911's (allegedly) a joke at Indy Star

[dixiehack]

From a blog. I have no idea how credible it is.

http://ruthholladay.com/index.php?blog=1&title=death_in_the_newsroom&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

I have to admit, the phrase "Christless fiasco" is a keeper.
I hope this guy's family sues Gannett to within an inch of its soul-less, union-busting, paper-killing life. I hope his family ends up with the rights to Al Neuharth's testicles and takes possession using garden shears and a pen-knife.

 

[crimsonace]

Ruth Holliday worked there for many, many years, and just recently left as a columnist.

Obviously, she seems to have the same "Gannett is evil" mantra that nearly every other ex-Star employee seems to have.

I don't think I've met one that has anything good to say about Gannett. I know CNI was revered, but it's ridiculous.

 

[zeke12]

Someone please tell me that it's illegal to block 911 access on phones.

Won't a cell phone with no service plan still call 911?

 

[markvid]

I can't remember who, but some cell company got in a boatload of trouble with the FCC because their system would not let the phones dial 911 if you were out of their coverage area.
Also, if you have Vonage, you can dial 911, but it cannot tell them where you are as it should.

 

[Columbo]

What are the chances of THAT ending up on Romenesko?

.5%?

 

[JayFarrar]

The Star didn't block access to 911, it routed the call to the security desk and then, I'm guessing, security puts the call through to a 911 operator, with, maybe?, the original caller still on the line.
The post wasn't that clear, so it is hard to say.
Regardless, that is a bad system.
Most places now, if you call 911, you get through immediately and the security desk either listens in or is notified. Security needs to know what it is going on, that way paths can be cleared and people let in.
Funny thing about newspapers, they tend to go on and on about things like having AEDs at public places and making sure that you have people trained to handle an emergency. But newspapers themselves tend not to have these things.
A lawsuit will be filed and it will be settled out of court. I'm guessing in the low seven figures.

 

[DisembodiedOwlHead]

Nobody there owns a cell phone? I wouldn't defend the practice of bungling emergency calls, but if a guy collapses next to me, I wouldn't mind blowing a couple 'anytime' minutes.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

Nobody there owns a cell phone? I wouldn't defend the practice of bungling emergency calls, but if a guy collapses next to me, I wouldn't mind blowing a couple 'anytime' minutes.

They work for Gannett. How the hell could they afford them?

 

[playthrough]

Very, very interesting. Or disturbing. The Indy Star's coverage of the photog's death was very kind-hearted, celebrating his life and all, but there was never a one-line item about a cause of death or if there was an autopsy scheduled, etc., which should be standard-issue stuff in a news story about a 34-year-old who was supposed to be the picture of perfect health.

My wife's niece was one of the EMT's on the scene that day and told me about the elevator problems. But the other details here are even worse. I don't know how much grain of salt you need given it's a former employee's blog, but I'd say Halladay has credibility (though I wish she wrote with this kind of fire while at the paper, I found her stuff kind of dry).

 

[DisembodiedOwlHead]

Nobody there owns a cell phone? I wouldn't defend the practice of bungling emergency calls, but if a guy collapses next to me, I wouldn't mind blowing a couple 'anytime' minutes.

They work for Gannett. How the hell could they afford them?

Even bums and hobos have cell phones these days ... they keep them in their handkerchief tied to the end of a stick.

 

[Hoo]

As the blog post makes clear, his coworkers did call 911 on their cell phones after the fiasco with the security guard who didn't speak much English.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

As the blog post makes clear, his coworkers did call 911 on their cell phones after the fiasco with the security guard who didn't speak much English.

Who was probably being paid a good $2 less than what the going rate should be.

 

[markvid]

As the blog post makes clear, his coworkers did call 911 on their cell phones after the fiasco with the security guard who didn't speak much English.

Can I ask this, though (I'm not placing balme here, honest) - why wait when you know you have to go through the desk anyway?

 

[funky_mountain]

from romenesko:

From DENNIS RYERSON, editor, Indianapolis Star: All of us at The Star are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend and colleague, Mpozi. We feel it is imperative to correct false statements made on the Internet. Any Star employee can call 911 from Star phones. In fact, employees and our security staff used Star phones to make calls that night. [Permalink]

 

[markvid]

Ok, that's all well and good, but he's sidestepping the issue that the 911 calls have to go THROUGH someone else.

 

[DyePack]

What are the chances of THAT ending up on Romenesko?

.5%?

Dude, if you're thinking Poynter is going to take on any chain paper with any serious intensity, you have a long wait.

Poynter sucks (wait, wait, wait) its cash by convincing people at chain papers to come to St. Pete for training. It will never, ever, ever risk pissing off a chain paper with any frequency.

Poynter is a big part of the problem. Its pretension of being part of the solution is beyond laughable.

EDIT: I see where jackass Ryerson is saying his employees used Star phones. Well, did they use them right away? Could they use them right away? What a ****tard.

 

[dixiehack]

What are the chances of THAT ending up on Romenesko?

.5%?

Dude, if you're thinking Poynter is going to take on any chain paper with any serious intensity, you have a long wait.

Poynter sucks (wait, wait, wait) its cash by convincing people at chain papers to come to St. Pete for training. It will never, ever, ever risk pissing off a chain paper with any frequency.

Poynter is a big part of the problem. Its pretension of being part of the solution is beyond laughable.

EDIT: I see where jackass Ryerson is saying his employees used Star phones. Well, did they use them right away? Could they use them right away? What a ****tard.

Ahem.

Where do you think I saw the story originally?

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

I can't imagine, dh.
Tell us, please.

 

[jgmacg]

from romenesko:

From DENNIS RYERSON, editor, Indianapolis Star: All of us at The Star are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend and colleague, Mpozi. We feel it is imperative to correct false statements made on the Internet. Any Star employee can call 911 from Star phones. In fact, employees and our security staff used Star phones to make calls that night. [Permalink]

Non-denial denial.