Re: 911:: Re: 911: The Media in General-new thread

[Guest guest]

At one time or another,I think,we all have had problems with the media.It

seems that over the past few years the reporters think they are God's gift

and we must bow to them.In our center we will give a reporter the location

of an incident.Beyond that we are only allowed to give out information from

and official press release.They try all kinds of tricks to get more

information.But usually have to settle for what we give them.We have had a

few that get on the soapbox periodically about the public's " right to

know " .Most times our PIO will talk to them or the editor if they get too

harsh with us.

>Does anyone out there have those problems when the media calls the comm

>center for information? What information do you give them? On the chance

>they get ugly with you (gee, it happens) do you have any recourse?

Rick D'Atrio,Lt.

Delray Beach Florida Fire Dept.

rdatrio@...

" if it is to be,it is up to me "

_________________________________________________________________

Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

[Guest guest]

Our SOP stated very clearly that dispatchers were to give NO information

to the Media except the location and type of incident. They were to be

referred to the Shift Commander for any thing else.

Vern

Newark, PD

Retired.

E911gal136@... wrote:

>

> Does anyone out there have those problems when the media calls the comm

> center for information? What information do you give them? On the chance

> they get ugly with you (gee, it happens) do you have any recourse?

>

>

[Guest guest]

My favorite line to the media is yes we have officers on the scene, of what

is believed to of beed a homicide, however at this time they are all tied up

on the call and I am not on the scene so I can not verify anything, if you

would like to leave a message I will have someone call you as soon as

possible.

[Guest guest]

Our Dispatch Center employees are also prohibited from making comments to the

media or giving them any information, unless we have a written release from a

department Commander. That does not stop them from harassing us everyday

though. We get daily calls from every news and radio station in the County

asking us if we have any news releases. If they hear something in " Scanner

Land " they call us to get information and they are most times rude when we

respond that we CANNOT give them anything and tell them they will have to

call the Sergeant's desk in the morning during briefing. We even had one

Reporter from a local TV station call the Director to say that a Dispatcher

was rude to him when he called...She was only one of 3 Dispatchers on that

night when something " Big " was going on and they were too busy to deal with

him so she told him her badge # and hung up when he asked for her name...DUH.

Our Director backed her up, by the way...as well he should. We had an

incident a year ago last November where a man (who was a member of a " Polar

Bear " swim Club and swam in the Bay everyday...and we also got calls from

concerned Citizens EVERY DAY about him) drowned in the local Bay. We first

got a report of a Windsurfer that was overturned in the bay and a man was in

the water. We dispatched the local Dive team, City Police and EMS and Fire

Department. By the time everyone got on scene the Windsurfer guy was out of

the water and safe. City Police on scene talked to at least 2 different

concerned Citizens who had seen someone in the bay who looked like they were

in distress. The Officer told them that there had indeed been a man in the

water but he was now safe. Meanwhile, up in the Dispatch center we had

gotten at least 5 to 10 different calls on the Windsurfer. After we knew

that he was out of the water we continued to get at least 4 or 5 more calls

of a " man in the water, in distress " The Dispatcher who took at least one of

these calls relayed this information to the " On Scene Command " unsure if

there was another man in the water or not. " On Scene Command " took that info

and informed us that the man in the water was safe. Well...it turned out

that Mr. Polar Bear Club " Swimmer guy " (who swims in the frigid Bay waters

EVERYDAY) drowned that day. It just so happened that he decided to take a

swim just about the same time that the Windsurfer went in the water and

indeed there were TWO different incidents. To sum it all up...the local News

Media had a field day. They blamed the Dispatch Center for NOT doing enough

and not responding to the calls appropriately. They got a hold of the

Dispatch tapes for that day using the " Freedom of Information Act " and

broadcast some of the conversations incorrectly. (one of the calls was from

the Chief of Police Secretary who used some derogatory comments when one of

the Commissioners called her...she transferred the commissioner to Dispatch

and the media made it sound like a Dispatcher was the one making the

comments) Our Director stood by his Dispatchers for that one too...but it

was too late after the News Broadcast it the way they did. They even won an

award for the Broadcast... " made me gag! " Needless to say...this " News "

station is not well liked by our Dispatch Center. Just goes to show you how

the Media can make a story fit their objectives. I don't tell 'em anything,

ever, only if it effects the safety of the Citizens...like traffic info or

something like that.

