Last week, the Nevada Press Association (NPA) and Nevada Open Government Coalition (NOGC) sent a letter to local, state and federal leaders.
It said they didn’t do enough to keep the press informed, and by extension, left many residents out of the loop, too.
“Our concern is not a complaint about any single agency’s effort under difficult conditions. It concerns what appear to be recurring gaps in treating local news media as a core channel for emergency information, despite federal emergency-management doctrine emphasizing coordinated public information,” the letter said in part.
Bob Conrad, NPA board president and editor of This Is Reno, said there needs to be a single, authoritative source for emergency updates.
“One government agency had seven different sources listed on a social media post for where people could get information,” he said. “That is a lot of work for a single person to do, to try to track down different sources.”
Conrad added that his publication identified issues with emergency communications going back to the 2024 Davis Fire, which destroyed 14 homes.
Local officials confirmed they received the letter, and are planning to address the groups’ concerns next month.
"The City of Reno has acknowledged receipt of the letter. Washoe County, as the regional lead for emergency management, is preparing a response,” a City of Reno spokesperson wrote.
Editor’s note: KUNR General Manager Brian Duggan serves on the board of the Nevada Press Foundation, which is connected to the Nevada Press Association. He did not review this story prior to publication.
