Media, CD Adjust Tactics for Emergencies; KSSK’s Ratings Touted To Counter Criticism; State CD’s Absence Leaves an “Empty Chair”

Continuing our report on Tuesday’s Honolulu Community Media Council panel discussion on “Media and Emergency Response”…..

Oahu DEM Wants To Be Quicker

John Cummings of Honolulu County’s Department of Emergency Management (DEM) led off the panel by noting what worked well on October 15th after the two Big Island earthquakes. DEM’s Emergency Operations Center was activated in 17 minutes, and communications among first responders was established quickly.

What needs attention is faster communications to the public. DEM’s first broadcast over radio stations didn’t occur until 50 minutes after the quakes. The agency had anticipated using land lines to contact stations, and that was a major problem, as the stations’ phone lines were clogged with calls from the public. DEM’s personnel had not been trained in using the Emergency Alert System for two years, but State Civil Defense has conducted trainings since October.

Cummings said DEM is developing plans to use the County’s Traffic Information Center as a secondary communications hub in future emergencies. Another goal is to establish a direct link to emergency broadcast station KSSK; DEM currently must route its calls to KSSK through State Civil Defense.

Fixing the Phone Glitch

Chuck Cotton, general manager of the Clear Channel stations in Hawaii (including KSSK) and a member of the Governor-appointed Comprehensive Communications Review Committee, said he felt most media and government officials did a credible job on October 15th. He noted that too many stations were off the air too long, but some stations such as KSSK remained operational during the Hawaiian Electric blackout thanks to backup generators.

Cotton said one of the major lessons learned was to rely on the POT – Plain Old Telephone. With cell phone networks clogged and digital phones inoperative due to the power outage, low-tech telephones plugged into Hawaiian Telcom’s network worked. He also said the Clear Channel stations have begun updating government agencies and other critical communicators with lists of telephone numbers in the stations’ newsrooms and studios. The updates are quarterly, and numbers are changed periodically, as once-private numbers inevitably leak out to the public. (Maintaining lists of unpublished numbers has been one of CHORE's recommendations; Hawaiian Electric learned this lesson the hard way during Hurricane Iwa in 1982, but the lesson was lost in the intervening years – not only to HECO but to civil defense officials.)

A Newspaperman’s Perspective

Honolulu Advertiser Editor Mark Platte joked that from the newspaper’s perspective, the worst possible time for the October emergency to begin was when it did – Sunday morning, about 23 hours before the paper’s next print edition hit the streets. He recounted the difficulty in finding a diesel generator to run the printing press in Kapolei, but he also cited the paper’s success in reporting on the earthquakes and blackout on the Advertiser’s website. Reporters sat in their cars to write on their laptop computers and created stories for the Advertiser’s website, which had 900,000 hits on Sunday and more than one million the next day.

Looking to future emergencies, Platte said a generator will be permanently stationed at the paper’s Kapolei printing facility, and the paper also will find ways to provide power to its Kapiolani Boulevard newsroom.

“Uncontaminated by Information”

Michael Titterton, general manager of Hawaii Public Radio, lamented the loss of electrical power to HPR’s studios on Kaheka Street. Bad as that was, it seemed even worse when power was restored to the stations’ transmitting tower. Titterton brought a laugh from the 70 attendees when he said HPR had a “clean carrier signal uncontaminated by information.”

Titterton said it is especially important for Public Radio to be on the air during periods of community concern, and he’s taking steps to ensure that future blackouts won’t affect HPR. “Some things just have to be done” no matter how daunting the bureaucratic hurdles, he said.

The Blogger’s Pledge – Tactful Directness

CHORE ended the panel discussion by noting that our comments might lack the tact that more time would have afforded. We provided a foundation for our remarks with a brief employment history – KFWB all-news radio in Los Angeles during the February 1971 Sylmar earthquake, and manager of HECO communications during Hurricane Iwa and other major island-wide power outages in the 1980s. That said, we focused our comments on three main points:

• State Civil Defense should have participated in the Media Council panel discussion. SCD is a key link in the communications chain to the public; for the agency to specifically decline participation (as it did several times) suggests a public accountability void. CHORE has advocated SCD briefings for the public since October, and a complete reading of this blog will find several assurances from SCD leaders that meetings would be held (see November 14 post and others). The promised follow-ups to arrange these meetings never happened, and a new explanation for the agency’s reticence was aired on KIPO’s “Town Square” program on February 22; an excerpt can be found in our February 26 post, below. (Marsha Weinert, the State Administration’s liaison to the visitor industry, was to have been on the panel but cancelled on Monday, without a replacement, due to a requirement for her to testify at a hearing at the State Legislature.)

