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08-01-2009 Fire/Rescue Newsletter |
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Fire Rescue Newsletter - August '09
Hurricane Ike was a devastating storm that left many homes without any means to communicate with the outside world when they needed information the most. However, there was one beacon of hope that remained throughout the storm and was able to provide information despite major limitations. The Galveston County Daily News is Texas’ oldest newspaper and they have endured many storms, so they had an idea of what to expect and how to proceed.
The Galveston County Daily News is located in a building that was built to withstand extreme storms, unlike many other structures in the area. Additionally, they had a written plan for such situations that included acquiring water, food and a grill, and plywood and screws to block off windows. But beyond simple safety measures, they also had prepared methods that would allow them to continue to work throughout the storm to distribute critical information to the population.
This was actually a very important need for their readers, as there were a great number of rumors and false information distributed, and some important news bulletins went completely unnoticed prior to hearing about it in the newspaper (like the institution of a curfew for example).
During the storm, the building’s roof, power, generator, and satellite phones were all lost. Fortunately, the staff was prepared with survival gear, such as water purification equipment. In order to continue operating, the staff had to resort to using cell phones, and laptops with air cards to get their stories out (via the internet as soon as they were complete, and in print later that day).
Being prepared for the worst allowed the newspaper to continue operating despite the hurricane. They knew what to expect and how to deal with it when it became a reality. They identified the risks and made sure they were safe (the building in particular). They planned for the failure of some of their most essential tools and had prepared backup methods to continue their operations. They had planned how to continue operations if reporters had to operate out of the office (using cell phones for example). This preparedness allowed them to serve their community when no one else could, and the methods they used should be considered by any business that could expect similar disasters. |
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