# I understand now how somebody can drown in a few feet of water.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-understand-now-how-somebody-can-drown-in-a-few-feet-of-water/752602
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [April 18, 2016, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-understand-now-how-somebody-can-drown-in-a-few-feet-of-water/752602 "2016-04-18T23:29:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-understand-now-how-somebody-can-drown-in-a-few-feet-of-water/752602/21 "2016-04-21T01:47:02Z")
Film at 11.
---
### Author:  [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2016, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-understand-now-how-somebody-can-drown-in-a-few-feet-of-water/752602/22 "2016-04-21T01:52:20Z")
> [@Bullitt](#):
>
> Well, maybe that’s a little extreme. I don’t disagree with your points, but you’re more familiar with how to rescue people, while he’s a reporter who’d like to save the guy but also get a story at the same time. But if the old guy had drowned, _ **then** _ the reporter is an asshole!
A reporter should report on the story, not thrust himself into the middle of the story, which is exactly what he did with his half-assed “rescue”.
It looks like he was close enough to dry ground that he could have tossed the mic & _really_ helped the guy & if he kept it & it was damaged/destroyed, I’m sure he wouldn’t have gotten any repercussions from management & _if_ he did, the social media response would have been overwhelming. IMHO, his thoughts were more towards “good story” than “save this guy”.
> [@billfish678](#):
>
> Good thing it wasn’t a hands off Fox News reporter…“We report…you die”
I’d have more respect for that. If you’re not trained &/or don’t have the right equipment, be it a flood, fire, whatever you shouldn’t put yourself in harm’s way as it’s less tragic to have one dead than two. I’ve never had to stand there & watch someone drown (or burn, or…) but there are absolutely situations that I would do just that.
---
### Author:  [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2016, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-understand-now-how-somebody-can-drown-in-a-few-feet-of-water/752602/23 "2016-04-21T01:54:01Z")
> [@Bullitt](#):
>
> Well, maybe that’s a little extreme. I don’t disagree with your points, but you’re more familiar with how to rescue people, while he’s a reporter who’d like to save the guy but also get a story at the same time. But if the old guy had drowned, _ **then** _ the reporter is an asshole!
Plus station policy may be if he lost the mic it would come off his paycheck:p.
---
### Author:  [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2016, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-understand-now-how-somebody-can-drown-in-a-few-feet-of-water/752602/24 "2016-04-21T04:18:26Z")
> [@billfish678](#):
>
> Good thing it wasn’t a hands off Fox News reporter…“We report…you die”
I didn’t know Peter Jennings and Mike Wallace worked for Fox.
From the series “Ethics in America”: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGg\_dpGhlf0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGg_dpGhlf0)
[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-understand-now-how-somebody-can-drown-in-a-few-feet-of-water/752602.md?page=1)