Your calls and social media

Chimpie

Chimpie

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Are you aware of people using social media at your scenes?

There's a group in a town in Indiana that monitor scanners and report interesting calls on Twitter and Facebook. This started out during the winter when snow and ice conditions caused havoc on the roads. They were posting to let their followers know what roads and intersections to stay clear of. Over time it evolved into reporting of all accidents and street closures.

In the past hour there was an accident with injuries requiring extrication. They did their "job" of reporting it, and they included that there were 4-6 injured, one being 8 months pregnant. Within 20 minutes pictures from the scene started to come in and were posted on both Facebook and Twitter.

Fire and EMS personnel were included in these pictures.

Do you consider this a problem? Have you encountered this on the streets?
 
As long as they don't get in my way, and get off my scene when I ask, I wouldn't care.



A few months ago we had a bunch of tornadoes come through Texas, and news was on scene of a tornado vs house that me and another truck were on. Didn't even notice them... but saw a picture of us in the news the next day. Go where you want, snap photos of what you want, talk about the gruesomeness of scenes... but don't hinder my job and all will be good.
 
Ain't nothin' worth layin' yer deadlights on at me scenes since they be in ports. No trouble here.
 
Eh, we have one guy that runs his own "news" website, he monitors the scanner and shows up to every MVA. He's routinely disrupting us to ask questions and take pictures, we've had to have him removed a couple of times. Before I got here, I was told he showed up to the scene of an MVA with a ped. fatality and actually tried to get pictures of the fatality, he also posted pictures of the parents crying and getting into the ambulance. I don't have a problem with the news being there, but when we have people like this there, it really pisses me off. <_<
 
I don't see the difference between these people and mainstream media being out there snapping photos for the next edition. They may be wannabe whackers, but they're not doing anything illegal by snapping a few photos. They may be scum bags but so long as it isn't rescue personnel doing it, it's not my problem.

If it gets to the point that they are trying to "one up" the next guy and get in my way while trying to snap the most gory picture to post in their blog, then I'll have an issue with them.

It's the 21st century, times are changing and information and social media are intermixed.
 
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI38MnpAlW4[/YOUTUBE]
 
emt.dan said:
[YOUTUBE]oI38MnpAlW4[/YOUTUBE]
Click to expand...

Why do random police officers hate America? I could, at least, understand that sort of stupidity from a brand new officer, but not one with 20 years (be it 20 years or 1 year repeated 20 times) of experience.
 
Chimpie said:
Do you consider this a problem? Have you encountered this on the streets?
Click to expand...

People need to understand that there is no expectation of privacy while out in public and the general public has no duty to respect the privacy of individuals in public like health care providers do with their patients.
 
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtJpL2ZdWVI[/YOUTUBE]
This is probably one of the more infamous cases now. Some states have been considering legislation that would prohibit the videotaping of law enforcement officers in public. More people need to be aware of this.
 
As long as they don't get in my way then I really don't care. We have transported some celebrities and the paprizzi like to block the ambulance taking pictures. That's when we hit the air horn to make them move. Luckily with most high profile patients we will also get PD on scene to start handing out tickets and arrest people.
 
thegreypilgrim said:
[YOUTUBE]OtJpL2ZdWVI[/YOUTUBE]
This is probably one of the more infamous cases now. Some states have been considering legislation that would prohibit the videotaping of law enforcement officers in public. More people need to be aware of this.
Click to expand...
I'm mixed on that case. "Take a few steps back" is reasonable. "Go inside your house" is unreasonable.

Furthermore, with the rise of the internet, including the ability to publish oneself, and small cameras, the supreme court is going to have to eventually define the term "press" in the first amendment. If I publish a video online in order to report the news, am I now protected by freedom of the press, or only if I'm employed by a corporation?
 
JPINFV said:
I'm mixed on that case. "Take a few steps back" is reasonable. "Go inside your house" is unreasonable.
Click to expand...
But they really didn't order her to "take a few steps back" (not that she was close to them anyway), but just for her to go directly back in the house. Plus I'm not at all comfortable with the idea of having to "comply" with a police officer unless they have direct business to conduct with me.

Furthermore, with the rise of the internet, including the ability to publish oneself, and small cameras, the supreme court is going to have to eventually define the term "press" in the first amendment. If I publish a video online in order to report the news, am I now protected by freedom of the press, or only if I'm employed by a corporation?
Click to expand...
This is true, and would be an interesting case. With the current SCOTUS and its general mindset, however, I would not anticipate a ruling sympathetic to individual private citizens.
 
JPINFV said:
I'm mixed on that case. "Take a few steps back" is reasonable. "Go inside your house" is unreasonable.

Furthermore, with the rise of the internet, including the ability to publish oneself, and small cameras, the supreme court is going to have to eventually define the term "press" in the first amendment. If I publish a video online in order to report the news, am I now protected by freedom of the press, or only if I'm employed by a corporation?
Click to expand...

This is what I was going to say. With almost everyone carrying a camera these days, there should be no expectation of privacy in any public area, by anyone.

The writers of the Constitution almost certainly couldn't see what was coming, and while I support a free press, and don't want the government interfering with that, we need to know what the "press" is.
 
thegreypilgrim said:
This is true, and would be an interesting case. With the current SCOTUS and its general mindset, however, I would not anticipate a ruling sympathetic to individual private citizens.
Click to expand...

You could also take a freedom of speech issue too. Normally these videos come with commentary, which while often inane, is commentary none the less. To remove video removes an important source for spurring and supporting political speech.
 
Chimpie said:
Are you aware of people using social media at your scenes?

There's a group in a town in Indiana that monitor scanners and report interesting calls on Twitter and Facebook. This started out during the winter when snow and ice conditions caused havoc on the roads. They were posting to let their followers know what roads and intersections to stay clear of. Over time it evolved into reporting of all accidents and street closures.

In the past hour there was an accident with injuries requiring extrication. They did their "job" of reporting it, and they included that there were 4-6 injured, one being 8 months pregnant. Within 20 minutes pictures from the scene started to come in and were posted on both Facebook and Twitter.

Fire and EMS personnel were included in these pictures.

Do you consider this a problem? Have you encountered this on the streets?
Click to expand...
http://www.breakingnewsnetwork.com
http://1rwn.com/
www.incidentpage.net

all three are common services in my area, and I'm sure there are others that I am not aware of. combination of scanner buffs and usually one paid guy who also mans the desk with lots and lots of radios and scanners going on.

can people listen in and see a "hot job" and go to the scene and take pictures? sure. as long as they stay out of my way, and out of the scene (usually behind the fire/police tape), they can take whatever pictures they want.
 
thegreypilgrim said:
This is probably one of the more infamous cases now. Some states have been considering legislation that would prohibit the videotaping of law enforcement officers in public. More people need to be aware of this.
Click to expand...
Laws like that can be considered but would never pass. aside from the obvious freedom of the press violation, if a law like that were to pass, it would be an invitation for abuse by police.

Hate to say it, but no one, not a FF, EMT, or PO or have anything to fear if they are video taped doing their job properly. The cop from Suffolk County is wrong, his commissioner said he was wrong, and you can't force someone to not record the police doing their job. in fact, if I was the photographer, I would file a lawsuit to ensure that type of thing never happens again.

think of it this way (using the Suffolk county as a hypothetical example): 4 cops are beating someone in the middle of the road. now the Sgt with his 20 years experience is going to order someone to stop video taping this happening else he will charge him with obstruction (or anything else you can name). see why that might be a problem?

As long as the professionals are doing what they are supposed to be doing, and the photographer/recorder isn't interfering with what they are doing, there should be no problem with being caught on candid camera.
 
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