“Planning for the media” and “The media and the community.”

            The principal role of the media is covering breaking stories in their community, especially those with safety implications. As a Member of Homeland Security Team you must understand, many members of the media monitor police and fire scanners to ensure early coverage of breaking news events.

 In order to effectively coordinate a disaster response The Department of Homeland Security and the media must form a partnership based on their mutual interest in serving the same community, although for different reasons. In some disasters, the media are often the only way to effectively reach the community with critical messages during a disaster.

During the disaster or incident it is important for The Department of Homeland Security to have news media offices where all agencies involved in the disaster/incident can form a concurrent response to the media at a national, regional, and at a local level.

The primary role of each Department of Homeland Defense media office is the dissemination of warning and instruction during a crisis on a localized, regional, and national level. Local and regional Community members need to learn of hurricane warnings, flood advisories, and evacuation plans.

 In the United States the most effective means at their disposal is the media. With 24-hour news, it is possible to provide life-saving information to many community members in a short period of time, and often in multiple languages.

It is essential that The Department for The Department of Homeland Defense and all agencies to understand modern broadcast media have the capability to provide a great deal of information during an emergency.

Effective handling of news briefings that deal with the disaster include is key to protecting the personnel responding and the victims of the disaster from any further victimization from external non essential personnel.  The first media briefings are primarily informational briefings.  In which the lead public affairs officer or a spokesman tells only the known facts of the incident.  What is being done to normalize the situation and how agencies are assisting victims of the disaster.

 No, information on Tactical operations, death toll, victims, or speculation on cause of the incident will not be given and questions will not be taken from any news media during group informational briefings.

In a local community briefing it is held exclusively for the community involved in the disaster and the victims’ family mem­bers.  No news media is present during family/community group briefings media briefings for the privacy of the community and families affected by the disaster.

This group infor­mational briefing is held by the Field community relations officer and the lead public affairs officer whom tells known facts of the incident.  What is being done to normalize the situation, what agencies are there to assist victims of the disaster, and how to get in touch with these agencies.

 Public Affairs officers for the agencies responsible for disaster victim recovery should be available at theses briefings and make them selves accessible to assist victims of the disaster/incident.   This allows the victims of the disaster in a community to be aware of short-term and long-term plans for assistance for the community and where to turn for assistance.  Information on Local Voluntary aid from any local groups should be incorporated into this briefing.

Following the Local Community briefing a diffusing briefing should be held.  These are basically town hall meetings where the local community leaders, news media and family members can ask questions of the Lead Public Affairs Officer and have them answered if possible.  In this type of briefing the Lead Public Affairs officer, States the facts, does not speculate, or give out personal identifying data on victims or deaths involved. A body count can be given if known at the time and if the incident is not still unfolding.

 Theses interactive question and answer meetings allow for the identifying of problems within the community and need that may need to be addressed by responding agencies.

      The handling of first responders and the debriefing of all personnel directly involved with the disaster/incident should be handled at a location within the primary perimeter and exclude the news media. This allows personnel directly involved with the disaster to discuss the scene of the disaster, discuss any concerns they have, any problems they have encountered at the disaster scene, to brainstorm a plan on how to deal with them, and how to bring about recovery operations for those affected by the disaster. As well as allowing them to mentally vent off what their experience has been in the disaster area.  

      In closing reporters and public officials must lay the groundwork for successful partnerships in advance of a disaster. Regular interaction between members of the media and local emergency managers can build trust and partnership, ultimately benefiting the community in the time of a disaster.