Zap medics resond to man down.

Do you feel the photos in this thread are inappropriate. Poll is anonymous.

  • Yes they are inappropriate.

    Votes: 6 11.8%
  • No they are fine.

    Votes: 45 88.2%

  • Total voters
    51
  • Poll closed .

Veneficus

Forum Chief
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Medic Tim

Forum Deputy Chief
Premium Member
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A circle of death!!!

Everyone standing around the patient in a circle, nobody doing anything :)

The first thing that passed through my mind was the, look at that mechanism of injury cartoon.
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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Oddly enough, you can google many news stories where police officers have been disciplined and police departments sued for threatening for forcibly preventing people from taking pictures of scenes. EMS and fire agencies have been in similar hot water when they did the same thing.

the reality is, if you are in the public, you are free game to become a youtube sensation. Sometimes it's for good things, sometimes it's for bad things, sometime it's for things that have nothing to do with you. And quite honestly, if you are doing your job right, like you are supposed to, you shouldn't have any problems if you have a camera crew following you around all day recording your every move.

And also, just because you are in the profession doesn't change anything about your rights to take photos,

When I saw this headline, I thought the paramedics were defibrillator the guy who went down. Def sounds like a poor name choice.

I was also curious why they didn't just transport the person to the hospital. Sounds like a poor patient care decision when you are delaying transport and waiting for a local ambulance to show up. "I'm sorry your honor, the reason we didn't transport, despite both being trained properly and having the proper amount of equipment to treat and transport this person was because we didn't want to piss off the local authorities. yes, I know the patient died because we waited, but if we took him to the hospital and saved his life, we would have faced disciplinary action when the AHJ complained about us for taking their call." Can't see that going over so well.
 

DesertMedic66

Forum Troll
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It could be in their company's policy to not transport someone and are required to call the local EMS agency.

I've been flagged down when I am out of my county. When that happens I get the local agency to transport mainly because I have no idea where any of their hospitals are let alone how to contact the hospital.
 

looker

Forum Asst. Chief
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The reality is there is no such thing as right to privacy in public. EMS crew were working on the patient on the sidewalk, in direct view of everyone around them. OP could have posted picture of the patient and neither privacy law or HIPAA would been violated. Cops have arrested people before for videotaping them and only because there was sound involved. Even in those case majority of the courts have found that this people have freedom of speech and cops were wrong. Same thing with the news media. Everyone needs to realize that we live in different world in which everyone have a photo camera and video camera. Expect to be videotaped at any and all times. If you can't the heat find a new job.
 

looker

Forum Asst. Chief
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I was also curious why they didn't just transport the person to the hospital. Sounds like a poor patient care decision when you are delaying transport and waiting for a local ambulance to show up. "I'm sorry your honor, the reason we didn't transport, despite both being trained properly and having the proper amount of equipment to treat and transport this person was because we didn't want to piss off the local authorities. yes, I know the patient died because we waited, but if we took him to the hospital and saved his life, we would have faced disciplinary action when the AHJ complained about us for taking their call." Can't see that going over so well.
Could be local law says they can't. For example in both LA County and LA City you must call 911 and advice them of situation. They can give you okay if it's critical or they will just send city or contracted ambulance. Now if you got a patient that is coding and you're 2-5 min from nearest hospital ye take off and advice when you're free. Obviously that wasn't the case here.
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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Sandog

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That story seemed to be focused on duty EMS personnel, but I think BBG was off duty so I believe he is exempt from the example mentioned in the story.

Second, motivation and intent was mentioned in the story, I do feel BBG's intent was nothing more than to offer praise and to say job well done.
 

medic417

The Truth Provider
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Veneficus

Forum Chief
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medic417

The Truth Provider
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Doh! Hope I didn't get them fired lol

:ph34r::ph34r: You might not want to visit Houston again. :p

Yea, and doesn't even have a company website...

The first indicator it is a company you may not want to work for.

I disagree. Many quality companies, especially 911, prefer word of mouth and old fashioned methods to the internet.
 
