Sacramento Bee Investigates EMS . . .

[NickD]

You're going to have a cow when you read this . . .

http://www.sacbee.com/797/story/114035.html

Pretty unfair overall.

Read the "comments" too.

NickD

EMT-B Student

[Dustdevil]

Hmmm... well I don't find the topic unfair, but I do find the implied premise of the article to be just plain dishonest. As one commenter pointed out, 30 providers a year out of 16,000 (paramedics only) is not exactly an epidemic. Especially when you consider that this number comes probably from ALL EMS providers, including EMTs, and includes every Public Intoxication and DWI arrest among them. But when you read the article, it makes it sound like there are greater than 30 actual Paramedics per year stealing drugs and patients' belongings. That is indeed misleading, probably intentionally so.

I don't think it is unfair to imply that Kalifornia EMS is a friggin' wreck though.

I got a kick out of the one bimbo in there commenting on the whole rescue personality and stress debriefing concepts as if they were accepted fact and required procedures.

[NREMT-Basic]

This morning, after reading this article my Andrew McIntosh of the Sacramento Bee, I was bothered enough to write him an email. Not because he said that some EMS personnel have drug problems, but because of the slanted way his article was written. He wrote me back, saying his article was "fair and balanced" (does he moonlight for FOX?) and had the following to say about EMS, and those who work in this field:

"Dear Mr. KinCannon:

Wow, can I ever feel the heat out of your key board. And Iike it.

My newspaper does dozens of stories every year on the heroic deeds of paramedics and EMTs ( yes i know the difference, as you soon shall see) and guys like you never call to praise them or say, gee nice story.

You guys like to live on a pedestal and you crave public worship.

However, when we shed a little sunshine on a taboo issue in your world - one that is less flattering - you're jumping up and down and making groundless accusations.

One of the cases I have reports that EMT partner went to work with a paramedic for 3 months and everyday she strongly smelled of alcohol? Did he report her? No. What's that about? Shame on me? Shame on you - for taking cheap shots at the messenger.

.The state agency here says there's a problem. Are you saying they're full of it?

Employers in your field prefer to fire or force people to resign rather than deal with employees with problems and get them help.

Far from reckless, my article was comprehensive, fair and blanced. Dozens of your peers have written in to praise and celebrate it's groundbreaking scope. I' m not sure you went to our web site and looked at the entire package, either. Look at the case studies. A Lot of pain and suffering there. If it were my business, I'd be concerned.

That said, I like to hear from guys like you. Keep em coming. Dialogue is good."

regards,

Andrew McIntosh

Assistant City Editor, Investigations

The Sacramento Bee

[Guest CHP medic]

I too think the article was pretty slanted. Thats nothing new for the Sac Bee though, they tear the Highway Patrol up on a weekly basis.

[Andrewtx]

This morning, after reading this article my Andrew McIntosh of the Sacramento Bee, I was bothered enough to write him an email. Not because he said that some EMS personnel have drug problems, but because of the slanted way his article was written. He wrote me back, saying his article was "fair and balanced" (does he moonlight for FOX?) and had the following to say about EMS, and those who work in this field:

"Dear Mr. KinCannon:

Wow, can I ever feel the heat out of your key board. And Iike it.

My newspaper does dozens of stories every year on the heroic deeds of paramedics and EMTs ( yes i know the difference, as you soon shall see) and guys like you never call to praise them or say, gee nice story.

You guys like to live on a pedestal and you crave public worship.

However, when we shed a little sunshine on a taboo issue in your world - one that is less flattering - you're jumping up and down and making groundless accusations.

One of the cases I have reports that EMT partner went to work with a paramedic for 3 months and everyday she strongly smelled of alcohol? Did he report her? No. What's that about? Shame on me? Shame on you - for taking cheap shots at the messenger.

.The state agency here says there's a problem. Are you saying they're full of it?

Employers in your field prefer to fire or force people to resign rather than deal with employees with problems and get them help.

Far from reckless, my article was comprehensive, fair and blanced. Dozens of your peers have written in to praise and celebrate it's groundbreaking scope. I' m not sure you went to our web site and looked at the entire package, either. Look at the case studies. A Lot of pain and suffering there. If it were my business, I'd be concerned.

That said, I like to hear from guys like you. Keep em coming. Dialogue is good."

regards,

Andrew McIntosh

Assistant City Editor, Investigations

The Sacramento Bee

Comprehensive? How could his piece be considered comprehensive when he put absolutely no perspective on the prevalence of substance abuse in EMS compared to any other population? Clearly he wrote the article with a "mission" in mind to pull EMS providers off the pedestal that he thinks they seek.

[Fignewt345]

"You guys like to live on a pedestal and you crave public worship."

His entire article is about as fair, balanced, and comprehensive as this line is in his reply...

I love how this writer and writers with similar views love to clump a person with EVERY person in a certain profession.

On the joking side, we should perform a study to see how many writers and columnists may have substance abuse problems... and report any findings we have as an epidemic and a plague to society.

[ginpole]

You have got to remember that the Sac Bee is only 100 miles from the capital of the Left Coast.(San Francisco)

[firespec35]

This is old hat for the sac bee. they have gone after every branch of public safety possible. I remember stories on Sacramento fire calling them dangerous too and as said above they go after the LEO's on a weekly basis.

[Just Plain Ruff]

why are we surprised that the liberal drive by media(yeah I stole that from hannity) sent you that response back nor should we be surprised that the article was "fair and balanced" (stolen from Fox news) which in all intents and purposes was not fair and balanced.

Does it surprise anyone that newspapers have lost 40-60% marketshare over the last 10 years to other outlets. The newspapers are a dying breed and whatever they can do to dig up dirt to sell papers they will do.

I concur with the idea of writing about substance abuse in newspaper people and lump them in with the entire media outlets. That would cause a stir but then again, you'd be lucky to get even the local town paper that has a circulation of 500 to print it. No one else would touch it.