly/annual anniversaries.

9. Get ready for scrutiny.

10. Keep your ear to the ground.

Use third-party validators.

ASTM F24

Special Meeting in Scottsdale October 2017

Meeting with Regulators (AHJ), Manufacturers, Amusement Ride Industry,

Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC)

Creation of New F24 Task Group/“Evolution”

Formed Three separate Task Groups • Evo Group 1: Design/Engineering F2291 Changes

• Evo Group 2: Manufacturing/Operations/Maintenance F1193 and F770 Changes

• Evo Group 3: Inspection/Non Destructive Testing(NDT) F1193 and F2974 Changes

Questions?

Bob Johnson

bobj@oaba.org@OABAINFO

Alicia Shoults

a.shoults@expo.ohio.gov

@aliciashoults