CASE STUDY
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
Media coverage of
572M
1.2K
421.9%
increase in Facebook reach
71,600
Facebook page visits (up 2.5k)
increase in Facebook followers
Unique visitors to website landing page:
27.3K
10.1K
Facebook link clicks
THE
CLIENT
With a rich history steeped in Native American culture, famous cowboys, singers, playwrights and a romantic connection to Route 66, Claremore continues to provide interesting experiences for residents and visitors alike. With a population of over 20,000 and home to one of the fastest growing four-year residential universities in Oklahoma, Claremore is a quickly evolving modern city with a strong sense of community.
THE OPPORTUNITY
On May 24, 2024 a tornado ripped through Claremore and surrounding areas. The National Weather Service issued the long-track supercell an F3 rating, with peak winds of 145-155mph and a path length of 23.9 miles. The severe storms caused 23 injuries and 19 hospitalizations, three of whom sustained life-threatening injuries. Thankfully, no fatalities were reported.
In addition to injuries, downed power lines and damage to homes, buildings and trees, the city of Claremore was entirely without power, with all four substations damaged. This presented a significant roadblock to relief efforts. Restoring power became the immediate need following the storm.
As the city coordinated relief and cleanup efforts, Claremore residents needed a way to stay in the know.
THE
SOLUTION
In collaboration with the City, ONE80 joined the incident command team, developing an emergency storm response protocol, including a dedicated webpage to house resources and provide real-time updates. This vital landing page allowed affected residents to view FAQs, access disaster assistance resources and hear directly from city officials regarding recovery efforts, power restoration, debris cleanup and more. We shared this information across Claremore’s social media channels to ensure the widest reach possible. For those without power or limited computer access, we developed and coordinated distribution of printed materials.
THE
RESULTS
With a focused crisis communications plan, ONE80 supported Claremore's robust storm response, which allowed residents to stay informed and connected them to essential resources in a time of recovery. In the month following the tornado, Claremore’s Facebook page saw a reach of 169,000, an increase of 421.9% from previous months, and 71,600 unique visits, demonstrating how actively the community relied on the page for updates. The storm response webpage became the most popular page on Claremore's website, receiving more than 27,300 visits. This resource was crucial to relief efforts, as citizens were able to access information and life-saving resources real time.
THE
PROCESS
We worked closely with City Manager John Feary to provide daily video updates to keep citizens informed. In the weeks following the storm, ONE80 continued to maintain the website with evolving resources for residents who sustained severe damage. As ONE80 launched and managed the storm response webpage to keep residents up to date, we continued to communicate with local, regional and national media outlets through daily press updates and briefings. Media coverage of the storm saw a reach of 572 million, illustrating the many avenues residents used to find storm-related information, as well as how much outside communities were invested in Claremore’s recovery and resilience. Working closely with relief agencies like the Red Cross, as well as the State of Oklahoma and Cherokee Nation’s Emergency Response Team, was crucial in distributing coordinated messaging regarding resources and updates.