Casualty Releasing Policy

Under most circumstances, the names of casualties cannot be released until the next of kin have been notified. In this case, the story should be written and released in the customary manner. However, the space ordinarily reserved for the casualty list should include the following statement:

"Names of casualties are being withheld pending notification of next of kin."

Later, when the names are released, a newspaper may insert them in the proper place in the story. However, it is neither necessary nor desirable to withhold the other facts in the story until the names are available.

Current policy regarding the release of the names of the dead and injured, such as what can or cannot be released, is contained in Department of the Navy Public Affairs Policy and Regulations, SECNAVINST 5720.44A. (This publication will subsequently be referred to by its short title, PA Regs.)

If only two or three people are the victims of an accident, their names and identities should be incorporated into the paragraph structure of the story. Do not list them separately, name by name, as in the casualty list.

Let us assume that only one person was killed and another was injured in the previously described auto accident. The following is the way the names would be handled following the lead:

Seaman Jackson B. Painter, 22, the driver of the car, was killed instantly. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl H. Painter of 680 Deamond St., Elmsdale, R.I. Engineman Third Class John C. Stole, 21, a passenger, suffered compound fractures and internal injuries. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Alton H. Stole of 4109 American Ave., Long Beach, Calif.

BODY

The body of an accident story tells the complete story in detail. It maybe developed in either logical or chronological order, but it should be written in a manner appropriate to the subject matter.

A straight fact story concerning a plane crash or an auto accident would ordinarily be developed in logical order after the casualties are listed. The most important facts would be presented first. An accident story, however, is most adaptable to chronological order development. In a heroic rescue, for example, where dramatic details play an important part, the story would be told in narrative form.

STYLE

The style for an accident story is the same as for all newswriting. Simplicity, clarity and brevity are essential elements. More than ever, the writer should tell the story and stick to the facts.

Maudlin sentimentality or emotionalism - the old "hearts and flowers" routine - must be avoided Phrases such as "tragic loss," "grief-striken family" and "went to his final reward" are the marks of an amateur. They are banned inmost newsrooms.

There are also certain errors in syntax that are peculiar to accident stories. Note the examples that follow:

Death may occur following an operation or during an operation, but not as a result of an operation. This implies negligence on the part of the persons performing it.

Accidents happen and explosions occur, but neither takes place. That would imply they had been scheduled.

Everybody dies ultimately of heart failure, not of a heart ailment.

A fire is not a conflagration until it sweeps a wide area. Conflagrations are rare. A fire approaches conflagration proportions only when three or four city blocks are aflame.

A fire may damage, destroy, gut or raze a house. It does not, however, partially destroy it or bum it to the ground.

Although commonly used, planes do not collide in midair. They may collide on the ground or in the air. There is no way of determining midair.

Weather often causes accidents and disasters that make news. In addition, gale warnings, storms at sea and hurricane evacuations play major roles in Navy stories. Simple weather terminology, however, is frequently misused by the Navy journalist.

To avoid such misuse, some of the more common terms and their definitions with which you should become familiar are listed as follows:

A gale is a strong wind with a velocity of 39 to 54 miles per hour.

A storm manifests itself with winds of unusual force, ranging from 54 to 74 miles per hour. It is often accompanied by rain, snow, hail and violent outbursts of thunder and lightning.

A hurricane or typhoon is a storm of intense severity and violence with winds exceeding 74 miles per hour. The difference between a hurricane and a typhoon is mostly a matter of geography. Storms west of the international date line are called typhoons; those east of the line are called hurricanes. Both are identified as cyclones in the Indian Ocean.

Certain medical terms crop up in accident stories from time to time. They should be simplified whenever possible as in the following examples:

Abrasions - scratches Lacerations - cuts Contusions - bruises Trauma - shock

Damage figures are also frequently used. You should keep in mind that initial figures are usually estimates and should be stated as such. If the figures are unusual or high, they should be attributed to the authority who made them.

A person is widely known, not well-known. Nevertheless, even when widely known is used, it must be followed up with specific accomplishments.

Flowery euphemisms - once the rule in

journalistic accounts of death - are no longer recommended in straight newswriting. They are less objective and are not more acceptable to the reader. Why say remains, when body is a more accurate description? The body is placed in a coffin, not a casket. It is usually taken home, not shipped. Funeral services, not obsequies, are held. The body is buried, not interned.

The descriptive terms "young," "middle-aged" and "elderly" are often misused because they are relative. The criteria used by The Associate Press is as follows: "A person is young until he is 35, middle-aged from 35 to 65, and elderly after 65." But if you think a person's age is important, why use descriptive adjectives at all? Why not merely identify the person as being 35, 52, 68 or whatever the age maybe?