Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Firefighters' cell photo causes flap
Fire department brass think it's inappropriate
Free Press photo of firefighter posing as another snaps cellphone photo has sparked interest from as far away as the San Franciso Chronicle. (BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE)
The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service is investigating the circumstances surrounding a pair of firefighters' decision to pose and take a cellphone photo in front of a Redwood Avenue blaze.
On Thursday evening, Free Press photographer Boris Minkevich took a photo of a defensive fire with two Winnipeg firefighters in the foreground. One posed for a cellphone picture shot by the other while they waited for aerial equipment to be set up.
On Friday, WFPS Deputy Chief Ken Sim said his department planned to investigate in the evening, when the firefighters in question returned to work.
"Our perspective at this time is this was inappropriate," he said. "This is one of those pictures that begs the question, 'What were they assigned to do that allowed them to take the picture?' "
While firefighters are provided with cameras to document evidence, Sim said it appears the camera depicted in Minkevich's photo was a "non-issued device." Sim said his department will take "whatever action is necessary to take" once the firefighters in the photo are identified.
The president of the union representing Winnipeg firefighters shrugged off the investigation, noting the personnel in the photo could not do anything but wait until more equipment arrived to douse the blaze.
"Is it inappropriate? Probably. But we deal with life and death every single day," said Alex Forrest, president of the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg. "I didn't get one call about (a recent) fatality and the firefighters who risked their lives trying to save someone, but I got a dozen calls about this one."
Free Press photographer Minkevich, meanwhile, said he did not intend his photo to cause any harm.
"It seemed so innocent. There were numerous firefighters waiting for the apparatus to be set up," said Minkevich, a recent winner of an award from the International Association of Firefighters.
"This only lasted a moment. I perceived it as an innocent thing I would do myself. I've been to a lot of fires."
Media interest in Minkevich's photograph came from as far away as the San Francisco Chronicle which wanted a copy of the picture for its website.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 5, 2009 A11
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