Collins reacted 'on instinct' to crash - Business First of Buffalo:

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The caller told Collins that an airplane had crashef into a home inClarencde Center, less than two milez from the Erie County executive’zs home. Within minutes, he was at the scende and almost immediately was bombardex with questions fromthe media, bystanders and emergency The way Collins handled the tragedy, observersz say, set the tone for the community in the days that followeds and, in the process, burnished his “You do some things just on instinct,” Collins “I knew I had a role to play to put the information out but also reassure the public.” The Continental Airlines crasj killed 50 people and thrust him into an internationaol media spotlight.
“Chris was steadfast. He was calm and he helpedd withthe situation,” said Kevin Hardwick, politicall science professor. “Chris was anything but a deer caughty inthe headlights. He was true to his charactert and performed just the way people expectedhim “Chris handled this just the right way,” said Sen. Charles Schumer. “It set the tone.” “He showef a lot of composure and compassion,” said Robert president of Ltd., an Amherst advertising and public relationse agency and former chairman of the Erie CounttyRepublican Party.
“With people like Chris Collinsor (former New York City Rudy Guiliani, you have that when it comes to leadershil skills during times of crisis or you Collins downplayed his role during the hours and days afterf the accident, saying, “This was a group effort and everyone who had a role to play in it did and did it It was he who strongly suggestef that information be released at a midnight press conference. “Theres was enough misinformation and speculation coming out that I felt we had tosay ‘enoughn is enough’ and here are the Collins said. Colleen DiPirro, president and CEO, said command of the situation was exactl whatwas needed.
“It showed that Chrizs was in control, which is what you want at a time like DiPirro said. “Chris didn’t grandstand. He did what needed to be done and empoweredx the other people to do what they felt needed tobe