Public relations in disaster management and planning for emergency physicians

The goal of this article is to serve as a primer of disaster public relations. It will explain the requirements of the media and how best to incorporate their ubiquitous presence to the advantage of the disaster team, including how to give an effective interview, how and where to establish a media center, and the importance of sensing what will make the strongest visual or textual impact. In any disaster response, the media will play a large role. Their presence is condoned by the law and expected by the public. In reality, a reporter will probably arrive at the scene of a disaster before the first health care professional. It is only through the knowledge of the media's needs, and an appreciation of the ways in which it can assist the disaster team, that planners can best forge a relationship with the media that will confer the greatest mutual benefit.