A wake-up call

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - A television news video photographer was hit and injured in an auto-pedestrian crash on I-80 Monday afternoon.

The crash happened on I-80 West Bound at 2300 East.

Utah Highway Patrol and UDOT officials confirmed that the victim is a photographer from KSL Television.

The name of the photographer was not yet released.

Troopers say a vehicle crashed into the man, pinning him between another vehicle and a concrete barrier.

The crash destroyed the victim's video camera and tripod.

Officials told ABC 4 News that the victim was transported to a hospital in very serious condition.

Wow. Even though I don't work for KSL, my heart goes out to this photographer, and everyone who works at the station. I think of the people on the assignment desk, who probably told this photog to get to the scene ASAP and the producers who insisted that the video get back to the station fast. I imagine had I been the producer who planned on this video for my show. How would I feel?

It's something I think I take for granted as a producer who sits in the station 95% percent of the time. News is a dangerous job. For the sake of the story, I demand that photographers and reporters set up on scene outside a SWAT situation. When there's a bad traffic accident or inclement weather (like there was today) we order them to go get live from the side of I-15. Though it's protocol at ABC 4 that reporters and photogs wear reflective vests when they go live from the freeway, those vests don't protect them from distracted drivers traveling 75 miles down the interstate.

This, like the title, is just a wakeup call to me as a producer. Though it's important to get the good story, have the live shot, people and safety need to come first.