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Media Collaborating for Disaster Resilience

Media partnerships can advance disaster resilience for both organizations.

Two radio stations in the Seattle market just inked an agreement to share resources with each other when a disaster impacts one or both of them. The agreement between KUOW and KEXP allows them to call on the other station if they need assistance in equipment, facilities or staffing because of a disaster. 

In emergency management terms, it is called a mutual aid agreement between two like organizations. Each one agrees to help the other if it is physically possible to do so. We have seen media companies come to the rescue of one another at the time of a disaster — Hurricane Katrina comes to mind. But, this is a preplanned agreement that works out the kinks and sets the standards ahead of time. 

Now if only every other media company, television and radio, would do the same with partner organizations!

Eric Holdeman is a contributing writer for Emergency Management magazine and is the former director of the King County, Wash., Office of Emergency Management.