Media disaster at disaster drill Media disaster at disaster drill (October 17, 2003)

Gunshots, explosions, victims in southeast Palo Alto were just a 'learning experience'

by Jay Thorwaldson

Gf"Times">unshots, explosions and victims lying on pavement highlighted a major disaster drill Wednesday at the former Sun Microsystems complex in the southeast corner of Palo Alto.

The drill, designed as a learning experience for the city's various departments, also had a real disaster, of sorts: media relations.

Reporters, photographers and television crews -- who had been invited to the exercise -- were herded into a police-line tape corral far from the action.

But KRAP radio station reporter "Sam Schmuck," a volunteer pretending to be a reporter with instructions to wander around, make trouble and be obnoxious, was allowed access -- for about five minutes, until he was fired and reassigned as a victim.

The volunteer, Henry Neugass, said he was given the role of a pesky journalist, but came up with the name and radio station himself.

Neugass drew on his experience years ago as a feature writer for the UCLA Daily Bruin and gave himself the "Schmuck" name to fit the character.

He was one of about 15 volunteers to participate in the multi-departmental exercise, which included police, fire, public works, utilities and other departments in the city. Two more exercises are planned Thursday, Oct. 23, and Monday, Oct. 27.

Neugass, a computer consultant who has been active in school disaster-preparedness programs with the PTA Council and was a co-founder of Palo Alto Ready, said he volunteered just to help out and establish connections with city disaster people.

"I was doing my job to bug the people at the command post. But in about five minutes they kicked me out -- I got fired -- and was reassigned as a victim. He said he was aware of the discontent of the real media, but spent most of the time just lying on the street.

"I was blown up," he said. "But I had a very good view from the pavement."

Neugass said the media relations seemed to go sour when members of the real press were moved from a cordoned area close to the action to another that was far more remote. One officer held his hand in front of the lens of Weekly photographer Scott Stuppi and commented that Stuppi must "live" for such tragedies.

If they didn't want us here "why did they send out a press release," said a KGO cameraman standing behind the press barricade. He said he had filmed disaster training exercises in other cities where media access was not a problem.

Police Capt. Torin Fischer said there were two reasons for the media to be held at bay: National standards for such drills emphasize not allowing photos or descriptions that depict police tactics, and event planners wanted to keep some elements of the drill a surprise for other city staff members who will be participating in the two later exercises.

Overall, Hanna said the drill went well. It was hard on the volunteers, who showed up at 6 a.m. on a chilly morning and then endured the hot pavement, Hanna said. Some had lain in the sun on the pavement for more than two hours, crying for help in a crossfire situation -- one finally began begging for sunscreen.

Jay Thorwaldson is editor of Weekly. He can be e-mailed at jthorwaldson@paweekly.com.