During a 16-day period in late 2000, Beuerman Miller Fitzgerald was activated by a Greek client to provide crisis communication services for the owners of the Westchester, a tanker leaking more than 550,000 gallons of crude oil into the Mississippi River near Port Sulphur in Plaquemines Parish.

Environmental risks included water intake systems along the river, prolific oyster beds on both sides of the river, and the Delta Wildlife Reserve, home to literally millions of migrating birds. Economically at risk were the Port of New Orleans, cruise ship operators needing to adhere to tight travel schedules, and scores of oystermen and commercial fisherman unable to reach their fishing destinations.

BMF was contracted late at night, and we immediately established a JIC (Joint Information Center) with the United States Coast Guard, familiarized ourselves with the client's business affairs and corporate culture, and opened lines of communication with local, national and international media, local constituencies at risk and a variety of public officials.

Aggressive and pro-active media and community relations management resulted in informed and balanced media coverage which diminished in size and scope each day, and an absolute minimum of hysteria or exaggerated claims of health or environmental damage.

These remarkable results from the largest domestic oil spill since the Exxon Valdez netted BMF a citation for meritorious service from the United States Coast Guard, an award rarely received by public relations firms anywhere in the U.S.