Fire Rescue Headlines: Fatal MVA on Rt 130, A Little Rant By Me

Here are your firefighting news headlines for western pa for Friday, July 3rd, 2009.  Slow news day as folks are ramping up for the long weekend:

• There was a fatal head-on collision that killed a couple and injured another in Level Green on Route 130 yesterday. [WTAE]

• This one goes into the “Let’s Sensationalize the News” file.  The headline “Police: Volunteer Firefighter Pretended To Be Woman, Sexted 12-Year-Old”.  Guess what?  It has nothing to do with the fact he is a firefighter.  Shame on WTAE for yet again sensationalizing the news by adding he was a volunteer firefighter.  Why does that matter?  Why don’t all their stories have a career or association people are affiliated with when reporting?  I never see the headlines, “Baker charged with killing three”, or, “Tax Accountant charged with indecent exposure”.  No, its firefighter, or police officer, or paramedic that gets to have the title thrown up in the headlines.

  Now if the offenses occured while on duty, or on the departments property, thats different.  If the guy did it and is guilty, he should fry, but that should not mean we should give firefighters a black eye because of him.  We get enough black eyes as it is.  I didn’t even post a link, because it has nothing to do with emergency services.  Again, shame on WTAE, and kudos to the Leader Times for not publishing anything about him being a volunteer firefighter in their article on the same story.

Not much in the news too day, not that I’m all fired up I’m going to go try to do something productive.  For anyone that doesn’t check in tomorrow, have a great 4th!