The Warning and Informing Strategy of the Avon and Somerset Local Resilience Forum looks broadly at fulfilling the requirements of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 in terms of communicating, warning, informing and advising, the public at a time of crisis. One of the fastest and most effective ways to communicate with the public is through the media.

Any emergency situation will generate an almost insatiable demand for information, which potentially places considerable pressure upon those organisations responding to the crisis. The Media Handling Plan supplements the Warning and Informing Strategy by setting out a framework within which the relevant LRF partners should operate in order to ensure effective media handling at a time of crisis, outlining various tasks and roles which should be performed.

While it is impossible to “control” the media in any given situation, adopting a co-ordinated and organised approach can help manage the media, and can help maintain some degree of control over the nature and tone of reporting of any given scenario, which, in turn can have a positive (or, if not handled appropriately, negative) impact on public confidence and reassurance.

If serious consideration is not given at a very early stage in any crisis to media handling, and to positively engaging with journalists, then the media will report whatever they can, increasing the risk on inaccurate and conflicting information being disseminated to the public.

The Media Handling Plan includes sections on;

• Key media issues
• Media handling/communications roles
• Media briefing centre
• Internet
• Tactics
• Stand down
• Debriefing