-
Handling Crisis Situations ...
September 12, 2017
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
Hurricanes Irma and Harvey put radio's call to action response to the test and the industry gets an A+. Both large broadcast companies and independent stations suspended regular programming to inform the public -- a reminder of "Live and Local," even suspending syndicated programs. Many simultaneously juggled public responsibilities and the need for staffs to take care of loved ones.
My Crisis Encounter...
Years ago, I remember being on the air during a tornado warning and a bad thunderstorm on a Saturday night. All the power went out, the station was knocked off the air, the back-up generator was not kicking in, the chief engineer was out of town, and the designated backup engineer was not returning my calls. It was pitch black in the studio except for the light reflecting off the multi-lined request phone. I was informing the listeners of the conditions while not being able to heed my own words of caution; I could not get a flashlight from the locked production room. (No one could ever explain the wisdom of all the flashlights being in a locked room on weekends). The red light on the hotline began to blink; it was the GM. "Sam, I'm at a party and we were listening to the station, did you know it's off the air?" I replied, "Yes and if you'd let me get off the phone, I'll try and get us back on." Eventually all power was restored. On Monday, the GM laughingly told everyone how I verbally flipped him off over the phone during the power outage.
Keeping The Public On Point...
Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods and severe thunderstorms present radio with an opportunity to connect. These recent weeks have been a text book of what radio should to do during crisis and natural disasters. Stations handled all aspects, ongoing coverage, the use of state, national and local officials on-air, meteorologist updates, shelter locations, advising before and after pictures for property insurance purposes, evacuation plans, travel options, safety tips, getting cash from ATMs in case of power outages, bottled water and gasoline status, business and school closings, and any number of other reminders.
Don't Neglect In-House...
While informing the public, there are still too many stations not as prepared internally as they should be. Pending an immediate crisis, emergency "What should we do meetings" ought to be brief huddle-up reminders. Several industry veterans and I were discussing how stations prepare the public, but overlook a lot advance internal preparation. I thought it would be a good idea to remind broadcasters of things can do on-going.
Radio Internal Crisis & Emergency Checklist:
- Make sure the back-up generator stays in tip-top shape or get one if you don't have one.
- Keep lots of flashlights with fresh batteries in an unlocked visible area inside the studio, conference room, engineering, and in the kitchen area.
- Have all important emergency numbers for the police and fire department inside the studio; easily visible. Also, every air personality and staff member should have these numbers as contacts on their cell phones.
- Develop a relationship with emergency organizations like the Red Cross and Samaritans Purse.
- Have supplies of canned foods, snacks, extra flashlights, fresh batteries, bottled water, blankets, or sleeping bags in case staff has to stay at the station. The prize closet would be the perfect place for storage.
- Make sure all hard drives are backed up daily in case your station or stations must be evacuated. Have some CDs readily available in case automation systems malfunction; and hardware to play them on.
- Get some battery and or solar-powered cellphone chargers and keep them on hand.
- A chain of command with various options for emergencies
- Have a deal with a nearby hotel or hotels in case there is ever a need for station personnel and or family to stay there during a crisis.
- For worse-case scenarios, have an evacuation strategy.
- Rotate monthly the responsibilities for someone to check on the readiness for a crisis.
One Last Thought...
Having a plan of action for station personnel is something you may never need, but just in case, it's smart to have. It's the same reason schools have fire drills. With stations having smaller staffs these days, it's all the more reason to pre-prepare. It would also be good idea to find an organization with expertise in natural disaster emergencies; they could come over and talk to staff on a quarterly basis.
-
-