Media frenzy turned disaster into a spectacle

Citation

(2001), "Media frenzy turned disaster into a spectacle", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 10 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2001.07310dab.001

Media frenzy turned disaster into a spectacle

Media frenzy turned disaster into a spectacle

The outcomes of the Incident Performance Review fall into two levels – strategic and operational. I will concentrate here on the former and develop a number of points. Overall, from a Fire Service perspective, the response to this incident – which occurred in a fairly remote part of North Yorkshire (UK) on the borders of Humberside, South and West Yorkshire brigade areas – was highly satisfactory. A "hot" debrief which brought together those involved in the incident, one week after the event, highlighted the effective command and control measures which had taken place and facilitated excellent communications and teamwork within crews. Indeed, it has been described as "textbook" and "similar to an exercise", which leads me to conclude that the core training in emergency management works. Liaison and working arrangements with three police forces, and later the British Transport Police, and three ambulance services, were extremely sound. The respective roles, as set out in the UK Home Office document, Dealing with Disaster, were well understood and performed to the credit of all concerned. As firefighters and paramedics worked in partnership to cut free and treat casualties, the police developed a co-ordinating role, which was strengthened as additional resources arrived at the scene. The Fire Service took responsibility for the hazard area and the safety of those working in it. While the principles appear to be well understood, the practicalities need further deliberation.

The media seemed to operate at two levels. Initially, the focus was upon the practicalities of the disaster. In those circumstances it is not difficult to engage with them and in this incident journalists were sensitive and supportive of the Fire Service role and grateful that fire officers were making the effort to give them information. Fire Officers, irrespective of rank, presented the Service and its role in a highly professional and caring manner over many days. The media, however, as they arrive in greater numbers, generate a frenzied atmosphere, which seems to turn a disaster into an event or spectacle. From day to day, it became a drama being played out by the media and anyone willing to speculate or provide an "expert" opinion. This is a more difficult situation in which to engage, particularly where the media appear to be seeking someone to blame. There is a fine line to be drawn between what is legitimate journalistic enquiry and what is irresponsible behaviour in those circumstances. In these days of joined-up thinking, it was strange to observe the media operating in splendid isolation. Within hours of the crash I think that there were five BBC teams, three from ITV, and many others from all parts of the world, each wanting quality time and each working independently, or so it seemed. It is evident that the media do not always relish interviewing a police representative speaking on behalf of the emergency services, preferring to talk to those involved directly at the front line. This can be particularly demanding. Clearly, further discussions with the media would be beneficial. One matter which I found surprising was the fact that the carriages and the infrastructure of the train were maintained in spite of a collision with a stationary vehicle at virtually maximum speed. Indeed, the train may not have left the track, if contact had not been made with a bridge under which it was passing when the accident occurred. This might have been viewed as a remarkable feat of engineering, had the second collision with a freight train not occurred. Notwithstanding the above, there has to be a question as regards the potential value of fitting seat belts in the context of passenger safety and I think that this matter should be considered as part of the enquiry into the accident (Fire, May 2001)