Kevin and Mike's day out

100 word story

A 3-year-old girl was found trapped in a washer in a local laundromat after her sister closed the door when her sister climbed in.

Jennifer Childs of Rockland did not escape from the washer, that was equipt with an automatic lock, despite her aunt's attempts until five minutes later when a man got a hammer from his toolbox and smashed the glass on the machine's door. Today, Janice Childs, the aunt, can be thankful for Paul Hecker's valiant attempt at saving her neice's life.

A Rockland Hospital spokesperson said Jennifer was listed in good condition after being admitted yesterday.

editor's checklist/tipsheet

Here are just a few tips I think are important to remember when covering an event:

--Be prepared. Do your homework on the subject matter. That means know what you are getting into before you get there. Research important people, dates or facts if necessary. You will be thankful when you are more prepared than you thought, cause you never know what you are getting into until you are there. It's better to have too much info instead of not enough.

--Ask questions. Truthfully, it's the only way to get the knowledge you need to write a well thought out story. And don't just go to the main sources. Asking other media in attendance things you don't know isn't a crime. You cannot be intimidated. Remember, the event is being held to expose information, not hide things. So if you have questions, ask.

--Take notes. You most likely don't have a photographic memory, so you need to recount important things that happen during the event. And you can't do that without notes. Whether it's with a laptop or notepad, they are vital when reviewing what happened after the event has ended. You'll be glad you have them.

--Bring a tape-recorder. When conducting an interview, be it in a group setting or one-on-one, you simply cannot write as fast as people talk. I know because I've done it and with less than thrilling results. That's why having things on tape is so vital. You can go back and catch anything you may have missed. You can't misquote people and if you just write a phrase or so down, it isn't complete. Meaning, you need to stay away from that quote, however important it may turn out to be. Having a recorder fixes that. And gives you increased credibility and reliability because you are able to go back and get it right.