What Were They Thinking?: Crisis Communication: The Good, the Bad, and the Totally Clueless

Christie Whitman and the EPA: Coming Clean on Ground Zero

Once the World Trade Center collapsed on September 11, 2001, countless brave men and women willingly jumped in to save as many people as possible. Soon it became clear that few would survive the collapse of the Twin Towers. Still, rescue workers continued day and night to recover as many bodies as possible and clear thousands of tons of iron, concrete, and other debris. All of this was done with little, if any, concern for the potential health hazards that first responders and volunteer workers might face. Emotions were running high.There was a tremendous commitment to help in any way possible at Ground Zero—without thinking of one’s own health. Nothing like September 11 had ever happened in our nation’s history. It was a crisis of epic and unprecedented proportions . Government officials at every level were overwhelmed by the need to cooperate and coordinate their efforts as well as their communication. Who really was in charge of what? Who had the final say? The jurisdictional lines were blurred and conWhen forced to testify before Congress, EPA administrator Christie Whitman was thinking that, even in this age of electronic recording and easy retrieval via the Internet, she could rewrite her words, blame others, and hide behind her lawyers rather than acknowledge a mistake. What were they thinking?. Once you leave behind a record of your words, you cannot change that reality—so don’t try. The Lesson. 104 Christie Whitman and the EPA COMING CLEAN ON GROUND ZERO Adubato_final_book 5/20/08 4:31 PM Page 104 fusing. Much of the chaotic response to the 9/11 crisis was understandable given the overwhelming nature of the havoc and devastation it wreaked. Yet, the performance of one federal agency—the Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) and its then administrator, Christie Whitman—graphically demonstrates how not to communicate in a crisis and its aftermath. What Was Said The EPA was responsible for monitoring the air quality in and around Ground Zero. It was no secret that after the attack and the World Trade Center collapse, a toxic cloud along with a horrific odor emanated from Ground Zero. Of course the public was concerned about the danger of breathing such air and turned to the EPA for information. The first public statements from Christie Whitman and the EPA regarding the air quality at Ground Zero were reassuring to many. On September 13, only two days after the terrorist attacks, Whitman made the following claim: “The EPA is greatly relieved to have learned that there appears to be no significant levels of asbestos dust in the air in New York City.”1 Then on September 14, Whitman and the EPA added: “The good news continues to be that air samples we have taken have all been at levels that cause no concern.”2 On September 16, Whitman reiterated: “There is no reason for concern.”3 Continuing to bear good news, on September 18 Whitman put an exclamation point on her analysis of the air quality at Ground Zero by saying: “Given the scope of the tragedy from last week I am glad to reassure the people of New York and Washington, D.C., that their air is safe to breathe and their water is safe to drink.”4 Even fourteen months after the 9/11 attack, in December 2002, the EPA would say that people who returned to Ground Zero were “unlikely to suffer short-term or adverse health effects” from contaminated air.5 CHRISTIE WHITMAN AND THE EPA 105 Adubato_final_book 5/20/08 4:31 PM Page 105 It’s understandable that Whitman might misspeak in the midst of confusion and chaos, yet it is unclear why she would offer such persistent reassurances without any credible evidence to support her claims.What she said just wasn’t true. What Was True In a crisis, it is essential to communicate a clear and unequivocal message, and that is exactly what EPA administrator Christie Whitman did regarding the air quality at Ground Zero. But her confident authority came into question as the facts revealed that Whitman’s public claims in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks were not accurate. Over the past six years, hundreds of those heroic and brave rescue workers have become seriously ill because of the toxic and deadly air that they breathed in at Ground Zero. Some have died and others suffer serious...