to help or not to help?

I was at a grass fire about a month ago and pulled up to a scene where there were no authorities present but plenty of media. When I got out I met up with our other crew asked what I could do to help. Out of the corner of my I eye I saw a young kid carrying a bucket of water out to some burning grass in an attempt to douse the fire. I told the other photog on duty that it would be a great shot. She told me that the people there were hostile because they wanted anybody and everybody at the scene to help put the fire out because it was threatening their business. When I heard this I immediately put my camera down and rushed over to help them until the fire department arrived on scene. As I was helping I noticed no other news crews were helping they just sat by and watched. My question is when do you put down the camera and be a human being or do you ever out of fear of other complications that could occur from your involvement?
 

Lost in Alaska

Well-known member
If you are the second camera on a situation like this, and the first is getting the shots, I don't see a problem with pitching into help. Once the professional firefighters get there, then you back off and grab the camera. When everything is said and done, the family(?) will most likely talk to you, because you did help.
 

Natural Born Stringer

Well-known member
What podunk town was this in, that the media is all out there standing around long before the FD shows up? I'd have shot the snot out of it and then asked the FD PIO how come it took so long for them to finally show up!
 

krazycamera

Well-known member
Absolutely help out in a second camera situation - not only is it great for your humanity, you will probably secure some great talent!
There are too few times we have the ability to be humanistic, if you're not needed, get a good feeling up ya!
And yeah, why was the FD so lax? If you're the type to front a package, get your first shooter to get shots on you pitching in, then tell the story first person - its the easiest way to tell a story and hits the credibility button when you ask the FD cheif "where were the engines?"
 
This happened in Salt Lake City. The main fire was burning down the road and let me tell you it was an inferno. The news crews could not get any closer so they found a side road and went down it to get a better shot. The grass around the area was tinder dry and it just took off. There is no doubt that the fire department was slow in their response but it was one of those situations that just got out of hand quickly. IThe decision was easy for me at the time to go and help because we had two crews there, but if any of you were the first on scene, without back up, would you have dropped your cameras and said to yourself that you would shoot later?
 

RichVid

Well-known member
This thread/question has been repeated several times over the last couple of years and the responses are always the same; Don't second guess yourself...
 

Run 'n' Get 'em

Well-known member
If it's a grass fire in some field, probably not...

If someone could be hurt, killed, or lose their home, most definetely...

...but that's just me going with what my gut says. You gotta do the same.
 

HMIguy

Member
OK, I'll play devil's advocate. Are you there as a first responder
or a photojournalist? Are you supposed to document the event
or participate? What if you get involved and make the situation worse and someone gets hurt. Who assumes the liability, you or your station? At the network level, you're there to shoot, period.
Wanna be a hero, go to firefighter school.
 

RichVid

Well-known member
HMIguy said:
OK, I'll play devil's advocate. Are you there as a first responder
or a photojournalist? Are you supposed to document the event
or participate? What if you get involved and make the situation worse and someone gets hurt. Who assumes the liability, you or your station? At the network level, you're there to shoot, period.
Wanna be a hero, go to firefighter school.

Whelp, that's all good, but until you've been in that type of situation, you really won't know how you'll react. It'd be a shame to take a hardline on that position in a situation where you might have actually been able to make a difference in saving a life. No one's saying don't cover the story; if you're there fast enough you can be in a position to do something quite simple that could make a difference and still shoot the story...
 

x31

Member
how many times have you interviewed Joe Schmo, who just knocked down a door to a house that was on fire and helped an elderly lady out... or pulled someone out of a car that was on fire... I always ask.. "Did you think you would be saving someone's life today?"

They all said no! Would I have done the same thing? In a heartbeat.. preserve life.
 

RichVid

Well-known member
One example of this thread that comes to mind is/was legendary L.A. stringer Jack Klian showing up at a car crash where one car is starting to burn with a guy trapped inside...everyone is trying like crazy to get the guy out and it's getting desperate...Jack, who rolled the whole time, solicited at least 3 fire extinguishers from folks in the backed up traffic, ran back to the car fire and either emptied the extinguishers or tossed them to others who did the same, keeping the fire at bay for precious additional minutes until LAPD showed up and literally ripped the guy out of the near-fully involved car, saving his life! Jack was able to help and shoot at the same time and made a ton of $$$ for the story, which went national and I'm sure at least part-way global. On a side note, he was shooting with a PD-170 handicam...had he had a 20 pound rig, he probably would've had to make a choice between shooting or helping (couldn't resist that one! ;) )
 

INLANDNEWS

Well-known member
If you can help! Especially in a life or death situation. You might make the difference! Just make sure you can still do the job you were sent to do with no problems. What Jack Klien did was a great example. Shot and helped at the same time. I have helped at an accident scene, fire or other emergency until authorities had everything under control. Most of the time they really appreciate it and usually you can give them detailed accounts as well as video evidence of the incident better than everyone else. Many times the first responding officer will remember your help with a situation the next time you show up to a scene and get into a problem. It may be a free ticket into a crime scene with a "little better access" or a tip to a part of story you may not yet know about!
 
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