'It is what you think it is': Reporter wraps mic in condom for safe Hurricane Ian reporting

Hurricane Ian caused a catastrophe in the state of Florida by submerging coastal cities, bringing down power lines and leaving people stranded during the floods. During such a difficult time, news reporters are doing everything they can to provide live updates about the natural disaster. It is crucial for media personnel to protect themselves and their gear so they can carry out their work and remain safe at the same time. 

A reporter caught everyone's attention for using a unique method to protect her microphone. WBBH-TV’s Kyla Galer was reporting from Naples, Florida, when she used a condom to cover her microphone, according to HuffPost. Earlier, viewers were confused but Galer confirmed on her Instagram story that it was indeed a condom. She wrote, "It is what you think it is. It’s a condom. It helps protect the gear. We can’t get these mics wet. There’s a lot of wind, a lot of rain. So, we gotta do what we gotta do, and that is: put a condom on the microphone."

Jeff Butera of WZVN-TV in Naples jumped in to assist his colleague in answering questions about the approach. He wrote on Twitter, "We practice safe hurricane reporting. Nothing better to waterproof a microphone." He added, "Moment of levity in this nasty storm." Not everyone agreed with Galer's approach. She faced criticism for her decision to cover the microphone. A Twitter user wrote, "This really isn’t cute at all and not what you want to go viral for. It’s distracting from the reporting instead of the focus, storm coverage. Next time put a windscreen over it."

Some suggested that she should have at least stretched out the tip so that it wasn't visible on television. A user wrote, "At least pull it so the tip reservoir is on the side not visible? Lol, this just has a bad feel and distracts from the important reporting." Galer also posted on Twitter defending her tactic, "We gotta protect our gear at all costs." People came into her support with one user commenting, "Sound engineers have been using condoms to cover mic packs and microphones for ages. You're just now noticing. Unclutch the pearls." Another wrote, "Military uses them to protect their rifle barrels been doing it for decades."

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which wreaked havoc throughout the U.S. state of Florida, a massive search and rescue operation is still underway, according to the BBC. At least 10 people have died in the state, but officials worry the verified death toll may grow significantly. The Hurricane uprooted power lines and 2.2 million houses and establishments are still in a blackout. The floods have been so severe that some individuals have been stuck in their houses, according to officials, with the National Guard going door to door in Orlando to rescue those who have become stranded. 

This is a developing story, and we’ll update you as we learn more. Information about Hurricane Ian is swiftly changing, and Upworthy is committed to providing the most recent and verified updates in our articles and reportage. However, considering the frequency of developments, some of the information/data in this article may have changed since the time of publication. You can get official alerts and updates on Hurricane Ian from the National Hurricane Center.