What Happens When HEAT/HEFAT Becomes Mandatory? Lessons from RFE/RL’s Newsroom

What changes when safety training stops being optional and becomes a mandatory requirement for journalists working in high-risk environments?

This was the central question of Daily Humanity’s new case study “What Happens When HEAT/HEFAT Becomes Mandatory?” focusing on the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Ukrainian newsroom’s safety policy, and the following discussion where journalists, safety professionals, researchers and representatives of international media organisations talked about the current duty-of-care practices globally.

The case study, conducted by independent researcher Hanna Hrytsenko and commissioned by Daily Humanity, examines how RFE/RL introduced mandatory HEAT/HEFAT certification, how staff perceive it, and what impact it has had on safety culture and teamwork.

Why mandatory training?

Russia’s full-scale invasion has fundamentally changed the risks faced by journalists in Ukraine. Alongside shelling and mines, teams now have to deal with guided bombs, Shahed and FPV drones, remote mining and rapidly changing battlefield technologies.

RFE/RL had provided safety training before 2022, but the changing environment required more specialised and regularly updated preparation.

Today, employees who work in high-risk areas are required to hold a valid HEAT/HEFAT certificate. The training covers tactical medicine, mine safety, risk assessment, cybersecurity, drone threats, behaviour under shelling and other practical skills.

The certificate is valid for two years, compared with five years before the full-scale invasion, and many employees attend refresher training annually.

But HEAT/HEFAT is only one part of the newsroom’s broader safety system, which also includes medical training, protective equipment, drone detectors, electronic warfare equipment for vehicles, satellite phones, insurance, emergency procedures and regular checks of medical kits.

Skills that work under pressure

One of the clearest findings of the study is that practical training helps journalists respond faster in real emergencies.

“In crisis situations there is no time to think. What works is the mechanics — what has been embedded and practised to the point of becoming automatic,” said Natalia Moroz, an RFE/RL occupational safety specialist.

The study documents several cases in which employees used these skills during real incidents.

After two guided bombs struck a training ground where an RFE/RL team was working, journalists used their medical equipment to treat wounded Ukrainian military personnel, applying tourniquets and occlusive dressings.

“They used the entire large medical backpack that every crew has, applied tourniquets, did everything they could do, and directly saved more than one life,” said correspondent Yehor Loginov.

These experiences illustrate why scenario-based training matters: under extreme stress, people rely on what they have practised repeatedly.

A common language for teams

The research also found that shared training improves teamwork.

When correspondents, camera operators and drivers receive the same preparation, they develop a common understanding of risks and know what to expect from one another in an emergency.

“I understand that my life can depend on this. So the training definitely adds confidence,” said camera operator Vasyl Martyshchenko.

Yehor Loginov described the practical exercises as a way of strengthening the team:

“We learn how to act together, how to interact with one another, what the sequence of actions is. That feeling of having someone beside you really helps and strengthens the team psychologically.”

During the discussion following the case study presentation, James Landis, Head of Corporate Security at RFE/RL, emphasised that this approach depends on strong leadership support and investment. He also highlighted the importance of training entire teams, not only journalists.

Elizabeth Cantenis, Executive Director of the ACOS Alliance, added that newsrooms should build their own internal safety capacity rather than relying entirely on external providers as it supports long-term development rather than an ad-hoc approach.

Safety is more than a certificate

The discussion also highlighted an important limitation: HEAT/HEFAT cannot be treated as a one-off certification.

RFE/RL uses refresher training, post-assignment debriefs and short internal practice sessions to maintain skills. The organisation also regularly updates its understanding of emerging threats and consults military personnel about new technologies and battlefield practices.

This adaptability is increasingly important in Ukraine, where the risk profile can change rapidly.

At the same time, the study points to the financial challenge. Smaller newsrooms may not have the resources to provide frequent training, specialised equipment and insurance.

As correspondent Roman Pagulich noted:

“The price of the course determines how many resources can be spent on that course. It’s really not about my wishes, but about the company’s willingness to pay for it.”

This makes leadership commitment crucial. Safety policies require not only rules, but money, time and organisational support.

The psychological dimension

The discussion also moved beyond physical safety.

Gavin Rees, senior advisor on training and innovations at the Global Center for Trauma and Journalism, spoke about continuing traumatic stress among journalists working in high-risk environments. He emphasised the importance of giving journalists practical tools to understand their stress responses, manage them and recover between assignments.

This is particularly relevant in Ukraine, where journalists may face repeated exposure to violence and traumatic material.

Physical safety and psychological wellbeing therefore cannot be treated as completely separate parts of newsroom safety.

What can other newsrooms learn?

The RFE/RL case offers a relatively clear lesson: mandatory HEAT/HEFAT can work when it is part of a broader safety culture.

The benefits identified by the study include faster responses in emergencies, stronger teamwork, greater confidence and better preparation for changing threats.

But training alone is not enough. Effective safety systems also require leadership support, adequate resources, equipment, insurance, regular refreshers, debriefing and the ability to adapt.

Perhaps most importantly, safety should not be treated as an individual journalist’s responsibility.

As one RFE/RL correspondent put it:

“This is a basic set of skills that, I think, should not only exist in a newsroom, but in every Ukrainian today.”

The question is therefore not simply whether journalists should receive HEAT/HEFAT training. It is how news organisations can build systems in which safety becomes a shared, continuously maintained responsibility.

About the study

“Implementation of Mandatory HEAT/HEFAT Certification: The Experience of RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Newsroom” was conducted by independent researcher Hanna Hrytsenko in July–August 2026 and commissioned by Daily Humanity.

The research is based on seven interviews with employees of RFE/RL’s Ukrainian newsroom, including correspondents, camera operators, a producer and an occupational safety specialist.