West Virginia mining accident and reporting

scaeagles · 01-04-2006, 12:34 PM

A tragic situation, most certainly.

I bring it up, though, because of the outrage created by the story out that 12 had survived when in fact, 12 had perished.

I am not a huge fan of the media in general, but I cannot really bring myself to place blame on them, or anyone.

As I understand it, someone in the rescue control center said the 12 had been found. Someone nearby interpretted that to mean that they had been found alive. While that is certainly a jump, I do not think it is an unreasonable thing to think - everyone was hoping that they would be found alive, and I don't think it unreasonable. Well, that person then called someone on the outside, and it eventually got to the members of the community, gathered together in a church waiting for news. They emerged, rejoicing, telling the media members that they had been found and were alilve.

The media ran with the story. I don't think that is unreasonable.

I most certainly would not want to be one of the family members, hearing that my loved one was alive, only to find out three hours later that they were dead.

But why is there a need to assign blame? I can understand the disappointment, and I can even understand outrage, but I have now heard that there will be lawsuits. Against whom? And for what? There was a mistake in a misinterpretation of something overheard.

The real issue seems to be lost - that 12 miners are dead in a mine that had a few recent citations for safety violations.

Motorboat Cruiser · 01-04-2006, 01:00 PM

I truly hope that this next statement from me isn't a trend for the coming year...

I completely agree with what you posted.

(Damn, that was uncomfortable)

Gemini Cricket · 01-04-2006, 01:00 PM

The sad thing is that all over the city all the newspaper stands have papers that read '12 Miners Survive' and '12 Miners Alive It's a Miracle' and all that. This was even at 12 noon today. No revising there...

The whole thing is sad. I'm not sure why the mining management waited 2 hours to tell the families that the news was wrong...

Cadaverous Pallor · 01-04-2006, 01:50 PM

I heard it was 3 hours. I am so horrified by this story. There's no other way to make such a tragedy even more tragic.

That said, I agree with 'eagles, this was just a bad game of telephone. But perhaps they will now figure out a way to prevent this from ever happening again. I wouldn't be surprised if we came up with a disaster reporting protocol that became standardized. That wouldn't be a bad thing.

innerSpaceman · 01-04-2006, 01:53 PM

From ever happening again? Feh, I just saw "Munich" last night ... which opened with the tragic tale where reporters blundered all over the world that the hostages were alive, their families rejoiced, and two hours later it was - "ooops, sorry, we didn't mean alive ... we meant dead. Our bad."

That was 1972.

scaeagles · 01-04-2006, 01:55 PM

I hope nothing happens, frankly.

Every mistake does not require management or a review or a new policy to avoid it again. There is no policy that will ever prevent mistakes from happening.

innerSpaceman · 01-04-2006, 02:11 PM

I love it when I make a mistake and people tell me not to do that again.

Cadaverous Pallor · 01-04-2006, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I hope nothing happens, frankly.

Every mistake does not require management or a review or a new policy to avoid it again. There is no policy that will ever prevent mistakes from happening.

There are plenty of fantastic ideas that grew from "mistakes". Ideas like the Miranda rights reading upon arrest....adding a clause to your will involving "persistant vegetative state"....and sealing the large air chambers that keep luxury liners afloat (oh, and have enough lifeboats, too).

This is not to say that all "corrections" are correct - such as the "security" measures taken by our gov't after 9/11. But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to prevent bad things from happening.

Not Afraid · 01-04-2006, 03:43 PM

What a terrible tragidy in the first place. I find it so odd that in this day and age of amazing technology we still send men 300 feet underground for the purpose of mining for fuel. It seems such an old, worn out concept.

The fact that misinformtation was distributed, people got their hopes up only to have them dashed just makes this tragidy even more terrible.

There's nothing wrong with hope - even if hopes are dashed - but it sounds like it was a hopeless situation to begin with and communication failed. Such is the err of humans.

Snowflake · 01-04-2006, 04:05 PM

Terribly sad. I have listened to reports all day on NPR. It was a human error compounded as CP said, by a really awful game of telephone. I can sympathize and identify with the abject horror and grieving of those who lost a loved one. My logical mind cannot get around a concept of why someone would consider suing. A litigious society to the extreme compounding a sad, sad tragedy.

