The Progress-Index ran a story today about a fatal house fire. The headline, Neighbors unable to rescue construction worker, is a little misleading. As in most stories, there are some heroes and a heel.
Justin Krumpe ran in to a burning house and tried to save his neighbor. First responders were on the scene pretty quickly. Justin is a true hero. He ran in with no protection to try to save someone's life. He was the only neighbor to do so.
Another "neighbor," Chiquita Edmonds was called by someone else in the neighborhood about the fire. What did she do? Run to help? Call 911? Nope. She went outside to film the fire. Pretty nice, huh?
Here's the kicker... Edmonds filmed the whole ordeal, including EMS personnel trying to revive the 44 year old Fred Waitt, but she said she turned the camera off the camera "out of respect before he was loaded in an ambulance."
In Chiquita's defense, she was heard on her tape shouting to fire fighters what Waitt looked like. Talk about going the extra mile!
Who knows the whole story? Maybe Ms. Edmonds couldn't physically help. If that was the case, why film the fire? You gonna sit around the VCR and rewatch it later in the week? Was there the intent to make sure the police and EMS did their job? Maybe, as Chiquita said, "I want to say that all the Colonial Heights departments responded fast, and in a professional manner." Thanks Chiquita, but who made you the first responder monitor for the neighborhood?
This fire happened in the area of Colonial Heights that I live in. This story frustrates me because my area of town is filled with folks that no longer act neighborly. There are a select few that will go out of their way to be nice, but not many. In order for our side of the city to re-emerge into the great neighborhood that it used to be, I believe we all need to lend a hand when needed, not just stand back and view things as distant events through a viewfinder.
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5 comments:
FYI, The yellow text on a red background is really hard to read :( Want to read the rest of your entries but it hurts my eyes :(
I agree. Hope you like the change.
Hi,
I don't know how I fell on your blog, however is this Justin you speak of around 28-30ish? I knew him back in the day and would love to get in contact with him. Let me know if you can help me with that. Thanks!
Justin is actually my cousin and he has had a really tough go at it. He was in a terrible car accident and his injuries have changed him forever. After this fire he has continued to struggle in life and I just want him to know we love him no matter.
Anonymous said...Imjust reading your comments. you say you are a man of god why would you write such things.yes you do have a DANGEROUSE MIND. You should ask god forgivness,next time you are at our church Mount Pleasant.You should be on your knees ask god to realy AWAKEN YOU.YOUdont know this person.Do you even know that film is being used to train fireman. Sad that someone died,we wish this on know one or family. God loves us all.What are you teaching your kids.I hope to love .Leave this person alone.Get a real life and a real team to root for.
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