Whether small or large in scope, a chemical attack on American soil will almost certainly be a leading topic of worldwide reporting and interest. Even an unintentional chemical incident that is large in scale will attract 24-hour, multi-platform, multi-outlet interest and regional, national, and multi-national coverage. More locally, a mass casualty chemical incident will likely incite feelings of fear, anger, and grief within the public at large, which will manifest as many thousands of public inquiries. For unattributed incidents, including food incidents for which the contaminated product has not yet been identified, the longer the delay in identifying the source of the contamination, the more uncertainty and fear will spread. In all these cases, wide reporting by media outlets can be expected. Local public information officers and communications teams will be immediately overwhelmed by inquiries and will need the of support public affairs staff from neighboring jurisdictions and state and federal agency and private sector partner communications offices.
During and following mass casualty incidents, officials will be questioned nonstop about what happened, what actions are being taken, who was responsible, and “who knew what, and when did they first know it.” However, official communications must always show that everyone’s priority is to protect the public and the environment and focus on the actions being taken to do so. Early in the response, messages to the public and the press must remain clear, concise, and consistent, providing vital information on protective actions without instilling additional fear or causing panic. The lead PIO should prioritize which information requests are most important for public health and safety, and direct staff to draft and review responses to these requests. In the instance of a terrorist incident, the FBI must be consulted before issuing sensitive media/press releases.
Planners should coordinate with and educate common media outlets before an incident occurs to ensure the media understands their role in reinforcing the protective action messages that are important for saving lives and protecting the environment early on during a chemical incident. The Department of Health and Human Services has created media guidance that discusses how to quickly and clearly communicate terrorism and public health emergency messages to the public.47,50 This guidance is helpful to creating a baseline of understanding of chemical safety science for reporters, whether or not the incident is the result of terrorism (although it cannot be guaranteed that they will reference this guide), or an accidental release. Further, once the source of contamination is identified in previously unattributed incidents, the media may be needed to help minimize future exposures by assisting in warning the public. In a large-scale food contamination event, these timely, effective warnings may prevent tens of thousands of individuals from being exposed.
Footnotes
47. Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE). (2018, September). Tips for Healthcare Facilities: Assisting Families and Loved Ones after a Mass Casualty Incident.
50. U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Safety and Health Standards Compliance Guidelines Hazardous Materials e-CFR, § 1910. 120 App C.