Let's Chat: Family’s Facebook posts offer refreshing praise for our first responders

From the first few days after I realized I would be a journalist, during my sophomore year in a California high school, I knew I would also carry a camera.

Loosely translated, I’m a photojournalist.

Long before I was a publisher or managing editor, I worked in the trenches as they say, recording community events, documenting the outcomes of sporting events, and chasing fire trucks and ambulances.

My camera, reporter’s notebook and pen became permanent attachments 30 years ago. Even in high school I roamed the halls with a Pentax K1000 draped over one shoulder and books in another.

I’m drawn to photography. My specialty has been instinctive, quick reaction times, and being in the right place with the right lens and proper exposure when action unfolds.

Photojournalism is a ton of trial and error, and a massive amount of luck when it comes to capturing ever changing fast moving situations.

It’s what I’ve enjoyed most over the span of my career, even though it’s what I do least these days because of the rest of my responsibilities with running the business.

A particular facet of photojournalism is very adrenalin driven. Arriving at the scene of a fire, a wreck or a crime scene is filled with a thousand split second thoughts and truckload of processing the environment while getting in position, looking for the right photo to take and being respectful of those involved.

In three decades I have witnessed a number of intense situations. They leave their mark.

In my office is an old black and white 8x10 of a drug bust. I took that picture during the first year of work as a fulltime journalist for a community newspaper. I was 19. A sheriff’s deputy is moving in on a suspect in a stopped vehicle. The deputy’s gun is drawn and he’s shouting commands at the driver. I took the picture from behind the suspect’s car, leaning out the window of the lieutenant’s vehicle. When you look closely at that image, it’s dramatic and a tad foolish. The deputy is pointing his handgun at the suspect and I was looking down the barrel of said gun through a camera.

There’s no need to tell you how many fatal wrecks I have photographed, the number of homicides I’ve reported on or what it’s like to photograph a firefighter performing CPR on a gunshot victim in the middle of the night in a wide-open field.

All of them are memories or impressions that are filed in a giant box in my mind. They don’t let me forget what tragedy looks like or the devastation the human race can generate.

Facebook and social media have changed how we report the news. These days, time and resources willing, everything can be instantaneous.

To remain relevant, even small community newspapers have found themselves developing websites and Facebook pages and doing everything they can to keep readers informed as news breaks.

In order to keep an eye on things, my iPhone alerts me whenever someone posts a comment on The Journal’s Facebook page. Occasionally people post inappropriate comments. We are a family newspaper in a small community so we remove them as quickly as possible.

This new instant media mechanism is a necessary evil that leaves me uneasy at times. Suddenly as things are unfolding, we are able to post immediate updates from the scene – if we have cellular phone service.

Two weeks ago on a Sunday, I chased the Ritzville Fire Department and EMS to the scene of a single vehicle rollover on U.S. 395. With Interstate 90 and 395, I’m honestly surprised we don’t have more fatalities and major injury wrecks.

Anyway, in last week’s newspaper there were a couple of front page pictures of the incident. However pictures of the wreck appeared on The Journal’s Facebook page a couple hours after the wreck occurred.

There are now 11 comments posted to a picture of the red car on its side as rescue crews work to remove one of the two victims. In those comments, I have found some amazing commentary. The best part, complete strangers were going out of their way to thank and praise the Ritzville folks who came to the rescue of those in need.

To my amazement Monday night my phone started buzzing as a series of comments were posted. The first was from the mother of the two young men who were injured. She thanked a passerby who helped at the scene and the volunteer rescue crews.

“Thank you to all the first responders and to you, Dennis for helping free Lucas and for calling us. Both Lucas and Caleb are doing well and back at Whitworth finishing their term. Lucas’s injuries were more severe and he will take longer to heal, but should make a full recovery. We thank God that they were not more seriously hurt and that there were so many winning to help,” wrote Kristie Jager Nolta.

Then came a comment from the driver.

“I was the driver. I cannot thank all of you who responded and helped enough. I thank God for each one of you,” Caleb Nolta posted.

Then a great one from an aunt.

“Thank you from Lucas and Caleb’s aunt and uncle. Great work Joel (Bell), Pat (Clark), Karin (Schaefer), the Lefevre’s (Andy & Lindsey), Stacey and especially Dennis Boardman for acting when others just stood by. You were angels in action,” wrote Dixie Stix.

The passenger, Lucas Nolta followed.

“I was the passenger. I am incredibly thankful for everyone who helped to rescue me from that car and who gave me care afterwards. I am so blessed just to be alive right now. Thank you really does not seem like enough for those who came to my aid,” he wrote.

One more aunt joined the chorus.

“When you choose to take action, like some of you did, you rescue not only the injured but the families behind them. We’ll always be thankful and grateful for those who God prompted to action. You are heroes in my book,” said Darci Nolta VandenHoek.

Since Monday night I have read and re-read these comments maybe 20 or 30 times, considering the power in them and the importance of the effort these folks made to express their gratitude.

They needed to be shared with all of our readers, especially those who do not access our Facebook page.

More importantly, the entire community can stand a reminder. The first responders in Ritzville, Lind, Washtucna and all the other rural fire stations, are amazing teams. Each of these individuals has added the fire department or the ambulance association to their already busy lives. They drop everything on a moment’s notice to jump on a truck or an ambulance and race off to whatever emergency awaits.

For once, I’m truly pleased The Journal’s Facebook page exists and that we were able to construct a bridge for those family members to directly offer their kind words. Every single firefighter and EMT in our communities are heroes. They are often unsung heroes who deserve every extra pat on the back or kind word you can muster. If you haven’t already, you may need them some day. This family sure did!