7-John Scardena- Preparing for a disaster

Reference: Mega. Broker Inc. (2009). Reactions, 29(7), 78.

 

Theme:

When we understand crisis's will happen we know the most logical thing to do is prepare for pre and post disaster.

 

Summary:  

-An insurance brokerage named "Mega Broker" gave press releases as terrorist threats began to emerge.

- The idea behind the press releases was to prepare people in case of disaster.

- Homeland security measures try to minimize post disaster casualties. Likewise we should do the same.

- Keep up to date information and kits handy.

- Create a checklist of things to cover if and when a disaster occurs.

- Have an organized group- who does what.

- Keep things simple and logical… and back it up.

- Homeowners insurance can cover anything you list on the plan, so list it.

- Be aware of your surroundings.

 

Application to Lesson:

Lesson seven was all about giving a press release and how to accurately portray information. This summary for example shows just that. When a bombing occurred the brokerage released to the press steps individuals and communities should take in case of a disaster.

 

Application to Career:

As emergency managing personnel we deal with planning everyday. We understand that the best offence is a strong defense. If we can prepare for a crisis but understand that we can't control everything then we can better prepare how to act. We don't have to be sucker punched like we were on 9/11 anymore if we plan correctly.  

Hurricane Andrews: Media Lessons

John Scardena

 

Reference:

Trahan III, J. V. (1993). Media Relations in the Eye of the Storm. Public Relations Quarterly, 38(2), 31-32.

 

 

Theme: If we want to effectively prepare for disaster events than we must work with and build relationships with media personnel.

 

Summary:

- Hurricane Andrew slammed Florida on August 24, 1992

- Over the course of one day a thousand plus hits were to the media

- Joint Task Force Andrew, a military unit was assigned to help the media's questions.

- JICs Mission:

1. Meet with media and answer questions regarding the hurricane

2. Coordinate media responses of all federal agencies.  

3. Prepare a daily media briefing

4. Radio blasts/ announcements 24 hours a day

5. Help inform victims where and how to get help

6. Inform people what measures were being taken

7. Inform members of the task force what was going on

8. Maintain high morale in the task force.

 

Application to Lesson:

Wow learning how the JIC for Hurricane Andrew handled the situation was kind of an eye opener. With our focus on developing a relationship between media and emergency services we can learn a lot from what they dealt with.

 

Application to Career:

If I am ever in a hurricane, I will be trying to get out probably with everyone else. If I am there for my job, I think it would be the most stressful, awesome experience of a lifetime. Some act like the media is this terrible beast, but we need the media and they need us. Application: Learn to have a personality and like the media.

9 - Social Media Uses During Disasters - Michael Newland

Michael Newland

Reference:

Lindsay, B. R. (2012). Social Media and Disasters: Current Uses, Future Options and Policy Considerations. Journal of Current Issues in Media & Telecommunications; Vol. 2 Issue 4, Pg. 287-297.

Theme:

Social Media is growing quickly and has become a great tool for disaster preperation and information.

Summary:

·         In the last five years social media have played an increasing role in emergencies and disasters.

·         The use of social media for emergencies and disasters may be conceptualized as two broad categories.

·         “First, social media can be used somewhat passively to disseminate information and receive user feedback via incoming messages, wall posts, and polls (Lindsay, 2012).”

·         “A second approach involves the systematic use of social media as an emergency management tool (Lindsay, 2012).”

·         A 2009 American Red Cross study found that social media is the fourth most popular source of emergency information.

·         “Instances of inaccurate and false information may be an inherent problem, given the nature of social media platforms and the number of people disseminating information (Lindsay, 2012).”

·         “Social media appear to be making inroads into emergency management for a variety of reasons. For one, accurate, reliable, and timely information is vital for public safety before, during, and after an incident. As people continue to embrace new technologies, use of social media will likely increase (Lindsay, 2012).”

Application to Lesson:

The lesson this week was about social media and disasters. This article is about how more and more people are using social media to share and obtain information during a disaster.

Application to Emergency Services:

Social Media allows emergency agencies to quickly get information out to the masses. It is now much easier to coordinate relief efforts and to provide public with information that they need to know.

9- Ashley Burningham- Dismissing Disaster Rumors

Reference:
Kutscher, B. (2012). A storm of rumors: social media can help counter false reports: experts. Modern Healthcare, 42(45), 7.

Theme:
Social media can help counter false reports.

Summary:
- Rumors flourished after Hurricane Sandy. (The New York Stock Exchange had flooded. A hospital in Brooklyn was burning. Utility company Consolidated Edison was cutting power to all of Manhattan.)
- There was a rumor about a fire in Coney Island Hospital.
- Some rumors were intentional and some came from misinterpreted dispatches.
- It is impossible to eliminate rumors, but you can dismiss them by talking about it.
- Social media can correct in almost real time.
- Many hospitals in Sandy's path used social media outlets to keep employees in the loop, share information about community resources, and even actively recruit blood donations and volunteers.
- Health and Hospitals Corp didn't address fire rumors, but tweeted things that would make the fire rumor invalid.
- People used a Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc. to share information.
- More people followed because of the tragedy.
- Social media also used for crisis communication.

