Communications
Communicate clearly and credibly in the first 72 hours of a major public-safety incident.
View Upcoming DatesCommunications • In-Person Training
After a major incident, the demand for information can grow faster than the agency’s verified understanding. Leaders and communicators must coordinate what they know, explain uncertainty, and preserve credibility while operational and legal responsibilities continue.
This course prepares public safety leaders and communicators to manage the first hours and days after a major incident, when facts are incomplete and pressure is highest. Participants learn how to establish message discipline, coordinate with command and legal personnel, communicate what is known without speculation, and maintain credibility as information changes. Attendees leave with a practical communication framework for the first 72 hours.
The Questions Behind the Course
What You’ll Learn
This course connects the following skills and considerations with the responsibilities of command staff, pios & municipal leaders.
Establish an initial messaging strategy after a major incident.
Communicate known information without speculating about what remains uncertain.
Coordinate messages with command and legal personnel.
Maintain credibility as the information picture develops.
Course Content
Examine the communication decisions that arise in the first hours after an incident. Connect the agency’s initial response with message priorities, coordination, and the need to establish a credible public voice.
Consider how to communicate when important facts are not yet established. Focus on explaining what is known, handling uncertainty, and avoiding speculation as the agency’s understanding changes.
Connect public messaging with operational leadership and legal coordination. Examine how the communication function remains aligned with the people responsible for the incident and the agency’s response.
Examine the choices that preserve or weaken credibility under sustained scrutiny. Bring timing, consistency, and clear communication together across the first hours and days of the event.
Who Should Attend
Crisis Communications: Managing the First 72 Hours is intended for command staff, pios & municipal leaders. The course outline above provides the specific subject areas to consider when selecting personnel for this training.
For an agency-hosted delivery, discuss your audience and preferred timing with Aspirant so the training can be coordinated around the people who will attend.
A major incident places communication alongside operational and legal demands. Preparing leaders and communicators together supports a more coordinated response when the agency has limited time and incomplete information.
Discuss This Course for Your AgencyCourse Instruction
Instructor of Crisis and Strategic Communications
Matt Petrillo is Director of Communications for Temple University's Department of Public Safety. He previously spent more than a decade in television journalism, including reporting for CBS News Philadelphia on breaking news, crime, public safety, and major incidents. That combination gives him firsthand knowledge of how information is gathered, framed, and distributed under pressure. Matt's instruction focuses on message discipline, media relations, internal coordination, strategic storytelling, and the choices that shape trust before, during, and after a crisis. He helps leaders understand what to say, when to say it, and how communication decisions affect operations and credibility.
Crisis Messaging, Media Relations, Public Narratives, and Organizational Credibility
Dates & Registration
Choose a scheduled class below. Dates, tuition, and registration are listed for each session.
September 28, 2027, 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Allegheny County Police Academy, 700 W Ridge Road, Allison Park, PA 15101
Planning Your Training
Questions about attendance or hosting? Contact info@aspirantllc.com or 610-348-8082.
This course is designed for command staff, pios & municipal leaders. Review the learning objectives and course outline above to assess its fit for your responsibilities or team.
One-Day in person. Each scheduled class lists its dates, times, location, and tuition. Review the selected session before registering.
Choose a class in Dates & Registration to open its registration form. Each link corresponds to the session shown.
Contact Aspirant to discuss the course, your audience, location, and scheduling preferences.
Ask About HostingStart the Conversation
Share a few details and submit the inquiry directly to the Aspirant team.