By the way...I am new to the list. I have been lurking awhile. My name is

Case and I am a Dispatch Supervisor for Grand Traverse County...that's

in Michigan. Population approx. 60,000.

We dispatch for City, County and State Police...ten Volunteer Fire/Ambulace

Departments and two Paid EMS Services.

[Guest guest]

> Does anyone out there have those problems when the media calls the comm

> center for information? What information do you give them? On the chance

> they get ugly with you (gee, it happens) do you have any recourse?

> Toni Wyman, (CTO)...Gwinnett County Police, GA (just N of HotLanta)

> ********************************************************************

We have similar problems. However, we are given very little info to

start with. For an accident, they will start calling before we have

units on scene. 20 questions commences, and I always reply, " I

don't really know much at this time but I would be happy to make

up something for you. "

That will usually shut them up.

Iowa State Patrol Communications Cedar Rapids

Werling, Anamosa, IA AOL IM Ridgeroader

mailto:scott@...

http://www.jonescountytourism.com

http://www.ia.net/~anachamb/pumpkin.html

http://www.thehungersite.com (feed someone)

http://www.earthsat.com/iowa/winter.html Iowa road conditions

[Guest guest]

toni, our comm center rules prohibit any telecommunicator or supervisor from

speaking to the press about anything with the sole exception being roadway

blocking accidents. in all other cases the reporter is refered to the

police or fire department for comment.

rich, n9dko

911:: Re: 911: The Media in General-new thread

>> Does anyone out there have those problems when the media calls the comm

center for information? What information do you give them? On the chance

they get ugly with you (gee, it happens) do you have any recourse? >>

[Guest guest]

we had a reporter use that line about 20 years ago while speaking to the

then director of communications during a very tense hostage situation. the

reported wasn't satisfied with just the basic information that the police

dept. had authorized us to release. he wanted more red meat. the director

replied with what i thought was the perfect response. he said...

" the public DOES have a right to know, they just don't need to know RIGHT

NOW " .

rich, n9dko

Re: 911:: Re: 911: The Media in General-new thread

<<< But usually have to settle for what we give them.We have had a

few that get on the soapbox periodically about the public's " right to

know " .>>>

[Guest guest]

Unless we have a news release approved by the Lt or Chief, we are not

permitted to say anything with one exception. The exception being one of the

traffic news services such as Shadow and Metro who disseminate hot spots to

avoid. Since we do have 2 miles of a 6 lane commuter highway, am in a town that

is a reference point for signs north and south of us plus for exits on two

interstates and part of a 6 town police radio network those services check with

us several times during both the am and pm rush hours.

Rich Dean

Rich Dean, NJ USA .. secondary email addresses are rldean@...,

deanr@... .. HS Class of 1970, Vol Firefighter since 1973,

Telecommunciator/Dispatch since 1975, Railfan since birth in 1952.. Founder of

Egroups.com groups for NJArea, Fire-Police, NJ_Area_Railpics,

NorthAmericanParades and NorthJerseyVolFire.. Member of many more online groups

such as nysw@..., nyswegroups, tiersightings@egroups,

Fire-L@topica, Firepics@egroups, 911dispatcher@egroups

------------------------------------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

>To: <911consoleegroups>

>

>Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2001 13:28:29 -0600

>Reply-To: 911consoleegroups

>Subject: RE: 911:: Re: 911: The Media in General-new thread

>

>we had a reporter use that line about 20 years ago while speaking to the

>then director of communications during a very tense hostage situation. the

>reported wasn't satisfied with just the basic information that the police

>

Until 1980, we dispatched a neighboring PD except 8-4 weekdays. About 1 am

on July 13, 1977, a 10 hour hostage situation began when a patrol car interupted

an armed robbery of our area's first 24 hour gas station. About 7 am, the tv

news teams from NY City began to arrive.

Thanks to the negotiating effort of a WCBS-TV newsman, Borgen, the

situation was brought to succcesfull conclusion with no injuries. Mr Borgen

retired from the New York City Police Department in the mid 1960's after serving

as one of the city's top narcotics cops. He retired from WCBS-TV in the mid

1990's.

