Tweets About Suicidal Man Land WV Firefighter in Hot Water

The Huntington firefighter who made light of the situation when a suicidal man scaled a bridge in Huntington earlier this month remains employed by the Huntington Fire Department.

Joshua Blake is under internal investigation for violation of the department’s social media policy because of videos he posted on YouTube and “conduct unbecoming,” according to letters Huntington Fire Chief Carl Eastham sent Blake on June 3, two days after the incident on the bridge.

The letters were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request sent to the City of Huntington.

Huntington police, firefighters and other first responders arrived at about 3 p.m. on June 1 after receiving a report about a man climbing on West 17th Street bridge. Dispatchers said the man climbed back and forth between a catwalk under the bridge and the metal framing on top. At about 1:30 a.m., during a heavy thunderstorm, he finally agreed to come down from the bridge, according to police.

As responders tried to convince the man to seek safety, Blake tweeted several times from the “Htgn. Firefighters” account, which belonged to the International Association of Firefighters Local 289.

One said the man was “convinced everyone is whispering about him.” Another said, “[the man] doesn’t like me. He calls me sparky.” Another read, “[the man] needs a nap now. Doesn’t want to talk anymore.”

After the incident, suicide prevention advocates said the incident illustrated a lack of understanding about a pervasive public health problem among the general population, and specifically, a lack of training on suicide intervention among first responders. Huntington firefighters, like many first responders in the state, do not receive training on suicide.

Reached this week, Blake would not comment.

“I’ve got to be honest with you,” he said. “I would love to speak with you on this, but since it’s an ongoing investigation, the best bet I can give you is to contact Bryan Chambers.”

Chambers handles media for the City of Huntington.

Blake said he would speak to a reporter if Eastham and Chambers approved it.

Chambers said the two would not authorize it.

Asked whether the fire department plans to begin suicide intervention training in the future, Chambers said they have reached out to the employee assistance program they currently work with for advice.

He also said Eastham would not be made available for an interview.

When first contacted by the Gazette-Mail about whether Blake was being disciplined, Eastham only said he could not comment on personnel issues. He did not return a subsequent call.

A Herald-Dispatch article in April identified Blake, an eight-year firefighter, as the person behind the @HtgnFire account. He told the newspaper he hoped to one day become a public relations officer for the department.

The man who climbed the bridge said last week that he was in treatment and “doing well.” He also said he had no complaints about the professionalism of the first responders, although he could tell some had made “assumptions” about his cry for help.

Reach Erin Beck at [email protected], 304-348-5163, Facebook.com/erinbeckwv, or follow @erinbeckwv on Twitter.

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