AJAs 2017 Finalists
Attachments
| Slug/Label | House Engulfed |
|---|---|
| Date Aired or Published | October 31 2023 |
| Media outlet where first aired or published: | The Telegram |
| Name of Program: | |
| If co-produced, list partner: | |
| Location: | St. John's |
| List awards, grants: | |
| Running time (TV/Radio): | |
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Short explanation of the story and how it developed: Just before my shift started this day, I heard the St. John’s Regional Fire Department being dispatched to a house fire reported by multiple callers. I rushed directly to the scene and arrived as firefighters were still deploying equipment next to a house that was engulfed in flames. There was no saving the home itself but firefighters went into a defensive battle to save the large rooming house next door. They kept pouring water on the house fire in that effort but were unable to prevent the rooming house from being damaged. I’ve worked with firefighters from several departments for many years and they have come to trust me so much at fire scenes that they allow me unprecedented access to their scenes inside the fire lines. They know that I will perform my job without getting in the way but also trust that I will not do anything to endanger myself or them. |
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Resources of the newsroom (money and time) available to complete the story: A radio scanner and years of trust developed with firefighters who allow me inside the fire lines to cover the incidents. These incidents require me to respond rapidly to obtain the best photos and I do so both on days when I am working as well as when I am on call on days off. I listen to the scanner pretty well 24 hours a day and also have it on while sleeping. It's not unusual for me to be out of the house in less than two minutes even when I am awakened by a 3 a.m. incident. |
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