On Thanksgiving 2019, the holiday-shift keepers working at African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton, Ohio, discovered a fire in one of the park’s animal barns shortly after 6:20 p.m., shortly after the property lost power due to high winds. Flames engulfed the barn so quickly that 10 exotic animals inside – including three giraffe – perished. Park owner Holly Hunt learned about crisis communication two weeks earlier during a workshop at the National Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) conference. She called the workshop presenter from Public Communications Inc. (PCI) for help in managing communications and for guiding the park’s post-crisis, reputation recovery plan.