The main concern of journalists covering presidential inaugurations used to be guarding against the January chill.

For the swearing-in of Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Wednesday, some reporters and photographers are taking along protective gear used in combat zones.

Two weeks after a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol in a siege that resulted in five deaths, and aware of warnings of extremist violence and the presence of National Guard troops, news organizations have turned to journalists with experience in reporting on conflict zones to cover what is usually a political pageant.

Ron Haviv, a photographer who has covered wars and political violence around the world for three decades, has gone to Washington on assignment for The Intercept. The strangeness of the moment hit him when he was discussing safety precautions with his editors, he said.

“We realized that we had the same conversations about what to do during the uprisings in Libya or Cairo or fighting in Baghdad or coup attempts here or there,” Mr. Haviv said. “All of a sudden, you take a deep breath and realize you’re actually talking about covering the inauguration of the president in Washington, D.C.”

The Nation gave the inauguration assignment to Andrew McCormick, an independent journalist who is a Navy veteran with experience in Afghanistan. Anna Hiatt, the publication’s executive digital editor, said Mr. McCormick had kept his cool while covering the Capitol siege.

“Because he’s ex-military, I have more confidence in his ability to walk into a stressful and dynamic situation and not only be able to see and react when something is really wrong, but to get out when he needs to,” Ms. Hiatt said.

The Committee to Protect Journalists issued a safety advisory detailing risks that could include “potential vehicle ramming of crowds.” Reporters Without Borders put out a similar warning.

CBS and The Associated Press said in statements that they were taking precautions to protect their inauguration reporters, while Reuters said it had “redoubled” its safety efforts before, during and after the presidential election. Time magazine said it was dispatching two of its journalists with conflict experience, Kim Dozier and Simon Shuster, to help cover the event.

The New York Times is sending nearly all of its reporters in Washington to cover the inauguration, and many of them have experience reporting in war zones “given that the national security team and Pentagon correspondents are based in the bureau,” Elisabeth Bumiller, assistant managing editor and Washington bureau chief, said in a statement.

Hugh Brumfitt, the managing director of the British company Insurance For, said he had recently seen “a significant increase” in requests from news outlets for insurance coverage for their journalists.

“What is very interesting is that clients have been extending the coverage for a few days after the inauguration, possibly anticipating further marches,” he wrote in an email.

Capitol Riot Fallout

From Riot to Impeachment

The riot inside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, followed a rally at which President Trump made an inflammatory speech to his supporters, questioning the results of the election. Here’s a look at what happened and the ongoing fallout:

• • As this video shows, poor planning and a restive crowd encouraged by President Trump set the stage for the riot.
  • A two hour period was crucial to turning the rally into the riot.
  • Several Trump administration officials, including cabinet members Betsy DeVos and Elaine Chao, announced that they were stepping down as a result of the riot.
  • Federal prosecutors have charged more than 70 people, including some who appeared in viral photos and videos of the riot. Officials expect to eventually charge hundreds of others.
  • The House voted to impeach the president on charges of “inciting an insurrection” that led to the rampage by his supporters.

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