we have seen the enemy... and he is us!!!

Sometimes all you can do is shake your head. Not too long ago, three weeks? Four weeks? people in my profession were up in arms over statements made by a committee member in a community close by where I work. Among other things, this person referred to us as "street people" and intimated that he thought if some medical emergency befell him, the very people sworn to protect him would stand idly by and let him suffer rather than help him. Personally, I found that thought to be more outrageous than any of his other inane comments. I mean, really? "Street people"??? C'mon!!!

And then I read about Spalding County in Georgia. And their Fire Department. And the asshat that decided to use the video camera feature on his cellphone to record video and audio on the scene of a fatal crash. And then, unbelievably, sent it to friends as a text message. It may not have gone viral, but it went far enough to get to the parents of the young woman killed in the crash.

Now, let's pause for a moment right here. I have, in fact, taken pictures at emergency scenes before. Many times over the years. At one time all of our ambulances were equipped with a Polaroid camera for the express purpose of taking pictures on the scene of car crashes. We would take the pictures and bring them in to the Emergency Department with our patients to try to show the trauma doctors the mechanism of the crash and assist them in determining potential injuries. We took the pictures and brought them with us and left them at the hospital.

I just used my cellphone to take pictures of a car crash last month. One that involved a 3 year-old patient with an impact on the door next to his car-seat. And I showed them to the doc from my cellphone. And I deleted them. While I was at the hospital. Within minutes of the doctor looking at them. And I didn't forward them to anybody else.

I've used my phone to take pictures of a house fire. While we were sitting in "staging" waiting for an assignment. And I took more after we were released. I've still got these pictures... it never occurred to me that anyone could misconstrue what the purpose of the photos was. I did show those photos to one of the guys that was there with me, and I emailed them to him. I also showed them to TBGFE! and explained to her what they were and what happened. And again, it NEVER occurred to me that it could be a problem.

I think I'd better delete them. Because now, I get it. After hearing about Spalding County. And after giving it thought from both perspectives, as a first responder as well as an aggrieved parent, I just don't want to take the chance that I'll be seen as some clueless dolt who's too busy snapping pictures to do the job I've sworn to do. The job that has caused me to miss numerous family holidays, birthdays, weddings, Little League games, football and basketball games, etc.

You name it, this job has caused me to miss it. But don't get me wrong, I've never regretted what I do, not for a minute.

I LOVE MY JOB.

And it pisses me off to no end that some people can't stop long enough to ask themselves "how would I feel?" about what they're about to do. And then NOT do whatever stupid thing they considered. It's not that hard folks. It's what we call - common courtesy - and it's apparently in short supply lately.