OP
OP
bigbaldguy

bigbaldguy

Former medic seven years 911 service in houston
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Many quality companies, especially 911, prefer word of mouth and old fashioned methods to the internet.

I have to agree that most EMS agencies tend to be pretty behind the curve on Internet promotion but Vene is right these guys are practically a ghost when it comes to an online presence. I wanted to include a little about them in my post and there's just nothing. You get a phone number and an address and that's it.
 

Martyn

Forum Asst. Chief
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Skills/Qualifications:
Clinical Skills, Medical Teamwork, Creating a Safe, Effective Environment, Use of Medical Technologies, Proactive, Handles Pressure, Judgment, Acute/Critical Care, Emotional Control, Professionalism, Self-Confidence

Does that mean you don't need to be licensed or anything?

(Love the 'Emotional Control' bit, no crying when you shut your finger in the ambulance door)
 

firecoins

IFT Puppet
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In some areas, private services need to activate (or notify) the regional 911 provider. The arriving ambulance can stop and render aid at the First Responder level, but it's up to the contracted provider who transports.

Frankly, my guess is that the private service's dispatch would prefer the crew not commit to the call if they were en-route to a (non-emergency) call themselves.

Each region should have protocols for ambulances being flagged down and what changes if the truck is loaded, etc.

here if you get flagged down, you provide care at your trained level. You transport them and let the 911 dispatcher know so they don't den additional units assuming you don't need them.
 

mycrofft

Still crazy but elsewhere
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"The reality is there is no such thing as right to privacy in public". (above)

To reiterate my comment above:

"Someone once told me the legal waterrshed on reporting/photos was twowfold: was it slanderous/libelous, and was the activity done in a manner or place where the principals would have reasonably expected privacy?" (sic).

If you are a public figure (Angelina Jolie, the president of Spain) then you are fair game as long as it isn't slanderous. It must be true. If you are you or me, the local media may run it and you could fight it, but to what point unless it was disgracing in some way?

Correct, there is no legal "right", but there ARE legal limits and remedies if they are exceeded and you want to pursue. How would you feel if your daughter were stripped down by paramedics at the scene of her being hit by a car and the local press showed her on Page 1? Would it serve a higher purpose of public education?
 

looker

Forum Asst. Chief
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"The reality is there is no such thing as right to privacy in public". (above)

To reiterate my comment above:

"Someone once told me the legal waterrshed on reporting/photos was twowfold: was it slanderous/libelous, and was the activity done in a manner or place where the principals would have reasonably expected privacy?" (sic).

If you are a public figure (Angelina Jolie, the president of Spain) then you are fair game as long as it isn't slanderous. It must be true. If you are you or me, the local media may run it and you could fight it, but to what point unless it was disgracing in some way?

Correct, there is no legal "right", but there ARE legal limits and remedies if they are exceeded and you want to pursue. How would you feel if your daughter were stripped down by paramedics at the scene of her being hit by a car and the local press showed her on Page 1? Would it serve a higher purpose of public education?

Media would be protected under freedom of the press. Unless you can call it pornography they are free to post the picture. Like it or not but media or anyone else is welcome to take picture in public , period.
 

mycrofft

Still crazy but elsewhere
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Yes, but not publish it. Why else would TV shows spend thousands of dollars to buy permission to use likenesses, or to digitally blur them out? And what would keep someone from shooting pictures with a long lens for the local paper from their second story window through your bedroom window if you left the blinds open an inch or two?
Freedom of expression does not extend to needless hurt, nor public danger (the classic shouting FIRE in a crowded theater). Even celebrities, when they wanted to, have slapped tabloids for invasions of privacy. It can be assumed a medical patient does not want their picture on the local newspaper.
 
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Jon

Administrator
Community Leader
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No faces no issues, Period.

I disagree a little.

No IDENTIFYING FEATURES, no issues.

If the photo shows unique tattoos, or big red clown shoes, that might make the patient identifiable to those who know him.

Same with photos of cars on MVC scenes - there are many things that can be identifiable to those who know the person.


These photos are in good taste, and I have no issue with photos like this presented in an appropriate context.
 
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