On May 22, 2011 an EF-5 tornado swept the City of Joplin, MO., causing the deaths of many and destroying all structures in its path devastating an entire community and causing $3 billion in damage. A local newspaper, The Joplin Globe, would undergo many unprecedented challenges ahead, but valuable lessons would also be learned.
The Joplin Globe lost page designer, Bruce Baillie, which died as a result of his injuries. One quarter of the Globe’s 117 employees lost their homes and personal belongings, but they kept their cool amongst all the chaos and went to work. They were confronted with the biggest story of their lifetime.
The unexpected had happened, and the only news coverage available was that of The Joplin Globe. Power lines down, lack of Internet access, and no other media outlets to report, the Globe became the center of international media. As a result, the Globe’s web traffic unexpectedly increased by 3,000% overnight.
Among other things, bandwidth became a big issue, the Globe’s email system had given out. They would depend on their fax machines during this point of time.
Staff members would work for countless hours, but if there were signs of fatigue and emotional distress they were counseled and sent home for the day. These brave journalists, tired, but determined would work in hazardous conditions, dodging debris such as; knocked out electrical lines and gas leaks.
The Globe received help from many news organizations in the region, most of whom where sister papers. Condolences and offers of support were desperately accepted, but the Globe would later realize that too much help can sometimes become time consuming and overwhelming.
A gatekeeper was designated to handle phone calls and walk-ins. This person was responsible in answering phone calls of people in search of loved ones. Some callers where loyal readers pinpointing “outstanding story leads”.
Briefs became vital, and they were published online using the many tools the Internet has to offer. Lists of missing and the dead where also published in print. Their readers wanted lists.
The Globe took down their pay wall and opened their e-edition to the public. Papers where handed out in corners and shelters. They gave it away, knowing their readers would never forget such act of kindness.
They constantly updated their website with stories and pictures for immediate coverage. They tagged their stories and kept social media streams fresh with breaking news. Like their print counterpart, content was also re-organized to better fit the needs of their readers.
There never really is a way to prepare for such chaos, but there is a lot we can learn from the Joplin Globe. Dave Woods, The Joplin Globe’s digital development manager suggests the following emergency plan:
- Keep a complete and current phone list of staff and contacts in several locations.
- Look for and secure an alternate location from which to conduct news operations.
- Don’t rely on email and the Internet for research; it might not be available when you need it most.
- Buy an air card.
- Have an emergency action plan that is adaptable to many coverage scenarios.
- Have a list of reliable and credible journalism volunteers on whom you can call when the — hits the fan.
- Make sure there are batteries for cameras and recorders, water, snacks, sunscreen for the field and first-aid kits for minor injuries.
- Be prepared. Don’t panic, yet.
A few final things I’ve learned from The Joplin Globe is that they have taught me the true meaning of community resilience, workmanship, and brotherly love. Most importantly, their devotion to the community as journalist is admirable.