being interviewed, need help

[Dougiefresh 0]

I'm being interviewed by the local paper for an article on the upcoming Madcity Leapfest at SDC. There's one question I'm struggling with. Any commentary and suggestions are welcome. I'm trying to be careful they don't turn my meaning around and make skydiving look bad.

The question and my response:

Q:" Some people criticize skydiving for being "reckless," how would you respond to that idea?"

A: Nothing could be further from the truth. Decades of research have gone into making the gear as reliable and safe as possible, with new improvements and innovations coming out all the time. Every dropzone that is approved by the United States Parachute Association (USPA), skydiving's governing body, is required to have a Safety and Training Administrator (S&TA) to monitor training procedures and enforce safety rules. The FAA is closely involved with our sport, and keeps a close eye on our activities. Individuals might have reckless attitudes, but it's incorrect to characterize the entire sport that way.


Any thoughts? Thanks.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. --Douglas Adams

[grimmie 173]

About two million safe jumps, with no injuries occur every year in the US. Let's discuss that first, and then break down the latest fatality survey in this month's Parachutist for them.

Give them an overview of the type of people that jump at your DZ.

And remember, whatever you say positive will not change some readers perceptions.

It looks like you will be a fine representative of skydiving. Good Luck. And offer the reporter a leap!

[Programmer 0]

I'd leave off the last sentence. If the journalist brings up an example of individual recklessness, you can use that sentence as a response.

[nickranson 0]

Not sure if this will help with your reporter, but it is certainly a related topic! I'm an actuary (a rather risk adverse profession as a whole) and work actively in risk management. I often get asked about my "risky" hobbies of snowboarding and skydiving given my profession.

With skydiving, I always respond that it is a great example of risk management and run through all the safety aspects: training, licenses, personal gear checks, rigger gear inspections, flight line checks, two parachutes (one packed very carefully and only by a qualified person), RSLs, AADs, repetition of EPs etc etc. I accept that skydiving is risky, but so are many activities and choices in daily life. You take the risk in order to get satisfaction and enjoyment. I can't think of any other aspect of my life (outside work) where I am so concious of managing risk as I am with skydiving.

Not sure I can say the same about snowboarding

[stratostar 5]

Quote

Q:" Some people criticize skydiving for being "reckless," how would you respond to that idea?"

A: Yep were all reckless & crazy all wacked out on mountain dew & blow, we all have a death wish and we drive too fast as well without seatbealts blasting loud rock n roll music token a number and drinking a beer & we all have long hair and don't shave, none of us have real jobs we just smuggle dope to pay for our addictions and toys and if you can't find your teenage daughters late on a weekend nite, their in the DZ slums being passed around and videoed for our skydiver chicks gone wild DVDs and everyone is nick named Swoop!

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[Remster 24]

Quote

mountain dew & blow

What a sad state of affiars.





Its should be hookers and blow.

Remster

[DougH 270]

"Swooooooooooooooooooooooop swooooooooopppppp."

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[laughn_gas 0]

Quote

Quote

Q:" Some people criticize skydiving for being "reckless," how would you respond to that idea?"

A: Yep were all reckless & crazy all wacked out on mountain dew & blow, we all have a death wish and we drive too fast as well without seatbealts blasting loud rock n roll music token a number and drinking a beer & we all have long hair and don't shave, none of us have real jobs we just smuggle dope to pay for our addictions and toys and if you can't find your teenage daughters late on a weekend nite, their in the DZ slums being passed around and videoed for our skydiver chicks gone wild DVDs and everyone is nick named Swoop!

[/



Perfect!

See ya in a minute. Peace out!

[stratostar 5]

Oh sorry,moutain dew is so five years ago, that should read red bull or go fast.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[pashakiev 0]

Goooooood Stuff!!!!!!!!!!!

Less Bitching / More Jumping..... Please?

[happythoughts 0]

Quote

A: Yep were all reckless & crazy all wacked out on mountain dew & blow, we all have a death wish and we drive too fast as well without seatbealts blasting loud rock n roll music token a number and drinking a beer & we all have long hair and don't shave, none of us have real jobs we just smuggle dope to pay for our addictions and toys and if you can't find your teenage daughters late on a weekend nite, their in the DZ slums being passed around and videoed for our skydiver chicks gone wild DVDs and everyone is nick named Swoop!

As this is very time-consuming, I delegate certain responsibilities.

I let others smuggle dope and listen to rock and roll, but date the local daughters myself.


This one time, at band camp (WFFC), a local came out and was hanging with the 3 guys in the bus next to our slot for at least a couple of days.

The b/f got miffed and called the QPD. They were walking along the taxiway and asking people if we had seen "this girl".

"Sure. See that golf cart that just went by, with the 3 guys wearing gorilla masks, and the laughing blonde sitting on that one's lap? That's her."

[headcase 0]

"The typical skydiver is a lottery winner who after spending 95% of their winnings on hookers, beer, cocaine, and jump tickets regrets pissing the other 5% on frivolous non-essentials like food and "insert their newspapers name here."

[tombuch 0]

You have received a few good answers so far. I'd say just be honest and show your love for the sport. There will be inaccuracies...that's just the nature of dealing with a general assignment reporter. Most of them try hard and don't want to inject an anti-skydiving bias, but what we do is so far out of their experience set that they do make honest mistakes. Your attitude, understanding of risk management, and love of the sport should come through. Go for that, and don't sweat the tech-head details.

One of the things I always do at the end of an interview is offer the reporter my home phone number and say that I'll be happy to answer any additional questions or confirm technical detail or quotes. I let them know I am available as a continuing resource to help them make the story as accurate as possible. If it's not a local paper I also ask if they can send me a copy, or where I can pick it up or see it on-line. That way they know I'll be looking, and will hopefully make an extra effort to represent me accurately.

Have fun with it!

Oh yeah, the S&TA is a Safety and Training Advisor, and I too would eliminate the last sentence.

Tom Buchanan
Instructor Emeritus
Comm Pilot MSEL,G
Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy