Due to the life and death situations of a disaster, world wide attention will be focused on the disaster site. News media will gather to collect pictures and interviews about how the injured and dead are being taken care of. Because of the design of the DMAT, it will receive media attention before, during and after a disaster. In order to maximize the appearance of the team during any news coverage the following procedures should be followed:
1) Preparatory Mode: Media requests for interviews or information about the TADMAT should be referred to the Public Information Officer (PIO). The PIO will coordinate with the Executive Committee regarding the appropriate individual(s) to be interviewed. The PIO should also be notified if a team member has been asked for an interview about their personal experiences on the team. Team members are required to coordinate with the PIO to ensure complete and accurate information about the TADMAT is conveyed to the media.
When individual team members are requested to lecture to public groups about the TADMAT or their experiences, they should similarly coordinate with the PIO to ensure complete and accurate information is conveyed and to acquire audio-visual aids to assist with their lecture.
2) Active Mode: The Public Information Officer at the disaster site and the PIO's designee at the TBOT will act as the hub for all media contacts, before, during and after a deployment. The PIO is solely responsible for these contacts, and for sending out news announcements following an alert.
A) Media requests for interviews and pictures during pre-deployment activities will be handled by the PIO. Media will be escorted by the PIO or designee wherever activities deemed noteworthy are being performed. Media requests shall be accommodated in such a manner as to have minimal impact upon team activities. DMAT members should be prepared to do short interviews at little or short notice.
B) When cameras are present, expect to be video taped and / or interviewed at any time (only upon PIO approval) during the preparations for deployment. Team members are cautioned as to the probability of anything said or done being recorded, and are both reminded of the need to act professionally in both actions and attitude. Please observe the following when on camera or during an interview:
C) Any requests for media contact, especially those on site, should be referred to the PIO or Executive Officer. Check with the PIO if it is appropriate for you to talk with the media. Don't assume just because the media is in the DMAT site, that they have done so under approval and that you have been cleared to speak with them.
D) When on site, media are to be escorted into any DMAT facility/tent/etc. This includes the DMAT camp site or designated medical treatment grounds. Patients are to be afforded the same privacy considerations as any hospital: They must give approval (either verbally or preferably written) for their names or faces to be photographed. Without permission, photos will only be allowed if patients are not identifiable; no faces photographed. The PIO will provide the approval release forms.
E) Photographs outside the treatment facilities will be allowed without written permission if all other policies are met.