Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1544866
also without regular cellphone service, which meant speaking with editors about when we expected to be back in range, something also essential in natural disasters. "My strategy is always to think long-term and collectively about safety. That makes it easier, rather than thinking of it only when stories [are unfolding]." BRINGING IN THE CAVALRY Chip Mitchell, Reporter for WBEZ Chicago "I've had my share of hazardous reporting assignments over the years. I've traveled along rural Colombian highways when kidnapping for ransom was a threat. I've been up close to NATO summit protesters clashing with police in downtown Chicago, and on the South Side, I had reported on the city's first widespread looting and gun violence after George Floyd's killing. "Then, one Friday evening last September, my bosses sent me to an ICE processing facility, just west of Chicago, as President Trump's deportation blitz was hitting high gear. A couple hundred protesters were chanting and jeering at ICE and U.S. Border Patrol agents. I saw feds responding with pepper balls, tear gas, chemical sprays and stun grenades. 'Stinger' detonations showered the crowd with rubber pellets. "My employer, a nonprofit that owns a public radio station and major newspaper, was starting to outfit its reporters and photographers with gas masks, goggles, helmets, vests, decontamination wipes and so on. I had what I needed that night. I knew [when] to step back and avoid getting caught between the protesters and agents. "But I faced a safety challenge the equipment and positioning could not address. Once the agents started using the riot-control weapons, the event became big news. I was expected to supply reports to the radio station, its national network, the newspaper, two websites and a live blog. That would be challenging under the best of circumstances, but especially on a night when [there weren't] many editors on duty. So, I didn't get much help prioritizing the news outlets and deadlines — not to mention making decisions about sourcing and safety risks. "I had to spend a lot of time thumbing around on my phone, trying to rustle up off-duty editors and begging for coordination. The phone work required looking down at the device when I should have been looking up and devoting my full attention to things like protester arrests and teargas canisters. "I didn't get hurt. Over the next few days, though, I let newsroom managers know they had dropped the ball on editor staffing that night, that it hurt our coverage and that it could have jeopardized my safety. "One thing I appreciated was having a union. We had organized a SAG-AFTRA unit at the radio station a decade earlier. During those conversations with bosses, I knew that the union would have my back if I needed it. That support strengthened my confidence to communicate clearly with management." SAFETY IS MORE THAN A WORD Frankie McLister, Reporter for WCCO-TV, CBS News Minnesota "'Safety is the No. 1 priority' sounds quite cliché — but to me, it's cliché for a reason. As a reporter in Minneapolis, I've been tested to keep this phrase at the forefront of my mind, especially throughout our coverage of Operation Metro Surge, the nearly two-month-long surge of 3,000 federal agents to the state. "At all times, I have the proper gear. This includes pepper spray in every bag I keep handy, in the side compartment of my vehicle and, sometimes, right in my pocket during a live shot. Additionally, I often find myself communicating with my photojournalist and security guard (if one is provided — though in general, we've had a lot of security assistance during large-scale news events). I tell them I'm watching their backs, and this prompts them to keep safety at the forefront and reinforces that I view [the work] as a team effort. "When I say I'm always watching — I'm truly always watching. And I think it's important to communicate that. My badge is on hand, and I'm also mindful of what I'm wearing and where I'm wearing it. For example, if I'm in a part of town with a higher crime rate, I might choose not to wear my shiny watch. "Once you keep the lines of communication open and make safety your first priority, it becomes natural. My goggles were already around my neck while covering several events involving tear gas — and that's when I knew it was no longer a second thought, just like a seatbelt in the car." TEAMWORK REMAINS WHEN TRAGEDY ENDS Annie Rose Ramos, General Assignment Reporter for KTLA 5 News "In Los Angeles, SAG-AFTRA members at KTLA have partnered with station management to address field safety concerns during contract negotiations with Nexstar. In the aftermath of the devastating wildfires in 2025 … conditions were unpredictable in the field. "For days, the ground was still smouldering. In the weeks [afterward], the air was difficult to breathe. For months, toxic debris lay on the ground. As field teams, we wanted to ensure we were being mindful of 46 SAG-AFTRA | Spring 2026 | sagaftra.org "When I say I'm always watching — I'm truly always watching. And I think it's important to communicate that."