Overview
I led communications during Hurricane Helene, managing messaging for a public school system serving more than 28,000 students during a prolonged, high-impact weather event.
With widespread power outages, limited communication access, and rapidly changing conditions across the region, my focus was to ensure families, staff, and the community received clear, timely, and reliable information across all available channels.
The Challenge
Hurricane Helene created significant disruptions across the Augusta area, including extended power outages that affected both the community and our ability to communicate.
Key challenges included:
- Loss of power across large portions of the district
- Limited access to communication tools and platforms
- High community need for timely updates and resources
- Rapidly changing conditions impacting school operations and reopening decisions
In a situation where access to information was inconsistent, maintaining communication became both more difficult and more critical.
Strategy
I approached this response with a focus on consistency, accessibility, and redundancy.
My priorities were to:
- Ensure families had a reliable source of updates
- Communicate across multiple channels to reach audiences with limited access
- Provide not only operational updates, but also helpful resources
- Maintain trust through clear, steady communication during uncertainty
Execution
Despite local power and connectivity challenges, I continued to lead communications by adapting quickly and ensuring continuity.
Key actions included:
- Relocated outside of the immediate area to maintain consistent access to power and internet and continue communications without interruption
- Delivered daily updates to families and staff, including operational decisions, resource information, and reopening timelines
- Communicated across multiple platforms, including:
- Local news media
- Social media channels
- Direct email communication
- Phone messaging systems
System Improvements
In response to the challenges identified during the storm, I implemented long-term solutions to strengthen future crisis communications:
- Created a centralized Emergency Messaging Landing Page
→ rcboe.org/weatherupdates
→ Provided a single, reliable source for updates during emergencies - Developed a comprehensive library of pre-written crisis communication templates, including:
- Severe weather (tornadoes, hurricanes, winter weather)
- School closures and delays
- Emergency updates
- Ensured templates were available in both English and Spanish, improving accessibility and readiness for diverse audiences
Outcome
- Maintained consistent communication with families and staff despite widespread outages
- Provided timely updates and resources during a period of uncertainty
- Strengthened trust through clear, steady messaging
- Established systems that improved long-term crisis readiness and response
Key Takeaways
This experience reinforced several principles that guide my work:
- Effective crisis communication requires both preparation and adaptability
- Redundancy across communication channels is critical when access is limited
- Clear, consistent messaging builds trust—even in uncertain conditions
- Strong systems created during a crisis can improve long-term organizational resilience
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