Rich Dean

Rich Dean, NJ USA .. secondary email addresses are rldean@...,

deanr@... .. HS Class of 1970, Vol Firefighter since 1973,

Telecommunciator/Dispatch since 1975, Railfan since birth in 1952.. Founder of

Egroups.com groups for NJArea, Fire-Police, NJ_Area_Railpics,

NorthAmericanParades and NorthJerseyVolFire.. Member of many more online groups

such as nysw@..., nyswegroups, tiersightings@egroups,

Fire-L@topica, Firepics@egroups, 911dispatcher@egroups

------------------------------------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

Back a few days ago,

E911gal136@... wrote:

>

> Does anyone out there have those problems when

> the media calls the comm center for information?

> What information do you give them?

This has been an ever-present issue at each of the centers where

I've worked. Some centers have had well-defined policies and others

just sort of left you dangling. My favorite (not) was the department

that wanted us to refer all media inquiries to the on-duty battalion

chief. Of course, any kind of activity that would motivate the media

to call would by its nature have required the battalion chief's presence

on scene and thus put him in a position not conducive to receiving

fone calls.

Sarasota County wasn't bad. We had a pager number for the PIO who

would always call in and get the scoop and then call the reporter back.

There was also a recorded press line that the local media could call

for information.

The best and most stable policy with which I've coped is the current one.

Here, the Fire Chief and only the Fire Chief talks to the press. We get a

number and forward it along to the Chief for his follow-up. We used to

page him with the info but now all the staff officers in the department have

Nextels and we have a Nextel in the center, so we just push the button

on our Nextel, he answers, and we give him the information.

During one incident I worked, the Chief went to the scene and delegated

media duties to an Assistant Chief who came to the comm center and

handled all the media inquires right there.

It works very well and is practically seamless and without problem.

-jackie

Jackie McElroy

y Creek Fire Dept.

Walt Disney World, Florida

(I speak for me and only me.)

http://www.reedycreekdispatch.webservepro.com

http://sites.netscape.net/mcjackietron/

mailto:mcjackietron@...

[Guest guest]

>To: 911consoleegroups

>From: TARABUL911@...

>Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2001 15:54:56 EST

>Reply-To: 911consoleegroups

>Subject: Re: 911:: Re: 911: The Media in General-new thread

>

>Our Dispatch Center employees are also prohibited from making comments to the

>media or giving them any information, unless we have a written release from a

>department Commander. That does not stop them from harassing us everyday

>though. We get daily calls from every news and radio station in the County

>asking us if we have any news releases.

I suppose we all get those calls. In my location, we used to get a lot more

regular calls from the media just checking for news items but that number has

been reduced due to mergers etc. We are only 30 miles northwest of midtown

Manhattan. We are on the line of two suburban counties each with between

400,000 and 500,000 people.

We get at least 2 calls a day from 4 daily newspapers, 2 twice-weeklies, and

1 local radio station. It used to be that we'd have 5 dailies to deal with. If

something " big " happens we get the calls from the 3 NY City daily newspapers and

8 tv news outlets.

It used to be much more simple as we'd just say " it's all quiet " if we had no

release and the caller would be happy as we both did our job. Then NJ's AG came

out with each PD having a PIO whose names go onto the release. Now every day

the reporters call asking for the Lt, and it doesn't matter how many times we

tell them that he's not available and that any releases are given to us

telecomunicators for dissmenination. We fax them automatically upon receiving

them fromt he Lt who is PIO.

BF (before faxes) we'd have to read each release to the reporter often having

to put them on hold a few times between other phone calls received.

Rich Dean

Rich Dean, NJ USA .. secondary email addresses are rldean@...,

deanr@... .. HS Class of 1970, Vol Firefighter since 1973,

Telecommunciator/Dispatch since 1975, Railfan since birth in 1952.. Founder of

Egroups.com groups for NJArea, Fire-Police, NJ_Area_Railpics,

NorthAmericanParades and NorthJerseyVolFire.. Member of many more online groups

such as nysw@..., nyswegroups, tiersightings@egroups,

Fire-L@topica, Firepics@egroups, 911dispatcher@egroups

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[Guest guest]

Thank you all for you input on my media thread... its very much appreciated..

Toni Wyman, (CTO)...Gwinnett County Police, GA (just N of HotLanta)

770 Hi Hope Rd, Lawrenceville, GA 30046

(These are only my opinions, not my agency's, after all they are the

government and they have opinions of their own)

For liability reasons my posts and opinions are to be reprinted with my

permission only.

Email to: E911GAL136@...