Remarks by Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge at the “News and Terrorism: Communicating in a Crisis” Roundtable

Release Date: 08/11/04 00:00:00

Chicago, IL
August 11, 2004
(Remarks as Prepared)

Thank you, Barbara, for that introduction. And thank you all for being here and participating in this important exercise. Our work today can help us all learn how to best serve the American public. We share a common goal to inform, whether that is threat intelligence or critical life-saving information during or after an attack.  Because this is an important area of interest between government, the media, and public information specialists, it must also be an area of coordination, partnership, and mutual respect.  

We held a similar workshop with your colleagues at the national level and we believe it was mutually beneficial. Along with our partners, the National Academy of Sciences and the Radio-Television News Directors Association, I am hopeful you will find it the same.

You’ve heard me talk over the past week about recent threat reporting - some of the most detailed and specific intelligence we have ever received. I think we all recognize that talking about threat information is new for the government and it’s new for the media and it’s difficult.

Our recent public announcement was based upon some of the most specific information we have seen, and yet there were questions. I’m of mind that there was no confusion among the governors, mayors and CEOs. No confusion among those who understand how Al-Qaeda operates.

We’re still learning how to inform the public without inciting any panic and hopefully avoiding any confusion. And we will continue to improve the process by working together.

When we do have threat information to announce, it serves as a sober and serious reminder that we must operate with the understanding that the threat of a terrorist attack is real.

And that is why, in addition to concentrating on prevention, we must also prepare our response. Just as we do for hurricanes, floods, or fires, Homeland Security is responsible for coordinating a national response in the event of a terrorist attack.

We need only look at the past weeks for an example of the progress we have made in this area. Coordination between the financial services sector, local law enforcement, and governments at all levels shows just how far we have come since the tragedy of September 11th.

The notion that old information is irrelevant is not a conclusion that we ever accept. As one CEO told me, they aren’t any less anxious because it is old.

Today, we share information more efficiently, we communicate more effectively, and we are able to act decisively.

For instance, with these new channels in place, policymakers were able to take threat information received on Friday morning, share it with the appropriate members of the private sector, local government and the public over the weekend and have extensive security measures already in place at the affected areas on Monday morning to protect those facilities, communities, and citizens.  

In this case, we were dealing with a real threat. But in the future, we could be dealing with a real attack. That is why we have developed the National Response Plan…a detailed “play book” for everyone involved in emergency response from federal government agencies to local law enforcement throughout the country.

And, as I mentioned, we have enhanced coordination and communication with these partners with new technologies such as the Homeland Security Information Network.

Lastly, we have put our plans into action with training exercises such as TOPOFF II – which, as many of you know, simulated a biological attack here in Chicago.

One of the most important reminders from TOPOFF II was that effective communications is the linchpin for efficient performance. As part of this drill, we formed a Video News Network to engage our crisis communications team.

And the After-Action report noted that “a consistent message to the public from incident command and public health and medical communities is critical.”

Our partnership with the National Academies and the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation…and this exercise, along with nine others around the country…are part of our efforts at the Department to ensure that timely, accurate information is communicated during a crisis.

Like other seminal moments in our history, everyone remembers where they were when they heard – or heard about – airplanes crashing into the World Trade Center on September 11th. They also probably remember who they heard it from: a voice over the radio, a familiar face on the television, a routine click on the internet. That day, Americans across the country needed the news, needed a story, needed to understand the evil they were witnessing. As they do every other day, they got all of that and more from the media.

In the aftermath of that tragedy, we relied heavily on the courage and bravery of first responders…including journalists.

We relied on fire fighters, police officers, and emergency medical personnel…not to mention hundreds of citizens – with skills of all varieties – who rushed to the scenes in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania to offer their help. And in the event of another attack, we will rely on each of them – and each of you – again.

Similar to other first responders, members of the media rush toward danger, not away from it. You are “on the scene” to bring home the story. But there may be a time when your audience needs more than the story.

They may need information beyond the “who, what, why, where, and how” information that could be critical to minimizing damage and saving lives.

I know that you take this responsibility to the public very seriously. And I know you are committed to preparing yourselves for an occasion when you might need to put an emergency plan into action. Your preparation now can save lives later.

And that, of course, is why you are here today for this important exercise. As I’ve mentioned, in the event of a crisis, we have a common mission to share timely, accurate information that will help victims and save lives.

To do that, we must be able to get critical, life-saving information to the general public as quickly as possible…and the government cannot do that effectively without the media.

By simulating a real-life scenario today, we will be able to better understand the relationship between government and the media. We can learn how to work together, address each other’s needs and tackle the unique challenges we each face.

For instance, we already know that we can’t properly educate the entire public about every single potential threat.  Unfortunately, there are just too many possible methods available to the terrorists. Instead, we must rely on our ability to give them targeted information in a timely fashion.

That means you have to know everything they don’t. And we can help educate each of you so that in the event of an attack, you can react immediately.

You know a thing or two about producing results on a deadline and no doubt it’s because you have done your homework before the deadline even exists. The same must be true as we prepare to inform the public.

I hope that this training exercise is the beginning of an important, ongoing conversation about how we can best serve the public in the future.

We’re going to work together to achieve our goals. As we do, government officials must have a better understanding of the way the media will work in a crisis…what their needs will be…how they will approach disseminating important information.

And the media must develop a better understanding of the decisions facing government officials…under what circumstances will we choose different responses…what will the public need to know…and how quickly.

These are important questions and, admittedly, they do not have easy answers. But having the right questions can be a good start, and you will go a long way toward answering them by the end of today.

It’s important to remember that everyone has a role to play in our homeland’s security. Before you are journalists, scientists, and public information specialists…you are mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, friends and fellow citizens.

We each have a responsibility to be prepared…to develop a family communications plan…to be informed.  Above and beyond our professional obligations, we have a responsibility to ourselves and to each other.

That’s why I often say that homeland security is about the integration of our nation – everyone pledged to freedom’s cause, everyone freedom’s beneficiary.

You know what I’m talking about because you help make it happen every day. You bring us together by bringing the world to our living rooms. You give us the stories that shape our lives and, as you are exploring today, the information that could save our lives.

It’s a great responsibility, but one which journalists and public information officers have earned and accepted time and again.  

Thank you for your work today, for your ongoing efforts to protect our homeland, and for providing a constant reminder of the great blessings of freedom which we all enjoy.

Thank you.

This page was last modified on 08/11/04 00:00:00