Jump to content

EVER HAD A JOB MAKE THE NEWS?


WANTYNU

EVER HAD A JOB MAKE THE NEWS?  

56 members have voted

  1. 1.

    • YES
      50
    • NO
      4
    • NOT SURE.
      2


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 48
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

This is the middle of nowhere. Everything that happens, requiring fire or EMS, is news. Should the story not be front page news, it ends up in the individual community gossip column. XX was taken to the hospital for XX by XX Ambulance.. and Billy Bob stayed with Billy Sue of Anytown for three days. :|

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I made CNN.

Drunk driver hit 4 of a family of 5, killing 3, in the Howard Beach community, NYC.

Next night, got a phone call from my brother, the professor at University of North Dakota, Grand Forks ND, telling me he'd seen me on a report on stopping drunk drivers before they kill someone else.

If you see the replay, I am walking left to right on the scene shown, wearing a "slut-jacket" from the NYC HHC EMS Communications Division. Eagle holding a torch, in front of the crossed flags of communication, kind of like Army Signal Corps' emblem, on which it was based.

FYI, the driver was so drunk, he didn't even recognize the first LEO on the scene as a LEO. When I was extricating him from the car, stepping over body parts of his victims still wedged under the car, and strewn over the scene, I almost got a contact high from the alcohol on his breath.

AND...I had responded off duty. It was the last hour of my birthday, and a local politician was having me drive us to a late-open restaurant to buy me a piece of birthday cake.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So folks, This is your opportunity to a little bragging, what we only keep it to the crew room?

Lets go to the video clips (or news paper at least).

Or if something missed the paper some inside info that they got wrong (we know that never happens, NOT).

Sometimes we live, the stuff of TV stories, and the media still gets it wrong. Lets set the story right (within the law folks, if you're involved with an ongoing crime don't get yourself in trouble, this is a PUBLIC forum after all.)

Hey, I had a job where a well known male hair dresser was shot and wrapped in a blanket (window left wide open with a fan going (a few winters ago), Press said he was mugged and stabbed...)

These post are good, lets add a little juice.

Be Safe,

WANTYNU

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So folks, This is your opportunity to a little bragging, what we only keep it to the crew room?

Lets go to the video clips (or news paper at least).

Or if something missed the paper some inside info that they got wrong (we know that never happens, NOT).

Sometimes we live, the stuff of TV stories, and the media still gets it wrong. Lets set the story right (within the law folks, if you're involved with an ongoing crime don't get yourself in trouble, this is a PUBLIC forum after all.)

Hey, I had a job where a well known male hair dresser was shot and wrapped in a blanket (window left wide open with a fan going (a few winters ago), Press said he was mugged and stabbed...)

These post are good, lets add a little juice.

Be Safe,

WANTYNU

I'm camera shy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just wait until you are an administrator! For five years it seemed as though I spent more time with the media than with my family or the folks that worked for me. Now I simply go to work, do my job and go home. "Living large and loving life again" I suppose...........

I'm from NYC, the only folks that speak to the media are FD chiefs, regardless of the job.

Besides, the point is not to hear from the folks talking about a job they were TOLD about...

It is to hear from the people who ACTUALLY got their hands (o.k. gloves) dirty...

-w

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was the Director at the time in a service vastly smaller than NYC EMS. In any event, there is no professional organization that permits rank in file employees to speak to the media at will. The very basis of ICS requires an organized flow of information that has at least been approved by by the IC. There are political realities and operational considerations that most rank in file staff are not privy to. One misspoken word or phrase at a minor MVC can come back to haunt an entire organization.

Failing to acknowledge the assistance of everyone involved while not insulting those that weren't is a big challenge. Attending to the ego's of those holding the purse strings without being overzealous is an incredibly important consideration. Of course there are HIPAA concerns and God forbid we forget the ambulance chasing bastard lawyers. Misstatements that can be distorted by one party or another can be a real problem for a public organization.

I frequently allowed employees to be interviewed, however this had to be approved by their immediate supervisor who had a higher understanding of the policies and my directives regarding the release of information.

At the end-of-the-day I was responsible for the impact good or bad from the release of information. There were many more considerations than simply permitting those you describe as having gotten their hands dirty to claim their 15 minutes of fame by being interviewed.

Improperly released information could result in terrible fallout in the form of reduced funding, poor or absent response from mutual aid agencies , and even loss of jobs within our agency. In times of disaster release of information by those with a limited understanding of the "big picture" can result in lost lives.

Getting your hands dirty, as you describe it, is the most important part of the job. I earned my position of administrator through 11 years of getting my hands dirty and through education, training and experience.

Before you infer that those on the ground should be allowed to speak without the benefit of knowledge consider the impact when things are poorly received or the news isn't good. It seems everyone wants the spotlight when they can assume the role of hero but only the administrators are worthy of the spotlight when things are bad.

You cannot possibly hope to engage in recklessly releasing information without the associated responsibility. Fortunately it wasn't a democratic process and voting on adhering to the policies wasn't an option.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...