Opinion : Big city reporters inspire one to want to carry a big stick

As I'm sure you've read, we had a bit of excitement out here yesterday...more than I EVER want to see again!

Thank God, the outcome was only the loss of a material things, and unfortunately keepsakes and memories...those things matter, but no lives were lost, down to the little dog that lived in the house.

Tragedies like this make you stop and say and extra thanks to God for keeping everyone safe, thanks for where everyone was at when this happened so that all the lives were spared.

It makes you see the good that is in people, from the fire departments that bravely fight our fires, to the comment of a 10 year old who promptly began to grieve the loss of the kind neighbors next door. After she had walked outside to survey the damage, she came back in sat down really quietly (which means she is thinking, because she's never quiet) and said, "I'm going to miss going to their house, it was fun to go and see them...)

It also makes you see the bad in people.

THIS is where I see the difference in small town vs. big city, polished reporters.

Our day was spent, watching helplessly as our 80+ year old neighbors sat shaking while their home burned to the ground. There really isn't much comfort you can give them as you realize, but for the grace of God, it could be us.

The kindhearted EMT gal, Tammy, came into the house to treat the dear lady from across the street, who sat on my couch with a complete look of loss on her face. Firmly, but gently, she insisted on checking our neighbor then helped her out to the ambulance, which sat next to the house in our driveway.

Their fire situation had escalated so quickly that it turned into a true "get out of the house with just the clothes on their back" situation. There is nothing you can do to help folks like this. You sit with them, offer what aid you can, and listen to them reflect on the years they spent there, and talk about the experience they just had.

What you want to do is run down the driveway and help put the fire out that is destroying these sweet people's lives...but you can't; you realize you are helpless.

Back to the ambulance in the driveway.

I was sickened, disgusted, repulsed, angry, livid when I saw that one of our local TV stations had the nerve to pull into our long, steep driveway, battling the snow and ice, just to knock on the Ambulance door!

I kid you not! Both our elderly neighbors along with their little dog were being treated in the ambulance when the TV reporter had the idea that this was a time to get a breaking story, from the people who were suffering the most! (This is nothing, said the sheriff, who was also in our driveway yesterday. You should see some of the things they have done at other incidents.)

The primitive side of me started to hunt for a baseball bat to chase them off, but realized you can't do that. You have to be nice.

Fortunately, the wise ambulance crew ignored the knocking and protected her patients.

We've seen this type of reporting before, we've even experienced those "trained and educated" to be reporters demand more aggression in reporting, especially when it involved injuries or death.

Folks, if you ever see reporters treating anyone like this, remember, that is NOT their job!

Reporters report. We tell the who, what, where, when and how.

Reporting is not a license to interrupt care of the injured and wounded.

Reporting does not demand that you talk to us.

Reporting is simply a community scrapbook of the local activities.

If we ever get to the place we start knocking on ambulance doors, just show us your Louisville slugger, and remind us we are just there to report -- not to add to the misery of already bad-enough days.