Crisis Communication Training
Saltchuk, Fall 2025

Last fall, YUIT’s senior team conducted a crisis communications training for Saltchuk in Washington, helping leadership and key team members prepare to respond effectively in a high-pressure situation.

The training focused on three critical areas: Prepare & Plan, Respond & Communicate, and Simulate & Stress-Test. YUIT worked with the team to strengthen crisis protocols, clarify roles and responsibilities, prepare leadership and spokespeople for media and stakeholder communications, and practice responding to realistic crisis scenarios.

Through hands-on exercises and simulated media situations, the training gave Saltchuk’s team an opportunity to test its response, identify gaps and build confidence before a real crisis occurs.

Glacier Valley Incident
NANA Management Services (NMS), 2022

In 2022, 12 children and two adults at Glacier Valley Elementary School in Juneau, Alaska, mistakenly consumed floor sealant after believing it was milk. The Juneau School District contracts with NANA Management Services (NMS) for food services, and NMS engaged YUIT Communications to lead crisis communications efforts in response to the incident.

Through strategic, transparent communications, YUIT helped NMS navigate the crisis, address concerns from the community and stakeholders, and manage the company’s response with clarity and accountability. The approach helped mitigate negative public sentiment and minimize potential damage to the NMS brand during a highly sensitive and rapidly evolving situation.

El Faro
TOTE Maritime, 2015

Tragically, TOTE Maritime lost a vessel carrying 25 million pounds of cargo and all crew members at sea off the coast of Puerto Rico. YUIT Communications led the company’s public communications response, developing and managing communications across multiple channels, including press releases, social media and website updates.

As questions emerged publicly about the company’s reliance on technology, crew training and other operational issues, YUIT responded quickly with accurate, fact-based information and supporting evidence. By maintaining a consistent, transparent flow of communications throughout the crisis, YUIT helped address misinformation, reassure the public, and maintain the confidence of TOTE Maritime’s customers, employees and key stakeholders.

Kulluk Drilling Unit
Shell Oil, 2012

The Kulluk, Shell’s unpropelled drilling unit, ran aground on Sitkalidak Island near Kodiak, Alaska, on December 2012, after severe winter storms caused the towing vessels to lose control of the vessel.

YUIT’s senior leaders and staff brought extensive crisis communications training and real-world experience to the agency before YUIT was formed, including experience supporting major oil and energy companies such as ExxonMobil, Shell and Hilcorp. During the Kulluk incident, Grant and Ingrid were part of the round-the-clock Joint Incident Command, helping manage communications throughout the unfolding crisis. They developed and issued frequent updates to keep employees, stakeholders, the media and the public informed as the situation evolved.

That experience continues to inform YUIT’s approach to crisis communications today: respond quickly, communicate clearly and transparently, provide accurate information, and maintain trust when it matters most.