• Emergency broadcast station KSSK could use an “emergency mindset” adjustment. We offered the view that the station’s famed on-air duo of Mike Perry and Larry Price, while deserving of accolades for years of community service and on-air excellence, nevertheless sounded more like their normal entertaining selves on Earthquake Sunday than emergency communicators. They encouraged listeners to phone in with their earthquake anecdotes, which listeners promptly did and thereby clogged telephone lines so thoroughly that first responders couldn’t get through (see earlier comment above on the need to maintain unpublished phone lists for the stations). Unsaid at the luncheon was another criticism of KSSK that’s been noted by many: The station began airing the pre-recorded “John Tesh Radio Show” at 7 p.m. while about half of Oahu was still without electrical power – a decision that reflected the entertainment mindset. CHORE first wrote about this months ago (scroll down to October 22) as the usual accolades were heaped on KSSK and its personalities, yet as we said during the lunch, the uncritical assessments leave no room for improvement, which is something every link in the communications chain must do. (Chuck Cotton responds, below.)

• Honolulu news media failed the public by not reporting regularly on the meetings of the Comprehensive Communications Review Committee. The 70-member body met four times in late October and early November before the first newspaper story appeared about its activities. Since public safety was the subject of those meetings, they were newsworthy and deserved coverage. (Mark Platte later acknowledged that his paper and presumably others could have done a more thorough job of reporting on the Review Committee.)

We’re Number One!

Chuck Cotton responded to a couple points raised by CHORE. He said the Review Committee was conceived as a means for industry and government people to discuss ideas on how to improve communications in emergencies. Many ideas were tossed into the mix, he said – some good, some OK and some not so good. He said some members might have been uncomfortable if those ideas were subjected to outside scrutiny. (CHORE’S COMMENT: Since the public is the ultimate consumer of emergency information, the public deserves a seat at the table. We went so far as to say every government apparatus can benefit from exposure to public opinion, which should not be excluded.)

Cotton defended KSSK’s performance during the October emergency and in the end seemed to rely on the station’s immense popularity for his primary argument. Perry & Price have the highest morning drive time ratings in the nation, he said, so they must be doing something right. (CHORE’S COMMENT: Those ratings are for an entertainment show that features light banter, music and listener participation, most or all of which is inappropriate during an emergency.)

We’ll follow up tomorrow with additional comments from the luncheon, including assertions by a representative of the hearing impaired that reliance on radio doesn’t help his community in a crisis. Thanks for reading.

Panel Reveals Better Media Response Abilities While Leaving Room for More Improvement

Today’s Honolulu Community Media Council luncheon revealed improvements in how Oahu’s Department of Emergency Management (formerly Oahu Civil Defense) and the local media are preparing to respond to future emergencies. We’ll detail those improvements in posts to CHORE in the next couple days while also focusing on issues revealed in the discussion that seemingly could stand more work.

The remarks of panelists Chuck Cotton, Mark Platte, Michael Titterton, John Cummings and CHORE’s writer were complemented by audience comments from the floor. All in all, it was an exceptionally successful beginning to the “new” Media Council's year, with many more compelling programs to come.

And “to come” is our slug to end this post. Mahalo for all who attended and filled the room today. Be sure to come back tomorrow for more.

Media Council Panel on Crisis Response To Have No Representative from State Administration

Tuesday’s lunch meeting of the Honolulu Community Media Council will be a long-awaited public discussion on the communications failures experienced on Earthquake Sunday, October 15th, 2006, and what’s being done to improve emergency communications to the public.

A panel of community volunteers, the media and a representative of the Oahu Department of Emergency Management (formerly Oahu Civil Defense) will explore “Media and Emergency Response.”

But we won’t see a representative of the State Administration there. As noted previously here at CHORE, State Civil Defense had declined to participate on the panel for unknown reasons, but one did emerge on KIPO's "Town Square" program last Thursday (see below).

And now we’ve learned that Marsha Weinert, the State’s liaison to the visitor industry, won’t be there either. Weinart said earlier today she’s opting out due to a conflict at the State Legislature. No alternate representative has been volunteered to replace her.

Read the recent posts here at CHORE for a rundown on who will be speaking on the panel.

New Explanation for SCD's Low Profile

Hawaii Public Radio’s KIPO devoted its “Town Square” program on February 22 to a discussion on this same subject – improving communications to the public during emergencies. The guests were Weinert and State Civil Defense Vice Director Ed Teixeira; you can download the MP3 file of the program here.

CHORE called the show and once again extended an invitation to Teixeira to attend Tuesday’s panel discussion or send a representative. If you don't want to listen to the first 50 minutes of the program before finding our exchange, here’s how the dialogue went after we set the stage by describing the panel and luncheon:

CHORE: We hope, Ed, that you can make it. We haven’t really been told I don’t believe whether you’re going to be able to attend and be a member of the panel, but if you can’t, we hope someone else from State Civil Defense can be a participant. What do you say?

