Hunt has also provided our reporters with unusual access during breaking stories.<\/p>\n
While driving in West Oakland several years ago, news editor Darwin BondGraham recalled seeing a plume of black smoke arising from the Wood Street homeless encampment. When he arrived at the scene, he saw unhoused residents scrambling to save their belongings as firefighters doused flames on the timbers of an old railroad trestle.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when BondGraham said Hunt spotted him and immediately began sharing what he knew about the fire. Ushering him beneath the police tape, Hunt walked BondGraham through the origins of the blaze and how firefighters extinguished it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never felt like we were walking in an unsafe area, but the behind-the-lines access and the candor were exemplary,\u201d BondGraham said.<\/p>\n
In an interview with The Oaklandside, Hunt said he prioritizes being prompt and responsive.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think of myself as on-call 24\/7, especially working for an agency that responds to calls all day, all night, 365 days a year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
One reason the newsroom has appreciated Hunt\u2019s approach is his willingness to pick up the phone. Many PIOs communicate almost exclusively over email. Hunt readily makes and takes calls from reporters, an old-school approach that makes newsgathering faster and more accurate.<\/p>\n
Beyond responding to media inquiries, Hunt manages the fire department\u2019s Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, and Twitter<\/a> accounts. He regularly posts photos and videos of firefighters hosing down a burning building or engaging with families at community events, and provides detailed summaries of incidents to which OFD and MACRO have responded.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a really compelling way to show the day-to-day activity of this hardworking, dedicated, and busy fire department,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s organic in conversations, and texts anecdotes that may or may not be relevant to the reporting,\u201d said Natalie Orenstein, who covers housing, homelessness, and City Hall for The Oaklandside.<\/p>\n Hunt\u2019s approach to the job, embracing transparency, stands in contrast to the experience reporters often have with other spokespeople.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not uncommon for our emails and phone calls to go unanswered. That\u2019s why readers will sometimes see language in our stories noting that an official or government agency \u201cdidn\u2019t respond.\u201d (In breaking news situations where a PIO may be fielding lots of calls or has not had enough time to get back to us, we\u2019ll often write that they didn\u2019t \u201cimmediately respond.\u201d)<\/p>\n In other cases, responses arrive on time but contain vague written statements that fail to answer specific questions and instead parrot irrelevant talking points. Recently, some of the most frequent offenders have been tech companies and agencies within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.<\/p>\n Another troubling practice occurs when we request interviews with government officials, only to be told by a PIO that the official will not speak to the media. Instead, the PIO sends a written statement attributed not to the official, but to an unnamed \u201cspokesperson\u201d for the agency.<\/p>\n The result is that no one takes responsibility for the information or position being presented.<\/p>\n Asked why this happens, Hunt said some PIOs misunderstand the role of the press or view journalists as adversaries.<\/p>\n That relationship, Hunt said, also means holding each other to account. Just as journalists press PIOs for answers, PIOs should let reporters know when inaccurate or incomplete information is provided to the public.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have a responsibility to hold them accountable the way they have a responsibility to hold your department accountable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Hunt\u2019s advice to fellow PIOs: Proactively establish a good working relationship with reporters. Don\u2019t just reach out when there\u2019s breaking news, and don\u2019t wait for journalists to call before providing information. Pitching stories, he said, can boost credibility and help journalists churn out better, more well-rounded stories.<\/p>\n \u201cThere should be a shared understanding of the best way to work together,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Hunt also brings a sense of humanity to his role. Over the years, Hunt has brought his son Myles, now 6, to fires and other events, giving him a firsthand look at the work Oakland firefighters do.<\/p>\n Hunt said his approach to his job reflects his love for the Town.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel uniquely privileged to work in the city that I love, that I live in, that I\u2019m raising my son in, and that I will probably die in,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen people are like, \u2018What\u2019s next?\u2019 I\u2019m like, \u2018Nothing, this is it. I wouldn\u2019t do this job anywhere else.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n “*” indicates required fields<\/p>\n \t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Michael-Hunt.jpg\")
Hunt, left, and his son Myles observe Oakland firefighters respond to a two-alarm fire on West Grand Avenue on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. Credit: Oakland Fire Department photo archive<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Michael-Hunt-f7374dcd-cd56-4978-8274-d187fee08878.jpg\")
Hunt and his son Myles observe a press briefing about a three-alarm fire in the East Bay Regional Parks District off Skyline Boulevard in May 2025. Credit: Oakland Fire Department photo archive<\/p>\n