Latest PR Offering: 'Readiness Audits'

As the terror-alert level rose to orange last week, WPP Group’s Hill & Knowlton launched a “terrorism preparedness” service called Threat Readiness Audit, the latest entry in a growing subset of crisis communications born in the aftermath of Sept. 11.

H&K director of crisis communications Richard Hyde will supervise 40 of the agency’s staff nationwide to develop Readiness Audits. The process involves addressing about 160 issues at client firms, such as which departments would be involved in a terrorist response; who would be notified in the event of a threat and when; how to work with public authorities and the news media; and how to set up security facilities, humanitarian services and grief counseling services.