Application to lesson:
This weeks lesson was on the use of social media during disasters. This article discusses different agencies and how they used social media after Hurricane Sandy. Social media is beneficial because everyone can use it. Companies can use it to talk to employees, police can use it to provide situational updates, and fire can provide steps to take.

Application to career:
Many departments are beginning to use social media as a way of informing. It eliminates the need for a formal press conference, and it delivers a message to a large margin of people. Police departments are utilizing social media more than ever, and some have gone as far as eliminating formal conversation with the media and replacing it with social media information.

Fire Prevention and Public Information: Making the Most of Teachable Moments

Fire Prevention and Public Information: Making the Most of Teachable Moments

 

By Ray Huntzinger

 

Reference:

United States Fire Administration. (2011, November 17). Fire prevention and public education: Making the most of teachable moments. Retrieved on October 31, 2013, from http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/coffee-break/fm/fm_2011_12.pdf

 

Theme:

The overall theme of the article focuses on how fire public information officers (PIO) can utilize media interviews to educate the public on fire prevention messages following a structure fire.

 

Summary:

--To spread fire safety messages most effectively, it is important that the PIO know what to do and say before, during, and after media interviews.

--Before an interview the PIO should put fire safety messages in their own words, make not of the prevention-related services that the fire department offers, consider using local and national statistics, and practice your message so the message is comfortable.

--During a media interview the PIO should keep safety messages closely linked to the fire story, mention the effectiveness of smoke alarms and residential sprinklers, provide statistics on the seriousness of structure fires and compel them to take action.

--After an interview the PIO should follow up with the reporter within a day and ask if the reporter need additional information, encourage follow up stories that can provide more fire prevention information, provide additional information from the fire investigation that may have not been available immediately after the fire, and offer to serve as a resource for future fire safety related news stories. 

 

Application to the Lesson topic:

This article focuses on several points discussed in the lesson. One of the key points that the article stresses is the importance of using fire emergencies to act as teachable moments; however, these teachable moments are only as effective as what the PIO does and says before, during, and following interviews with the media. The article also stresses the importance of being prepared, knowing the facts, understanding principles, and reference to vital statistics during media interviews; these principles help answer the who, what, where, when, why, and how.

 

Application to emergency services:

This article directly relates to the duties of a fire department PIO following a structure fire. There is no better moment to stress the importance of fire prevention than during the reporting of an actual structure fire; the drama of the fire has already captured the public attention so the audience is ripe to be educated on how to prevent similar events.

 

 

 

 

Reading Summary 8

Martin de la Cruz

Reference:

Zuk, R. (2013). Social media interviews: connecting with journalists on today’s open Web. Public Relations Tactics,20(5) 9. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uvu.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=9127a209-e1be-4359-a4cc-48030ab0302f%40sessionmgr111&vid=5&hid=106

Theme:

The theme of this article was to give guidelines for the interview process with journalists of online media outlets.

Summary:

·         Online news has become an increasingly popular news outlet for readers/viewers.

·         With the growth of social media and online news, only a few changes need to be addressed in the interview process.

·         Speaking in sound bites gives an advantage to spokespeople and their causes for controlling what may be used on Twitter or liked on Facebook.

·         Sound bites should be short, concise, memorable, and true to the message.

·         Consider the context of the interactions within the social and digital realms.

·         Understand the procedure used be each individual journalist you interview with.

·         Social media interviews can occur in any setting and without warning, so it is important to stay alert.

·         Do not say anything that would not be said in a formal setting when interviewing with social media journalists.

Application to Lesson Topic:

Understanding the few differences and similarities between online and traditional journalism and the interview process goes a long way in controlling your image.

Application to Emergency Services:

Understanding what to do during interviews and being prepared for them will help you better craft a message that will advance your organization’s causes with the media and connect with the public.

 

Reading Summary #8 from Mike Wayman

Reference: Israel, S. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/shelisrael/2012/04/14/8-tips-on-conducting-great-interviews/

Topic Sentence: This article was written from a media professional's point of view. 8 tips to for the interviewer to get the most out of any interview.

Summary:

• Start slow, safe and personal, First off, you relax your subject and you humanize the interaction
• Coax, don't hammer, interviews who have the up-close, but soft style that coaxes revealing, newsworthy, useful answers.
• Make some questions open ended, get the interviewee to tell his story and let the readers decide what they think of his or her ideas.
• Ask what you don't know, surprises mean something that has not been previously reported.
• Let the interviewees wander a bit–but be careful, sometimes state that you had hoped to get from the person something that you could not have found on the internet.
• Don't send advance questions, the result feels far too scripted, and the answers start feeling like they were written by a committee.
• Be prepared. Find the overlooked, let the subject know what subjects you want to cover. Also ask if there are other topics she or he would like to add.
• Listen, really listen, pay close attention to what is not answered and make on-the-spot judgements on why that area was skipped or glossed
• There are dumb questions, Try not to ask a question that your subject has already answered

Application to Lesson Topic: There are lots of ways to interview but these tips may help you get the best interview.

Application to Emergency Services: In emergency situations the interview is an important way to get to the heart of the issue. Put a human face to a disaster.