Vol 5 Unit 4 Flashcards
What is the role of PA as it relates to crisis communication?
To communicate the commander’s message; both to the internal audiences, as well as the public.
To whom does PA communicate during a crisis?
The public.
Which AFIs must PA accident plans agree?
AFMAN 10-2504 and AFI 91–204.
List five items a typical emergency crash kit would include.
Any five of the following:
(1) Pertinent AFI 35–101 excerpts, plus any local PA operating instruction.
(2) Commander’s key messages.
(3) Key staff biographies and fact sheets.
(4) Step-by-step checklists dealing with specific situations such as: natural disaster, bomb threat, fire or
on-base and off-base accidents.
(5) Draft news releases with fill-in-the-blank lines enclosed in document protectors.
(6) Reference lists detailing area military PA office contacts, civic leader contacts, local news media
contacts, and PA office recall roster.
(7) Blank event logs and AF Forms 39, (Response to Query).
(8) Pens, pencils, and audiovisual markers.
(9) Coins or phone cards to use pay telephones; or a cell phone with voice and text messaging.
What are the three questions do people want Public Affairs to answer immediately following an accident or incident?
(1) What just happened?
(2) How does this impact me?
(3) What are you (the Air Force) doing to fix it?
After notification of a nonnuclear accident, when should the initial news release be written?
Within one hour after notification
What should you do when writing the release and all the information is not available?
Release the information you have.
Who has authority over accidents that occur off an installation?
State and local authorities.
In overseas areas, whose policies and directives must PA activities conform to during on-base disturbances?
Host nation, and other instructions of the unified commander who is responsible for that area.
a. Who is the release authority for information for on-base disturbances?
b. What must the initial news release include?
a. Local commander.
b. The nature and background of the disturbance, number of personnel involved, damage or injury estimates, command actions, and a statement that the cause is being investigated.
How do crisis incidents differ from on-base disturbances?
A crisis incident is characterized by violence and may include, but is not limited to, the use of automobile,
luggage, or parcel explosives; land mines; fire bombs; poisons; environmental terrorism; ambush killings
and assassinations; taking of hostages; kidnapping; hijacking; theft of weapons; armed robbery; mass demonstrations; and sabotage. Conversely, on base disturbances include protests and marches due to social,
political, or economic unrest.
What is DOD’s policy concerning the crisis management forces?
Disapprove media requests for interviews, videotaping, and coverage of training for crisis response forces.
When an accident occurs off the installation, in an area accessible to the media, who must arrive
at the accident site with the on-scene commander?
Initial response force.
After responding to an accident, why should communications be established at once between the on-scene PA representative, the Public Affairs office/media center, and the command post representatives?
This permits the PA representative at the site and those at the Public Affairs office to coordinate information for release on a timely basis.
If accidents and incidents are likely to require around-the-clock PA support for several days, what action should the Public Affairs office take?
(1) Set up a 24-hour news media operations Center. If other federal, state, and local response force public
affairs officers are on scene, the media center should be a joint operation.
(2) Give Air Force news releases about the accident to state, local, or other officials responsible for
informing the public and media or who need the releases for any other purpose.
(3) Anticipate public concerns and issue news releases before such concerns distort public perceptions.
(4) Ask the next higher PA echelon for additional people and equipment if needed.
(5) Have each PA staff member record media and public queries on AF Form 39.
(6) Use a central log to record the time of accident, important developments, time of release, policy
received from higher PA echelons and how or when it was implemented, and thumbnail sketches of
most significant queries and events.
(7) Alert switchboard operators to direct all news media and public calls to the media center.
What must happen before the name of a person killed in an aircraft accident can be released?
Until the next of kin are notified.
Which questions must be answered first before initiating an initial response to a crisis?
What happened? Where did it happen? Where do we need to be? What logistics do we need?
With which locations is the PA office responsible for communicating during a crisis?
The PA office is responsible for coordinating the logistics and communications between PA personnel at
the scene of the accident, the Emergency Operations Center and the Media Operations Center.
List three logistical concerns a PA professional should consider when responding during a crisis?
Any three of the following:
(1) Will the on-scene PA representative have access to water, food, and communications equipment?
(2) Are there enough radios available for all key locations or are cell phones a better option?
(3) Will one or the other (radios or cell phones) be a better option?
(4) What is the weather going to be?
How is it possible to receive queries about an accident or incident from members of the media
before official notification is given by the Command Post?
Members of the media often use scanners to listen to emergency response frequencies.
When responding to queries, what is the fastest way to obtain information?
Directly from the PA representatives on the scene of the incident and at the Emergency Operations Center.
What form should be used to track and document questions from the media?
AF Form 39.
Describe what it means for a PA representative to be “on scene” during a crisis.
Responding to a crisis “on scene” simply means at the actual location where there has been an accident or incident.
What are the responsibilities of the PA representative when on scene during a crisis?
When on scene, the PA representative must gather and relay information back to the PA office, document
(with still or video camera) the accident and be prepared to escort media who show up.
