Take Shelter from the Storm

September 13, 2004 --An editorial from the desk of Washington Publishers

Your mother always told you to come in from the rain. Even as an adult, I still get scolded if I go out sans umbrella. Our first president caught a fatal case of quinsy throat when he rode his horse in a pouring rain--surely Martha nagged him about that.

It’s time for cable news stations to buckle down and be responsible, too. When a Category 4 hurricane is predicted to make a direct hit on Florida's coast, the reporters flock like packs of seagulls chasing breadcrumbs. While the roads from the coast are jammed with families fleeing its path, newscasters allow themselves and their staff to stand unprotected in the streets and on the beaches in the middle of these storms. During Frances, one reporter, commenting on the strong winds, panned the camera down to show two men holding her feet to the ground.

When will this grandstanding end? I hope before a young woman or buff buck is broadcasting live in the drenching rain of a hurricane and a tree limb or other debris whacks them at 60 mph. If they survive, they will likely sustain head injuries and possible permanent disability. The estate will sue for (and possibly win) millions for the orphaned children. The government will issue an ordinance banning news crews from entering high-risk evacuation areas or mandating that reporters should stay indoors or in protected shelters. Of course, the video clip of the guy getting whacked with the tree branch sets a new rating viewer record. Finally, law firms will post billboards: "Have you been injured in a hurricane? Does your job require you to endanger your life? Call us now!"

Washington Publishers is based in the capital city of Tallahassee, Florida.