OK, I have to sound off here: As a former journalist, we generally only know what the incident responders choose to tell us regarding a specific incident, i.e., what is in the reports, since these are generally public records and are reviewed regularly by reporters. IF we can find them, or IF they return our calls, we will try to talk with one of the people who was actually on the scene, if we were not there ourselves, but as I’m sure most of you first responders are aware, questioning journalists are right up there with pond scum in who you want to deal with or talk to.

That said, there is nothing wrong with using one of these tragedies as a “hook” to try and get a reporter interested in doing a story about, for example, damaged chimneys and the dangers they pose, or how dumb it is to go out onto any body of water without a PFD. Most reporters these days are trying to cover too much, with too few resources, and ever-smaller space for news as papers/TV increase the space/time devoted to ads (which produce $$$). I’m sure that sounds familiar.

Reporters are pretty much like other people – if you make their job easier by suggesting a story and a recent example, most of them will be happy to oblige and write a story that may, just may, save someone’s life.