CommCore Addresses North Atlantic Region Port Directors on Need for Crisis Preparation and Simulation

Online, December 8, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Meticulous crisis communications planning and preparation are critical for senior sea port officials because their docks and containers are around-the-clock global gateways to America's and Canada's heartland, CommCore Senior Vice President Nick Peters told a recent conference of the North Atlantic Ports Association (NAPA).

"It's not a question of bad vs. good when you are reacting to a crisis," Peters told the 30 port directors from Canada and the Northeastern United States meeting in Washington. "It's about keeping bad from becoming worse. Advance planning and regular simulation exercises are essential to a successful crisis communications function in fluid and vulnerable environments like major ports. "

Security and the threat of terrorism, the integrity of international cargo, accidents, labor relations, international trade policy, corruption, and natural disasters were but a few of the potential crisis scenarios discussed during the session.
"CommCore's program was an important and effective reminder to our membership that crisis communications and proper planning are as important to their jobs as managing the operations of their ports," said NAPA Executive Director Thomas Valleau. "Figuring out what to do when a crisis is already in motion is not an option."

About North Atlantic Ports Association:
Incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1950, the North Atlantic Ports Association is a membership organization for the seaports between Norfolk, Virginia and Halifax, Nova Scotia and for governmental agencies and private sector businesses connected to ocean commerce in the North Atlantic range. Themes of the association include intermodal transportation, the movement of intermodal containers, trade routes, steamship lines, port safety and security, port planning, dredging and harbor maintenance, railroad services, stevedoring, trucking, and federal and state legislative activities affecting ports and ocean commerce.