Editorial: In emergencies, hold the post—let first responders work
By Brandi Makuski
When sirens wail and lights flash, our instinct is often to grab our phones.
We take a photo, shoot a video, or fire off a quick post to Facebook. “What’s going on near Main Street?” “I saw cops with guns—anyone know what’s happening?” In the age of social media, real-time sharing has become second nature.
But during police or fire emergencies, that instinct can do real harm.
Posting to Facebook while first responders are still working a scene may seem harmless. It’s not. It can alert suspects to police activity—or worse, trigger a suspect—mislead the public, and overwhelm emergency communication channels. In some cases, it even puts responders—and the community—at greater risk.
These are not hypothetical concerns. Police and fire departments across the country, including right here in central Wisconsin, regularly express frustration over social media posts that spread misinformation or reveal sensitive details while emergencies are still unfolding.
Remember the Ben Franklin Junior High shooting that wasn’t a shooting back in 2017? Rumors spread like cancer on social media, alleging that students reported hearing shots being fired. They weren’t: what students heard were slamming classroom doors, mistaken for gunshots in their heightened state of anxiety.
During Saturday night’s armed standoff, Plover Police Chief Ryan Fox was forced to release information earlier than the department would have liked to publicly correct false claims that a shelter-in-place order extended across the entire village. It didn’t—but the damage was already done. Residents panicked, phone lines lit up, and officers were pulled away from active operations to respond to confusion created online.
This is not how we support our public safety teams.
The concern isn’t unique to the United States. In the United Kingdom, police agencies routinely ask the public to refrain from posting about active incidents on social media. The national Counter Terrorism Policing network and local forces alike have emphasized that sharing videos or speculating about law enforcement activity during live events can endanger lives, compromise investigations, and unintentionally assist suspects. Campaigns like #ThinkBeforeYouPost have been launched to raise awareness and encourage responsible digital behavior in crisis situations.
When a fire breaks out or law enforcement locks down a neighborhood, responders are working rapidly under extreme pressure. They don’t have time to monitor Facebook groups or chase down rumors. More importantly, they shouldn’t have to. Sharing unverified information during these moments distracts from the professionals who are trained to manage crisis—and delays the release of official updates.
What should you do instead?
Stay calm. Stay inside if asked. And wait for information from verified sources—official department pages, press releases, or trusted local news outlets. Public information officers, journalists, and department leaders are in constant contact and will share updates as soon as it’s safe to do so.
Emergencies are not entertainment. They are dangerous, fluid, and often life-threatening situations that require swift coordination and clear communication. If your first reaction is to post about what you saw, consider whether it’s helping—or potentially hindering—those whose job it is to protect us.
Let’s be responsible neighbors. In emergencies, don’t post. Pause. Let the responders do their job. And when it’s over, share the official word—once facts, not fear, are on your side.