body cameras

My agency uses a pretty standard dash cam, with mic. It faces inside of the truck and out, as well as in the patient area. If you're in a situation in the field where a camera might be needed, you probably shouldn't be there. Just my thoughts.
 
stethoscope said:
My agency uses a pretty standard dash cam, with mic. It faces inside of the truck and out, as well as in the patient area. If you're in a situation in the field where a camera might be needed, you probably shouldn't be there. Just my thoughts.
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Your opinion is wrong. Flat out and utterly wrong. Sorry, but there is no way to put that politely. Work for awhile, grow and mature as an EMT, and then start thinking about what you just said.
 
triemal04 said:
Your opinion is wrong. Flat out and utterly wrong. Sorry, but there is no way to put that politely. Work for awhile, grow and mature as an EMT, and then start thinking about what you just said.
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But is it? I'm referring to body cameras. Dash cameras like I have mentioned are a must. You are under no obligation to enter a scene that you believe is unsafe, ever. Under any circumstance where somebody claims something, the burden of proof is on them.
 
stethoscope said:
But is it? I'm referring to body cameras. Dash cameras like I have mentioned are a must. You are under no obligation to enter a scene that you believe is unsafe, ever. Under any circumstance where somebody claims something, the burden of proof is on them.
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First of all, that's not how the real world works. Sometimes perfectly safe scenes go south.

Also, I don't know which patients are going to make absurd accusations regarding me. So a little protection would be nice, as it doesn't matter if they can prove anything or not. If it gets out that you're even being accused, you might find yourself out of a career.
 
Tigger said:
First of all, that's not how the real world works. Sometimes perfectly safe scenes go south.

Also, I don't know which patients are going to make absurd accusations regarding me. So a little protection would be nice, as it doesn't matter if they can prove anything or not. If it gets out that you're even being accused, you might find yourself out of a career.
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Which a camera isn't going to do much to mitigate, even in court. In fact, I'm pretty sure a patient is more likely to become agitated at being recorded than not being recorded. Look up stories of people being attacked for having cameras on their drones in parks. People don't like that stuff.

If you were going to be out of a job for an accusation, a camera probably wasn't going to help that. Look, I'm not saying it's a bad idea. I just don't find it necessary.
 
stethoscope said:
Which a camera isn't going to do much to mitigate, even in court. In fact, I'm pretty sure a patient is more likely to become agitated at being recorded than not being recorded. Look up stories of people being attacked for having cameras on their drones in parks. People don't like that stuff.

If you were going to be out of a job for an accusation, a camera probably wasn't going to help that. Look, I'm not saying it's a bad idea. I just don't find it necessary.
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I fail to see how a camera would not be a benefit. If you were accused on camera and clearly did nothing wrong, how would that not help you?

Not to mention that in my experience the vast majority of my patients have never even noticed our PD officer's body cams.
 
How else, though, are we suppsed to become internet virals while we rock out waiting for a call?
 
Tigger said:
I fail to see how a camera would not be a benefit. If you were accused on camera and clearly did nothing wrong, how would that not help you?

Not to mention that in my experience the vast majority of my patients have never even noticed our PD officer's body cams.
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It would help! It would make the trial go quicker, that's about it. You're still going to end up in court, and if that camera fails, there's going to be some serious suspicion on your part. Most patients wouldn't be concerned with PD when they're being taken to the hospital by a medical professional who is wearing a go pro.
 
stethoscope said:
It would help! It would make the trial go quicker, that's about it. You're still going to end up in court, and if that camera fails, there's going to be some serious suspicion on your part. Most patients wouldn't be concerned with PD when they're being taken to the hospital by a medical professional who is wearing a go pro.
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What are you trying to say here?

Point A: Agreed, cameras may help in some situations.

Point B: No, you may avoid court after a lawyer or prosecutor reviews video evidence and throws a case out.

Point C: I truly don't understand the last sentence you wrote. It wouldn't be a GoPro on the medic's forehead. It would likely be a fairly small, unobtrusive camera like so many LEOs wear.
 
stethoscope said:
It would help! It would make the trial go quicker, that's about it. You're still going to end up in court, and if that camera fails, there's going to be some serious suspicion on your part. Most patients wouldn't be concerned with PD when they're being taken to the hospital by a medical professional who is wearing a go pro.
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I don't think you understand how all this works. Also, have you seen what PD style body cams look like? And a camera in the back mounted above could be done unobtrusively with signage present.
 
Junior, just stop. I know this is all so new and so superdedooper exciting for you and you're going to save the world with your volunteer squad, but...stop. Work for awhile, grow and mature as an EMT, and then start thinking about what you just said. In fact, it's good advice for all the topics you've brought up and likely will bring up as it relates to EMS.
 
