LIVE Truck training

[JoeSun]

Have manny of you butted heads with engineering on this subject?
I have recently trained a photog on the LIVE truck...who already has been doing this job for 9 yrs. We went through all the safety procedures, the safety video, went through all the set up for the unit. Put through a series of practice runs for about three hours. The engineer who was to tume him in never showed up so we used master cntrol...only to find out that the said engineer that was suppose to tune him in and never showed up will not sign off on him ??? so know we have to re-do the process.
What makes this more difficult is that NONE of ur enginneers can set up the truck to save there Lives!!!
They have come up with riduclos rules for the LIVE unit because they have never had one before or so it seems.
My thought are for them either to run and up-keep the truck themselves or let NEWS deal with it!!!
sorry just venting...had a bad day

 

[El Guapo]

Sounds like you need to have a chat with the Chief Engineer about his incompetent staff. That is, unless he's just as incompetent. I've never heard of engineers having to 'sign-off' on new photogs for truck operating...but if that's your stations policy...i guess you've got a crappy situation on your hands. You did everything right on your end...i rarely expect the same from my co-workers (i've been let-down one too many times.)

 

[aLtErEgO]

Originally posted by Big Macro:
I've never heard of engineers having to 'sign-off' on new photogs for truck operating...

At my last station, an engineer had to sign off on new photogs running the truck. Apparently it was a corporate policy meant keep problems and accident as infrequent as possible

 

[The Old Guy]

Perhaps your only telling half the story. Why will he not sign off? What are some of these ridiculous rules?

I would say generally speaking it is a bad idea to have news up=keep and run the truck. They have too many conflicting interests that can lead to undue pressure on operators, such as deadlines and unreasonable location expectations.

If it were up to me I would say truck ops belong as part of engineering or operations but not answering directly to news directors or assignment editors.

When our trucks were under news we had an op call in to say that she thought she would have to scrub because a lightning storm was imminant. The op was told to standby while people checked with the news director. She was then asked if she could feed back her story before striking her hit. She did and got caught in a storm. She reported to the H&S committee that she heard thunder, seen a bright flash and smelt something burning. She thought the truck had been struck. It hadn't but if it would have she and the repeorter may have been killed.

[ June 24, 2005, 01:16 AM: Message edited by: The Old Guy ]

 

[El Guapo]

Originally posted by aLtErEgO:
At my last station, an engineer had to sign off on new photogs running the truck. Apparently it was a corporate policy meant keep problems and accident as infrequent as possible

Maybe my own ego is getting in the way here, but...I don't see how an engineer is the most qualified to determine whether a photog is 'truck ready.'
I'd say 50% of the tv station engineers i've delt with are apathetic old space cadets. I don't find their 'expertize' more comforting than good 'ol fashioned experience, practicality, and know-how.

 

[yellowbeta]

That is why I love having a great relationship with the engineering dept. I made the effort from day one to get to know the staff. It makes things go smoother and I can get stuff repaired almost right away.

How does this pertain to live truck training...? When I go to get a photographer certified, the Chief Engineer knows we both don't have much time and trusts my opinion. So when I ask for him to certify someone, he does it right away.

You'll have to note that I'm working in a small market station. So take that into consideration.

 

[TightShot]

certification? What's that?