Host Beth-Ann Kozlovich (laughing): I think you’re trying to Shanghai him. I don’t know, Doug, what to tell you. I mean, Ed, you don’t have your schedule here so I don’t know whether….

Teixeira: You know, Doug, I think I turned it down.

CHORE: Yeah, I think you did, and it really would seem to be much less of an event without State Civil Defense being there. If you can’t make it because of your schedule, is it a possibility that somebody else can?

Teixeira: There’s a possibility as well, but one of the things that I was looking forward to talking on the show today is that, there has been sort of like an over focus on State Civil Defense. You gotta realize our part. Our part here is to back up county civil defense. You look at the counties. Their response is why they’re called the first responder. So we can’t overlook the county civil defense agencies. They were also key participants in the Governor’s Comprehensive Communications Review Committee as well. So you can get our thoughts on our planning and where we’re at in building our capabilities and strengthening our plans, our own lessons learned. But you know, there’s a missing key here, a very very critical part, you know, the county civil defense agencies. And I know you’re an advocate and you still urge us to get out there and talk to the public, and we did talk to that in about the first 10 or 15 minutes of the show today. But as I was getting ready to launch out and do some open forums with the public, I had to rethink it all. I want to stay within our own lane, and I don’t want to get out there into a county agency or a county environment without the participation of the county civil defense agencies, because they really got first dibs in talking with the people. That’s where it lies.

Kozlovich: Doug, I know you want to follow up with a very quick question. We’re running out of time.

CHORE: Real quickly, Ed, I know you’d be happy to know that Oahu Civil Defense has accepted the invitation to be there, and they will be there on Tuesday. But I hope that you can add the State’s great perspective to the whole problem, since we seemed to be looking to State Civil Defense on October 15th for the information that we needed, and it’s not too late to RSVP….

So that's where it lies. State Civil Defense isn't anxious to meet with the public and participate in an open discussion about its emergency communications plans because, we're told, it doesn't want to get in the way of the county agencies.

We'll have an opportunity to hear from the Oahu agency on Tuesday and ask how it feels to have the State backing it up all the way................... from a distance.

Today Is RSVP Deadline for Media Council Meeting; Count Is Already Approaching 70

The “Media and Emergency Response” theme of next Tuesday’s Honolulu Community Media Council’s meeting seems to have struck a chord with the public. Nearly 70 people already have reserved a seat at the Ala Moana Hotel luncheon, which will feature a panel discussion among representatives of the media, government and the public.

Reservations for the $20 lunch can still be made today by calling 596-2121. Registration on Tuesday will begin at 11:30, and the program will end at 1:30.

This will be the first opportunity for the public to question media and civil defense officials about their response to the communications failures that followed the October 15th earthquakes. Those failures included the temporary shutdown of 80 percent of the state’s broadcast stations, with some of them knocked off the air for more than 24 hours. Those that did continue broadcasting had difficulty accessing reliable information in the early hours of the emergency.

Scroll down to CHORE's recent posts for information on the panel’s participants, who will start the program with their brief assessments of the topic. Audience members will be invited to share their views and question the panel.

Newspaper Commentary Touts Feb. 27 Panel; Oahu Civil Defense Agrees To Participate

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin published CHORE's commentary yesterday on next week's panel discussion sponsored by the Honolulu Community Media Council.

Not mentioned in the piece was the equallly quick decision by Oahu Civil Defense to join the panel discussion on "Media and Emergency Response." State Civil Defense, which has taken the brunt of critical comment about the October 15th Earthquake Sunday communications failures, has yet to accept a similar invitation to participate.

It should be emphasized that the Media Council meeting won't be a game of Gotcha. Its sponsor is a highly respected organization of volunteers -- the oldest of the three volunteer media councils that exist in the United States. The Council is composed of individuals from the community and media and is a non- partisan, non-profit, non-governmental independent group that seeks to improve public access to information, strengthen public support for First Amendment rights and freedoms, broaden public understanding of the role of the media, and promote accurate and fair journalism in Hawaii.

Next week's panel discussion will explore how the media are improving their ability to respond to emergencies that island residents frequently must confront -- hurricanes, tsunamis, power blackouts, volcanic eruptions, floods, freeway closures.... It's a subject worthy of public interest and involvement, and the public is invited to attend and participate in the discussion from the floor.

Reservations can be made through Friday February 23rd by calling 596-2121. The luncheon's cost is $20, paid at the door. Registration begins at 11:30, and the panel discussion will conclude at 1:30.

Media Council’s Public Meeting Will Give Citizens Their First Insights on Disaster Communications

If you want to know how or whether Hawaii’s news media are working to improve their disaster response capabilities, be sure you have lunch with the Honolulu Community Media Council on February 27. Information on the “Media and Emergency Response” panel discussion and lunch can be found in an earlier CHORE post.

