I don't know how many of you guys have dealt with news media, but don't have so much faith in details presented being correct. Go to a town or city board meeting and read the paper the next day to see what I mean. Its as if they put effort into misspelling names, misquotes, screwing up statistics and important omissions. Given the tabloid presentation of this, red flags are waving.
If ya do a TV news interview, ask the cameraman / producer if you can have a copy of the raw footage. Friendly demeanor vanishes "No." They will try to BS you with legalize but the real reason is they don't want you to be able to refute their "editing for compelling effect." Tip - Always have a friend shoot your own vid as they tape.
"Fleischer made matters worse by grazing his left index finger with his chainsaw at some point." "Made matters worse" gives the idea he was stuck before the injury but "at some point" smears that murky, but deliberate insinuation. His injury may have been worse than they say. No blood on the tee shirt visible but maybe his hand got mashed. Injury may have stranded him.
Who told them he only got three stitches? A doctor, nurse, administrator.., janitor? Isn't it illegal for a hospital and its personnel to release medical information beyond patient condition? The public has no business knowing, and that rag paper has now business telling, that young mans medical treatment.., even it it was just a couple stitches. Responsible journalism dictates "treated and released" without stated patient permission, that's why you hear/read it so much at the end of real news reports.
The reporter began with insulting an accident victim as boneheaded, wow!
The reporting ticks me off but so does the ignorance of this landscaping company. Where was the experienced climber who is training the boy? (We know the answer to that) Doesn't the kid know the importance of a bailout line? (We know the answer to that) Why didn't one of their guys put on the rescue kit and get him down? (We know the answer to that, he was wearing a cheapy rescue kit as his full time climb gear)
By what the father stated and what we can imagine, that beginner shouldn't have been working aloft in a tree solo and that landscape company shouldn't be taking tree service jobs. Wonder if their insurance company and comp, only knowing them to landscape, will catch wind of this?
Sue the paper (and hospital if applicable but they probably just reported hearsay or made it up) and spend it on an arborist training company program.
Most probable truth? A wimp with an ouchy, crying in a tree.