I think a body camera, with no access available to the user, and secure storage of data would be invaluable.
There should be no way for the user to obfuscate the video or audio recording. That's the only way it would ever be legit.

But, I'd wear one. In a second.
 
triemal04 said:
Junior, just stop. I know this is all so new and so superdedooper exciting for you and you're going to save the world with your volunteer squad, but...stop. Work for awhile, grow and mature as an EMT, and then start thinking about what you just said. In fact, it's good advice for all the topics you've brought up and likely will bring up as it relates to EMS.
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Before you fall off of your high horse, oh grandeur elder, I suggest you consider that I am allowed to voice my opinion on my matter -- whether or not it agrees with yours. Me being a new EMT is not a valid argument, it's a personal jab. Grow up.
 
Tigger said:
I don't think you understand how all this works. Also, have you seen what PD style body cams look like? And a camera in the back mounted above could be done unobtrusively with signage present.
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The biggest concern for me would be having it obscured. Practically all EMS shirts around here are a light blue or white, so it would be a difficult task. Whereas I agree they could have their use, I'm not sure I would want to wear one. In my state, if you don't inform everyone in a private residence that they are being recorded, you will face criminal penalties.
 
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stethoscope said:
Before you fall off of your high horse, oh grandeur elder, I suggest you consider that I am allowed to voice my opinion on my matter -- whether or not it agrees with yours. Me being a new EMT is not a valid argument, it's a personal jab. Grow up.
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And I would suggest that you listen to voices of experience until your gather some of your own. Being a new EMT means that you do not in fact have a clear picture of how most scenes work. We've all been there, that phase of your career best described as "you don't know what you don't know."

stethoscope said:
The biggest concern for me would be having it obscured. Practically all EMS shirts around here are a light blue or white, so it would be a difficult task. Whereas I agree they could have their use, I'm not sure I would want to wear one. In my state, if you don't inform everyone in a private residence that they are being recorded, you will face criminal penalties.
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It should not be obscured, that's disingenuous. That does not mean it has to be advertised, however. Clip the camera on and be done with it. Tell people if your local laws require it. In most places there is no expectation of privacy in a public place. In a residence, yes you may need to make it clear you are recording. But for the most part, I think you are making this out to be much more of an issue than it is. Very few people care about PD's cameras and I don't think they would care about us. They certainly do not care about our use of it by the community paramedic right now.
 
stethoscope said:
Before you fall off of your high horse, oh grandeur elder, I suggest you consider that I am allowed to voice my opinion on my matter -- whether or not it agrees with yours. Me being a new EMT is not a valid argument, it's a personal jab. Grow up.
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Right, let me go trim the hair out of my ears first.

Of course everyone can have their own opinion, and in many places they can even get away with voicing it (this would be one such place, though not all are like this). But it doesn't make the opinion right, and when the person speaking has no background, experience, understanding, or knowledge of what they are talking about in the field which is being referenced, and continues to go on and on...one of those things that makes you go "hmmm."

So. Work for awhile as an EMT (and by awhile I mean several years). Learn about what it is you are really doing and about the profession. Grow and mature as an EMT and most definetly as a person. And then think about what you've just been saying.

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't voice your opinion, but staunchly defending it without knowing what you are talking about is a bad idea. Makes you look a very specific way.
 
I'd wear one in a second if it were provided to me.
 
stethoscope said:
The biggest concern for me would be having it obscured. Practically all EMS shirts around here are a light blue or white, so it would be a difficult task. Whereas I agree they could have their use, I'm not sure I would want to wear one. In my state, if you don't inform everyone in a private residence that they are being recorded, you will face criminal penalties.
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We decided a while back that the entire EMS system was going to change to pink.
 
I just completed my EMT-P school and was riding clinicals with an agency that had the cameras hooked into the backup Camera/forward facing Cam. When i ask about the cameras it was stated that at the time they did not record and was used for backing and so the driver could see the Pt compartment. but could be engaged if need be. Had been used at one time for driving study. i personally have been on both sides of a Cam. I have a few years as a LEO and was glad when the cams were first talked about. Keeps an honest man honest (or woman). i agree with a prior statement, i trust my skill and Pt care. will bust a few that are mouthy and rude. My rule and what i tell my students is to treat them like you want your grandparents treated. has always worked for me.
 
sorry to dig up an old thread. Just curious does anyone know of any EMS agency using body cams? I think either a cam in the back of the rig or a body cam is a great idea myself.
 
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