PD Session – Theft, Sabotage and Protests: How the public's lack of trust became a disaster problem
Time:
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Learn how the public information role was handled in three regions where wildfire evacuations were met by fierce resistance and sabotage.
The massive loss of trust in government and media is combined with a continual loss of journalism in Canada, Meta's news ban, and the rise of alternative media and political division to create toxic situations on the front lines of emergency operations.
This session will explore how a Public Information Officer and his team used research, media, social media, and community outreach to turn sentiment from drastically negative to positive in the middle of a record wildfire season that saw his team supporting three regional districts in B.C.
Session Facilitator
Tim Conrad, APR, is a seasoned public relations professional who excels in difficult and high-pressure work. He has help leadership roles in emergency management, communications, and post-disaster engagements in some of Canada's largest emergencies, including the record-setting 2023 wildfires in British Columbia's Cariboo, Squamish-Lillooet and Columbia Shuswap regions. His work in emergencies has been studied by academics worldwide and adopted in California, New Zealand and Australia.
Tim received the prestigious Shield of Public Service Award from the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) for his exemplary efforts during and after the 2017 wildfires, and the Lamp of Service Award in 2022 for distinguished and dedicated volunteer service leading CPRS professional development nationally for nearly a decade.
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