25.02.02
15th
Anniversary of Kings Cross Fire prompts new crisis management lessons
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
Learning video disaster series draws on some of the world's worst
tragedies
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
Learning, part of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide, the main commercial arm of the
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, is launching a new series of documentary programmes about some
of the world's most terrible disasters, aimed at providing risk
and crisis management training for both corporate and educational
audiences.
Produced
for both video and broadcast, the series will be shown initially
on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Prime, the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's international entertainment channel available
via cable and satellite, but is also expected to secure other broadcasting
opportunities.
The
first videos in the series focus on two separate major tragedies:
the Kings Cross underground fire in London and the Hyatt Regency
Hotel walkway collapse in Chicago. The release of the videos is
particularly timely as 2002 marks the 15th anniversary of the Kings
Cross disaster - still recalled as one of the UK's most horrific
tragedies.
The
'disaster' series builds on the success of the popular Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ2 Disaster
series, which uncovered the complex sequence of events behind some
of the world's worst tragedies. The programmes will appeal to a
variety of audiences interested in finding out how and why major
disasters happen and, more importantly, what can be learned from
them to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Each
video programme is 29 minutes long, including dramatic reconstruction,
key eyewitness accounts, as well as interviews about what went wrong
and why, and attempts to identify ways in which systematic errors
can be eradicated. This is followed by 10-15 minutes expanding on
key learning points such as how to plan an emergency strategy, how
to effectively manage health and safety training and how to assess
and implement new communication technologies. In addition, written
material is provided with each programme to facilitate guided discussions
and to help inform understanding of the issues raised.
Commenting
on the disaster video series, Jonathan Drake, Head of Lifelong Learning,
said: "The series aims to take a step back from the tragedy
in order to provide a dispassionate investigation of the unfolding
of the initial sequence of events to reveal the systematic failures
that lie beneath every human disaster.
"We are confident that the series will appeal to a range of
individuals and organisations interested in learning about the latest
methods of effective risk and crisis management."
There
are plans to follow up the first two documentaries in the series
with a further two videos: the Hillsborough Football stadium disaster
and the Herald of Free Enterprise car ferry sinking.
More
detailed information is available from
or by contacting: Education & Training, Room A3040, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide
Ltd, 80 Wood Lane, London W12 0TT. Tel: 020 8433 2541.
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