Disaster and Crisis Coverage - International News Safety Institute

Disaster and Crisis Coverage
Organize contact information
Make sure the staff list is complete and current, both on computer and hard-copy.
The list should note exactly where people live (a map can be helpful). Also
include other critical information (has a 4-wheel-drive vehicle, is trained in first
aid, is an amateur radio operator, etc.) Collect contact information for emergency
response officials, major public institutions (including schools) and independent
experts on disaster-related topics. Be sure to include both land lines and cell
phones. Consider creating a laminated card with key names and numbers for all
staff members to keep with them at all times. This blank list may provide a useful
template: http://www.rtnda.org/media/pdfs/education/fellowships/rias/crisis.pdf.
Build relationships
Connect with sources who can provide essential information during a disaster:
emergency preparedness and law enforcement officials, military leaders, hospital
workers, subject experts and relief organizations. (For a searchable list of
international relief groups, see: http://www.alertnet.org/thepeople/
whowhatwhere.htm.) Showing interest now, well in advance of any incident, will
build relationships that can pay off when disaster strikes. Officials are more likely
to grant access to disaster areas and return phone calls if they already know the
journalists they are dealing with.
Map the community
Get up-to-date local maps to keep in the newsroom. In a crisis, having a few
extra pocket maps can save a lot of time and effort. Don’t depend exclusively on
GPS technology to help staffers get around; it could fail in a major emergency.
Know the exact locations of potential terrorist targets, including government and
military buildings and places where large groups gather. Map all hospitals and
emergency clinics. Obtain maps and schematics of government buildings,
transportation hubs, and any locations where hazardous materials are used.
Survey likely scenarios
Look back at disasters that have happened in the past to see what sort of
damage was caused and how authorities and the newsroom responded. Collect
background information and links to online databases and make it easily
accessible to everyone in the newsroom. Ask experts to help assess the
likelihood of future disasters. [link to “Preview of Destruction”] Meet with local
disaster response officials to learn more about their plans for dealing with
emergencies. If possible, participate in mock exercises.
Educate the staff
Consider sending reporters and editors to seminars to help them understand
potential threats and scenarios, or bring experts into the newsroom to conduct
lunch-time discussions on topics such as:
13