An accidental spill of a hazardous substance has occurred at your facility and a worker has been injured, hospitalized and released with a minor burn. You have been asked to write a press release to be sent to the local news media explaining the spill incident and facility response. Press releases are very succinct, so keep the length to 4 paragraphs (1 page).
INSTRUCTIONS
The press release is a short (typically less than a page), written document that is mailed, e-mailed or faxed to the news media. It should be 'media-friendly' -- that is, written for the convenience of the reporter/announcer who will cover the story. When you draft a release:
Ø Put it on organization letterhead.
Ø Give it a title that 'spins' the story the way you want. For instance, if there has been an accident, use the title to state the organization's fast & effective response.
Ø Include contact names and telephone and fax numbers and e-mail addresses.
Ø Include 'release information' such as "For Release: Wednesday, May 23, 2012".
Ø Start the text with a dateline such as "College Park, MD, May 23 - ."
Ø Put the most important stuff up-front.
Ø Keep it to a page, or as short as possible.
Ø Include direct quotations - which you can make-up - from the senior facility or organization executive. Put these 'quotes' up front in the release. "I am very proud of the company's commitment to improving health and safety," said COE Joe Smith.
Ø Remember to ask yourself if you covered the 'what, why, who, when, where & how'.
Please check out some EXAMPLE press releases by going to a website of your state's environmental management agency. For example, you can go under the Michigan Department of Environmental Protection (MDEP) and search for press releases for examples.