Chilean Mine Collapse

On August 5, 2010, the airwaves and newsprint ran a story about a small copper mine in northern Chile collapsing and trapping 30 miners inside. On this day the Minera San Esteban Primera Mining Company had a difficult task set before them. The company would not only have to inform the families of the trapped miners and its employees of the accident but would also initiate a search and rescue efforts to locate the men still trapped in the mine. The first task was to locate the miners and use every possible means to remove the miners quickly from the mine. The second task would be to inform the families of the miners and the employees of the company of this horrible accident. Although rescuing the miners from the copper mine will be a challenge for the company, but the biggest challenge the company will face is communicating with the different groups of people involved in this tragedy.

When communicating with the different diverse group of people, the company needs to consider what his or her audience needs whether it is reassurance or details of the accident. The company also needs to consider security, by electing one spokesperson to relay information to the families, employees, and the news media this way the company can ensure the individual groups are receiving the proper information (Neal, 2010).

The company's first communication will be to inform the miner's families of the incident. The family members will want to know if their loved ones are still alive and what methods the company is using to free the miners. All communication about the mining accident to the family members will be face-to-face communications. This type of communication will help ease their anxieties about their loved ones and will help them get answers to their questions. The spokesperson would meet with the families to inform them of the accident and let them know what measures they are doing to rescue their loved ones. The second communication the company will establish is with the employees of the company. This communication could be relayed through a memo giving them the up-to-date information about the rescue efforts of the miners.

Draft Communication to the Families of the Miners

Initial Communication with Miner's Families

It is with deep regret that I most inform you of the recent accident at the Minera San Esteban Primera Mine. At 2:00 p.m. today, reports came into the office stating one of our mines had collapsed. Initially the trapped miner tried to escape through a ventilation shaft, but was unsuccessful. Rescuers are attempting to drill holes to locate the workers (Weik, 2010). We are doing everything to ensure the safe return of your loved ones.

Communication with Miner's Families August 8, 2010

I regret to inform you that our recent attempt to drill holes to the miners has had a temporary setback. As workers were trying to descend through the ventilation shaft another cave in blocked their way. We have come up with a plan to bore a six inch hole to locate the exact location of the survivors.

Communication to families on August 22, 2010

I am happy to report the rescue plan was successful; the bore hole has