Dealing with media coverage in an emergency is always a tough one. Unfortunately, the media has a tendency to make any story exciting and bigger than it may be, resulting in more harm than good. Because of this, you may want to refer media inquiries to an identified person at your company trained to handle these situations.
If an interview is inevitable, stay to the facts and keep your responses concise. Use simple answers and listen to what the interviewer says. Do not be quick to answer. Additionally, do not let the media get in your way. This means you have every right to ask them to leave if they are impeding on what you are trying to do in the situation you are in.
All of that being said, it can be beneficial to keep the media on your side rather than irritate them. Any coverage can either help you or hurt you and your company. Be especially careful about information released; avoid giving names, the number of casualties, and especially personal information.
Again, never give out names to the media in an emergency situation. One key thing to remember is HIPAA violations. You should also consider family members or friends who may be wondering about the status of their loved ones. If you put out information recklessly, there is always the risk of it snowballing into a far greater issue than what was originally intended.
BERT can help with formulating the right emergency response plan for your business or organization. Contact us today for a free consultation!
