UPDATE – I say this news story about a smiling EMS crew is BS – And the woman who took the picture agrees

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NEW: TV station pulls bogus story & plans re-do

UPDATE

There are more than 150 messages on WJBK-TV’s website about this story, including a few from me. Many are pointing out that the TV station blew it and has absolutely nothing to support their claim that the EMS crew was smiling and posing for a picture.

In fact, the woman who happened by and took the picture, says WJBK-TV and the victim have it all wrong. In multiple tweets today (Thursday) she admonished both the TV station and the victim, Jake Glover, for taking this fraction of a second out of context. Here are some of her tweets:

Here’s what I wrote in my most recent comment to the TV station:

WJBK-TV, we all make mistakes. Isn’t it time you admitted yours, apologize to the EMS crew & fire department and move on? There’s nothing in this image showing wrongdoing by the EMS crew. The only real witness to what occurred may be the woman who shot the picture. She has tweeted the EMS crew did a “fantastic job” and asked you not to “make this into something it’s not”. 

You blew it. Your story and its errors have been picked up by other news organizations. If this were a politician in Detroit making these kind of mistakes, LeDuff would be chasing them down the street with a camera crew demanding answers.

EARLIER

Call me an idiot but I just don’t see it. What I do see is a pitifully weak story by a TV news operation that should have higher standards on deciding what is news.

WJBK-TV is basing an entire story that impacts the reputation of a fire department and an ambulance crew on an accident victim’s interpretation of a fraction of a second caught on camera by a bystander and then posted on Twitter. The victim, 20-year-old Jake Glover, and his friends believe the two member crew, one inside the vehicle and one outside, are smiling and posing for the person taking the picture. It sure doesn’t look that way to me.

I’m one who absolutely hates it when firefighters pose for a glory shot on a fireground and would feel the same way if someone in public safety posed in a similar fashion at a crash scene. I think those type images are insensitive and am glad that they don’t happen as frequently as they once did. If I thought that was what was going on here I would gladly blast the people involved.

Without video, or a series of photos, or possibly some witnesses to corroborate this claim, I seriously question the news judgment of the TV station’s management. If they have nothing more to back this up, WJBK-TV should issue a retraction and apologize to the Wayne Westland Fire Association and the crew that responded to the call.

WJBK-TV:

In the photo, Glover’s truck is clearly smashed into a tree. One paramedic is posing outside of the truck and, when zoomed in, a second paramedic can be seen smiling inside the truck. The victim, said to be Glover, is also inside the truck in the driver’s seat. 

Wayne-Westland Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Harder says his crew did nothing wrong and followed proper protocol. He also says the two men were simply waiting for the equipment they needed to assist the victim.

Glover and his friends disagree, however.