15.1 Media - Critical Incidents

Purpose

To provide guidelines for SLSSA personnel to effectively engaging with the media during critical incidents.

Overview

Positive interaction with the media is important for SLSSA as an organisation. It is imperative however that any media enquiries are handled by the appropriate lifesaving personnel.

Surf Life Saving defines critical incidents as any of the following, individually or in combination:

• Incidents resulting in death (including unsuccessful CPR or body recovery).
• Incidents resulting in serious or major injury (e.g., shark attack, propeller strike).
• Incidents where a Surf Life Saving member is seriously injured and requires hospitalisation.
• Incidents where a member of the public is injured by lifesaving personnel or equipment, requiring external medical treatment or hospitalization.

Procedure

Critical Incident Media

For any ‘critical incident’, in addition to SLSSA key stakeholders, the Manager, Communications and Partnerships must be notified as soon as practicable by the State Operations Centre for the purpose of coordinating the media response.

The SLSSA Manager, Communications and Partnerships will liaise with relevant SLSSA personnel to establish the facts, communicate with key personnel involved and establish a media plan.

The media plan may involve the identification and briefing of an appropriate local (club/state) spokesperson or may delegate the role to another person.

When responding to an incident, media enquiries must not be prioritised over SLS operations.

As the Manager, Communications and Partnerships is the contact for media enquiries, the SLS Forward Commander (Patrol Captain/Lifeguard Supervisor/Duty Officer) must direct all media enquiries to them either via the SOC or direct to the Manager (if contact details known).

The SOC should be advised if direct contact details are provided so it can be added to the incident log.

The SLS Forward Commander must make best effort to ensure that other SLS personnel do not speak to the media unless authorised to do so.

General Media Enquiries (Non-critical)

General media enquiries (e.g. hours of operation, surf conditions, patrol activity, etc.) should be treated as a positive opportunity to represent/promote the organisation.

The Patrol Captain/Lifeguard Supervisor may deal with this directly or refer the media to the Club Captain, Club President or SLSSA. Even when responding to general inquiries, they should only engage with the media if they have firsthand or direct knowledge of the incident or issue being discussed.

Note: If the enquiry is more serious or potentially negative, the matter should be referred to the Manager, Communications and Partnerships via the State Operations Centre.

Presentation / Public Image

Members should ensure they are dressed in the correct, full uniform at all times when staging photos or conducting video interviews for the media.

Equipment and patrol setup should always be as per SOPs.

Do not be influenced by the media to stage a photo or video which is not in accordance with the SOPs or which may bring the organisation into disrepute.

Rules of Thumb

• If you are unsure as to whether or not you should answer a question or make a comment to the media, always refer it to the next level.
• There is no such thing as ‘off the record.’
• Stick to the facts.
  • this is what happened,
  • this is what we did,
  • this was the outcome,
  • these are the key safety messages.
• Never engage in hearsay/rumour/innuendo.
• Never appoint blame.
• You have control of what you say and how you look – don’t be ‘dictated to’ by reporters.
• If you can’t, don’t want to, or don’t think you should answer a question – DON’T. Simply state: “I am not the appropriate person to comment on that, please contact the SLSSA Media Team”.