This will be the public’s only opportunity to participate in emergency response discussions since the communications fiasco on Earthquake Sunday, October 15, 2006. Average citizens weren’t represented on the Comprehensive Communications Review Committee and therefore had no opportunity for input to this group’s official recommendations to improve emergency communications.

Despite calls here and elsewhere for public participation, the Governor and State Civil Defense have made it clear they want no part of an open meeting at which citizens could get answers and be heard. Legislative hearings have not adequately served that purpose, and although we thought legislators might ask for meetings around the state, there’s been no such demand.

That leaves the Media Council’s lunch meeting as the only forum to date where citizens can hear key players in the emergency communications chain describe what they’re doing to keep us informed in future disasters.

Broadcast and print journalism will be represented on the Media Council panel, as will the State Administration, although apparently not by State Civil Defense; the agency has not indicated it will accept the Council’s invitation to participate.

The Council will need your RSVP by February 23, so call the number shown in the earlier post to participate in improving communications that will help ensure your family’s safety.

“Media and Emergency Response” To Be Focus Of Honolulu Community Media Council Panel

The Honolulu Community Media Council has scheduled a lunch meeting on February 27 open to the public that will feature a panel discussion on “Media and Emergency Response.”

The event will begin at 11:30 in the hotel’s Carnation Room, followed by lunch and the program, which will conclude at 1:30. The lunch’s cost is $20; reservations can be made until February 23 by calling Veronica at 596-2121. (Tell her you read about the luncheon here at CHORE.)

HCMC president Chris Conybeare said the panel will examine the difficulties experienced by government and the media on October 15th after two strong earthquakes rattled the state and prompted a major power outage on Oahu. At one point, 70 percent of the state’s broadcast stations were off the air, which restricted the flow of emergency information to the public.

Conybeare said the panel also will discuss measures taken since Earthquake Sunday to strengthen media operations and improve the chain of emergency communications from State Civil Defense and other authorities to the public.

Panelists confirmed as participants include Mark Platte, editor of The Honolulu Advertiser; Chuck Cotton, vice president and general manager of seven Honolulu radio stations owned by Clear Channel; Michael Titterton, general manager of Hawaii Public Radio; Marsha Weinert, the State Administration’s liaison to the visitor industry and co-chair of the Comprehensive Communications Review Committee that proposed communications improvements after the October 15th earthquakes, and CHORE's writer.

State Civil Defense has been invited to send a representative and participate in the panel discussion.

Disaster Preparedness Hearings

Elsewhere, legislative hearings have begun on improving disaster preparedness. HB 1006 was the focus this afternoon; it proposes establishing the Office of the Director of Disaster Preparedness and a Disaster Preparedness Commission to develop a disaster preparedness plan for Hawaii that includes the identification of hazards and hazard impact zones; disaster mitigation policies, requirements, and incentives; and best responses. The intent seems to be to impose an additional level of oversight above State Civil Defense to improve responsiveness over what was experienced in October.

If the daily papers fail to cover this bill's provisions, we’ll summarize them later.

One Door Closes and Another One Opens: Citizens Turn to Legislature for Answers

The Governor has made it clear the public will not have a chance to question State Civil Defense officials about the communication failures of Earthquake Sunday, October 15, 2006. She says it’s all about the future now, not the past:

“We are now focused on a statewide education program to better prepare for the future,” she wrote in her on-line chat on Wednesday. Translation: “Forget about what went wrong on October 15th. We’ve done our in-house review and have everything handled. Trust us to do what’s best.”

Just last Sunday, the Governor’s senior communications advisor wrote a long column for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin that touted the Administration’s restoration of “trust and confidence in government through greater transparency and accountability.”

You’re heard the phrase, “Don’t pay attention to what politicians say. Pay attention to what politicians do.” Here’s something State Civil Defense – and therefore, the politicians to whom they report -- did that we need to pay attention to. We’ve written about this before, but it deserves another visit:

On October 29th, the Star-Bulletin reported on emergency siren “gap areas” – 148 communities around the state not adequately covered by an emergency siren. That itself was remarkable news since we’re told the sirens would be critical in alerting the public in future emergencies.

Enforcing Accountability

The most amazing part of the story, however, was that “officials would not disclose the individual communities not covered by the system,” according to the newspaper.

How’s that for clear thinking within the agency we’re supposed to rely on for public safety information? It took a public information request by the Star-Bulletin before SCD would inform citizens living in these gaps that they’re unprotected by the sirens.

It’s obvious our government’s “transparency and accountability” still need work through greater public oversight, and it may come in a measure soon to be considered at the Legislature. Stay tuned here and in the media for information about legislative initiatives, including H.B. 1006.

When one branch of government shuts out citizen input, we have to turn to another. Now's the time.