01-04-2006, 12:34 PM	#1
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	West Virginia mining accident and reporting A tragic situation, most certainly. I bring it up, though, because of the outrage created by the story out that 12 had survived when in fact, 12 had perished. I am not a huge fan of the media in general, but I cannot really bring myself to place blame on them, or anyone. As I understand it, someone in the rescue control center said the 12 had been found. Someone nearby interpretted that to mean that they had been found alive. While that is certainly a jump, I do not think it is an unreasonable thing to think - everyone was hoping that they would be found alive, and I don't think it unreasonable. Well, that person then called someone on the outside, and it eventually got to the members of the community, gathered together in a church waiting for news. They emerged, rejoicing, telling the media members that they had been found and were alilve. The media ran with the story. I don't think that is unreasonable. I most certainly would not want to be one of the family members, hearing that my loved one was alive, only to find out three hours later that they were dead. But why is there a need to assign blame? I can understand the disappointment, and I can even understand outrage, but I have now heard that there will be lawsuits. Against whom? And for what? There was a mistake in a misinterpretation of something overheard. The real issue seems to be lost - that 12 miners are dead in a mine that had a few recent citations for safety violations.
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01-04-2006, 01:00 PM	#2
Motorboat Cruiser Cruiser of Motorboats Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: So Cal Posts: 3,665	I truly hope that this next statement from me isn't a trend for the coming year... I completely agree with what you posted. (Damn, that was uncomfortable)
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01-04-2006, 01:00 PM	#3
Gemini Cricket ... Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,244	The sad thing is that all over the city all the newspaper stands have papers that read '12 Miners Survive' and '12 Miners Alive It's a Miracle' and all that. This was even at 12 noon today. No revising there... The whole thing is sad. I'm not sure why the mining management waited 2 hours to tell the families that the news was wrong...
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01-04-2006, 01:50 PM	#4
Cadaverous Pallor ohhhh baby Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Parental Bliss Posts: 12,364	I heard it was 3 hours. I am so horrified by this story. There's no other way to make such a tragedy even more tragic. That said, I agree with 'eagles, this was just a bad game of telephone. But perhaps they will now figure out a way to prevent this from ever happening again. I wouldn't be surprised if we came up with a disaster reporting protocol that became standardized. That wouldn't be a bad thing. __________________ The second star to the right shines in the night for you
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01-04-2006, 01:53 PM	#5
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	From ever happening again? Feh, I just saw "Munich" last night ... which opened with the tragic tale where reporters blundered all over the world that the hostages were alive, their families rejoiced, and two hours later it was - "ooops, sorry, we didn't mean alive ... we meant dead. Our bad." That was 1972.
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01-04-2006, 01:55 PM	#6
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	I hope nothing happens, frankly. Every mistake does not require management or a review or a new policy to avoid it again. There is no policy that will ever prevent mistakes from happening.
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01-04-2006, 02:11 PM	#7
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	I love it when I make a mistake and people tell me not to do that again.
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01-04-2006, 03:43 PM	#9
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	What a terrible tragidy in the first place. I find it so odd that in this day and age of amazing technology we still send men 300 feet underground for the purpose of mining for fuel. It seems such an old, worn out concept. The fact that misinformtation was distributed, people got their hopes up only to have them dashed just makes this tragidy even more terrible. There's nothing wrong with hope - even if hopes are dashed - but it sounds like it was a hopeless situation to begin with and communication failed. Such is the err of humans.
	Submit to Quotes

01-04-2006, 04:05 PM	#10
Snowflake lost in the fog Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 7,831	Terribly sad. I have listened to reports all day on NPR. It was a human error compounded as CP said, by a really awful game of telephone. I can sympathize and identify with the abject horror and grieving of those who lost a loved one. My logical mind cannot get around a concept of why someone would consider suing. A litigious society to the extreme compounding a sad, sad tragedy. __________________ Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. - Oscar Wilde
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