# AAMS, NAEMT, IAFC respond to new Trauma series with letters of complaint



## LucidResq (Oct 5, 2009)

AAMS Writes Letter of Complaint Over Inaccurate Portrayal of Air-Med, EMS on NBC’s Trauma Series; Members Asked to “Tweet” In Corrections



> AAMS President Sandra Kinkade has written a letter to NBC expressing the association’s displeasure and concern over the portrayal of EMS and air-medical services on the network’s new series, Trauma. Members are asked to “tweet” in their corrections and responses to @traumanbc (using #trauma at the end of the posting) on Twitter and via status postings on Facebook. See the AAMS Twitter (at www.twitter.com/AAMS) and AAMS Facebook (at www.facebook.com/AAMSAAMS) pages for details….



From her letter: 



> ... our association would like to convey our deep displeasure and concern with NBC’s new televisions series, Trauma. The initial inaccurate portrayal of two helicopters flying in between high-rise buildings (and over a no-fly zone), resulting in a fatal mid-air collision in downtown San Francisco was among the first in a number of grossly inappropriate, misrepresentative incidents, actions and behaviors depicted on the program.
> 
> Other offenses included disregarding medical directors’ instructions and triage protocols; transporting patients via helicopter without appropriate crew configurations or dispatch orders; violating standards of care in performing medical procedures; and exhibiting sexist, unprofessional and discriminatory behaviors. Needless to say, these multiple inaccurate depictions serve as a serious affront to the trained, dedicated professionals who work in air medicine. And of even greater concern is how public will perceive air medicine and the hundreds of thousands of medical professionals who have dedicated their lives to saving lives every day.



NAEMT Responds to Members' Concerns About New NBC Show Trauma



> Members felt that the show presented an inaccurate and misleading depiction of their work. In response, President Patrick Moore has communicated to NBC's President of Television Entertainment, Mark Gaspin, the concern and frustration of EMTs and paramedics across the country with the negative way that NBC is portraying their profession through this new television program.



From the Letter:



> The program depicts EMS practitioners exercising poor judgment in the conduct of their duties, behaving inappropriately on the job, and undertaking illegal activity such as driving after drinking. This presents a grossly inaccurate and misleading perception of the more than 800,000 EMS professionals who have received countless hours of professional training and use their expertise to provide lifesaving services to their patients each day.



Chair of the IAFC EMS Section’s Letter to NBC Network Criticizes New Show Trauma 

From the Letter: 



> We write you to express our deep and sincere displeasure with the television show,Trauma. The portrayal of paramedics as having sex in the back of the ambulance, being sexist against the female gender, performing medical procedures outside the standard of care, among the many other disingenuous depictions was unwarranted.


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## JonTullos (Oct 5, 2009)

I totally agree but, as a guy with media experience, NBC will not change.  An accurate representation of EMS wouldn't be interesting to the general public and likely wouldn't get ratings.  Unfortunately that's all NBC cares about.

Disgusting.


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## Shishkabob (Oct 5, 2009)

What?  No mention if the laryngescope missing half a Mac blade?


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## Summit (Oct 5, 2009)

I hear the AMA is really pissed about General Hospital and Greys Anatomy


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## Aidey (Oct 6, 2009)

I didn't watch the first episode, but DVRd the one today, just to see how bad it is. Thus far I'm really not impressed and the opening credits haven't even rolled.


AH!!!!!! Who stages that close to a shooting!!!!! I think the SFFD should sue for misrepresentation or something.


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## fortsmithman (Oct 6, 2009)

Even though I haven't seen the show I have this to say.  People it's only a tv show.  Police and fire have had similar shows based on them it's now EMS turn to have a show showing the incorrect way of doing things.


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## Tincanfireman (Oct 7, 2009)

Finally got the opportunity(?) to watch an episode with my .5 the other night. She hasn't been on an ambulance in 25 years and we shared the most laughter we've had in a long time during that one program.  If entertainment is what NBC was attempting, they scored 100%. Any attempt at factual or real life depictions were left in the dust. It'll probably run the full season, unless NBC's scriptwriters can overdose the general public's appetite for spectacular explosions and tearful closeups.


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## LucidResq (Oct 7, 2009)

fortsmithman said:


> Even though I haven't seen the show I have this to say.  People it's only a tv show.  Police and fire have had similar shows based on them it's now EMS turn to have a show showing the incorrect way of doing things.



It's not the inaccuracies that bother me as much as the blatant, offensive sexism. That's what irritated me the most.

Like Tincan and many of us, I can take the stupid inaccuracies lightly and laugh at them, but consistently portraying women as sex objects is something that rubs me the wrong way, and I'm not someone who's easy to offend.


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## MrBrown (Oct 7, 2009)

I wasted a damn good whisky bottle hurling it at the telly when this slop came on


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## atropine (Oct 8, 2009)

WOW, they must really have nothing else to do, but write letters about entertainment television.


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## guardian528 (Oct 8, 2009)

MrBrown said:


> I wasted a damn good whisky bottle hurling it at the telly when this slop came on



oh goodness. i hope the whiskey survived. and the tv.


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## firecoins (Oct 8, 2009)

The original Beveraly Hills 90201 portrayed high school so accurately.
E.R. and Grey's Anatomy accuratley portrat medicine.
Medium accuratly portrays a psychic solving crimes.


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## JPINFV (Oct 9, 2009)

Summit said:


> I hear the AMA is really pissed about General Hospital and Greys Anatomy





You mean that CSI isn't a real representation of crime scene investigators, Survivor isn't like really being marooned, and Third Watch isn't a real representation of all emergency services? Quick, someone call a press conference.  

To be honest, I'd rather work with any of the characters on Trauma than work with the hundreds of "real" prehospital providers that have responded on the NBC message board for Trauma.


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## HotelCo (Oct 9, 2009)

LucidResq said:


> It's not the inaccuracies that bother me as much as the blatant, offensive sexism. That's what irritated me the most.
> 
> Like Tincan and many of us, I can take the stupid inaccuracies lightly and laugh at them, but consistently portraying women as sex objects is something that rubs me the wrong way, and I'm not someone who's easy to offend.



Sex sells. As long as that remains the case, the entertainment industry will not change the way they portray their female characters.


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