Public relations in the eye of the storm: Lessons from professionals in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, public relations practitioners balanced accommodating their publics and advocating for their organization. Interviews conducted with public relations practitioners in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana, revealed that they primarily focused on accommodating their publics. The experiences of public relations practitioners during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita trigger several suggestions for practitioners preparing for potential crises.