The more we know about the incident at Richmond Hill High School last week involving a student in need of medical attention, EMS and city fire fighters, the less we understand it.
On several levels..
But rather than get bogged down in trying to recount what happened then and the subsequent news reports that apparently weren’t entirely accurate, we’re concerned with what happens next.
Hopefully, the next step is that Richmond Hill officials and those representing our public schools will use what took place last week as an opportunity to find ways to work as a team.
That alone might help them avoid what happened last week, when it seemed like few were on the same page, let alone reading out of the same book.
That’s why we hope that last week’s incident will lead to a better understanding between the BoE and other officials on what procedures should be followed if a similar medical emergency crops up in the future. Or, indeed, if any emergency should happen. And It could be as simple as a mutually agreed upon standard operating procedure which mandates which agencies will respond to what type of incident.
This shouldn’t be merely a BoE or school protocol. It should be one adhered to by all agencies.
While we don’t think anyone intentionally caused last week’s ruckus, we do believe all our government agencies owe it to the public to make sure they work together whenever that public’s welfare is at stake.
And working together includes communicating with one another whenever something like this comes up.
Finally, this incident is another lesson for all of us who deal in news. And that’s whether it’s making news or reporting it.
That lesson is pretty simple, really. All of us have a duty to make sure we get the facts straight before jumping on a story – or trying to provide one.
Bryan County News
Jan. 25, 2007
On several levels..
But rather than get bogged down in trying to recount what happened then and the subsequent news reports that apparently weren’t entirely accurate, we’re concerned with what happens next.
Hopefully, the next step is that Richmond Hill officials and those representing our public schools will use what took place last week as an opportunity to find ways to work as a team.
That alone might help them avoid what happened last week, when it seemed like few were on the same page, let alone reading out of the same book.
That’s why we hope that last week’s incident will lead to a better understanding between the BoE and other officials on what procedures should be followed if a similar medical emergency crops up in the future. Or, indeed, if any emergency should happen. And It could be as simple as a mutually agreed upon standard operating procedure which mandates which agencies will respond to what type of incident.
This shouldn’t be merely a BoE or school protocol. It should be one adhered to by all agencies.
While we don’t think anyone intentionally caused last week’s ruckus, we do believe all our government agencies owe it to the public to make sure they work together whenever that public’s welfare is at stake.
And working together includes communicating with one another whenever something like this comes up.
Finally, this incident is another lesson for all of us who deal in news. And that’s whether it’s making news or reporting it.
That lesson is pretty simple, really. All of us have a duty to make sure we get the facts straight before jumping on a story – or trying to provide one.
Bryan County News
Jan. 25, 2007