Firefighter handcuffed at a crash scene for refusing to move the fire-engine
33 replies, posted
[quote]
A firefighter responding to a crash in Southern California was handcuffed and briefly held after he failed to move a fire truck immediately when police asked him to.
KFMB-TV video shows the firefighter being put in restraints and led away by a California Highway Patrol officer.
He was held briefly in a patrol car but not arrested.
[/quote]
[url]http://news.sky.com/story/1207268/cop-slaps-cuffs-on-firefighter-at-crash-site[/url]
[video=youtube;iAv71h5NWew]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAv71h5NWew[/video]
That cop is a fucking moron.
Surely there's some kind of law protecting fire fighters from people disrupting their work. Cops have "obstruction of justice"
[quote]Chula Vista Fire Chief Dave Hanneman said a fire engine was parked behind an ambulance for safety reasons when a CHP officer demanded it be moved out of traffic lanes.
The firefighter said he would check with his captain but was told to move it immediately or face arrest.[/quote]
Seems rather petty, but perhaps that article isn't mentioning something. But, what's the point of cuffing him if he wasn't actually going to be arrested?
[editline]diggernick[/editline]
nvm, the cop's just a dick
Wow, that is just PR Nightmare fuel for both departments.
[QUOTE=Sir_takeslot;43803718]That cop is a fucking moron.[/QUOTE]
In California CHP rules over everyone when they're on scene. Most of the time though its the other way around and Firefighters gain control on the scene.
[QUOTE=Tacooo;43803748]Surely there's some kind of law protecting fire fighters from people disrupting their work. Cops have "obstruction of justice"[/QUOTE]
How about endangering the life of others? Those firefighters were performing aid to the injured.
They put the rig in the middle of the road to stop traffic. That's the whole point of it.
I thought this was a old article, but this has happened before.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LC6oqLhbr0[/media]
[QUOTE=CabooseRvB;43803780]Wow, that is just PR Nightmare fuel for both departments.[/QUOTE]
I don't see how this is a pr nightmare for the fire department, they look like the good guys in this.
[QUOTE=CabooseRvB;43803789]How about endangering the life of others? Those firefighters were performing aid to the injured.[/QUOTE]
The article and video both make it seem like the firefighter wasn't arrested (or perhaps detained is a better term) immediately, rather it appears to have happened at some later point in time as a result of the earlier altercation.
Knee jerk reaction: Fuck that cop.
After a bit of reflection: There has to be more to this.
In situations like this, EMTs and firefighters really should outrank even the highest ranking police officer on scene. Police are there to prevent accidents by enforcing traffic laws, EMTs and firefighters are there to help and save lives when accidents do happen. The police officer is quite simply less relevant on the scene.
[editline]6th February 2014[/editline]
Additionally, that truck was pretty clearly put in place as a highly visible barrier for other vehicles to avoid, since it's not uncommon on highways for emergency-workers to be at quite high risk of getting hit by traffic, making an already bad situation a whole lot worse. Not only is a fire-engine big and easy to spot, if you were to somehow miss it and hit it, it'd stop the car right away, instead of crashing on into the other accident-site, injuring workers and victims further.
[QUOTE=areolop;43803786]In California CHP rules over everyone when they're on scene. Most of the time though its the other way around and Firefighters gain control on the scene.[/QUOTE]
Firefighters and any other medical personal should [B]always[/B] outrank police officers when it comes to stuff like this.
He needs to be charged with endangering the life of another.
[QUOTE=tirpider;43803978]Knee jerk reaction: Fuck that cop.
After a bit of reflection: There has to be more to this.[/QUOTE]
No. I'm pretty sure he was just being an ass and abusing his power. A lot of cops who show up to wrecks and other stuff simply stand around and don't do anything or get in the way.
I hear EMTs and other responders bitch about them all time.
To be fair once the police are there, there isn't much reason for keeping a fireengine blocking lanes, but threatening to arrest someone because he said he was going to run it by and inform his superior first, what the fuck?
I do first aid for a load of road cycling events, you wouldn't believe some people. It's common for the public to rage at us when we have to treat people in the middle of the road because of a suspected spinal injury or them being too fucked to move. The really weird thing is it is virtually always BMW drivers.
[QUOTE=SeamanStains;43804304]To be fair once the police are there, there isn't much reason for keeping a fireengine blocking lanes, but threatening to arrest someone because he said he was going to run it by and inform his superior first, what the fuck?
I do first aid for a load of road cycling events, you wouldn't believe some people. It's common for the public to rage at us when we have to treat people in the middle of the road because of a suspected spinal injury or them being too fucked to move. The really weird thing is it is virtually always BMW drivers.[/QUOTE]
the fire engine was making a wall so that there's enough room for them to get the stretcher out and stuff
i mean there are lots of dumbfucks on the road i'd personally rather have the firetruck there to give them safety rather than have a risk of some idiot run down the guys trying to save the other guy
The fireman should have performed a citizens arrest on the cop to be quite honest.
[QUOTE=SeamanStains;43804304]To be fair once the police are there, there isn't much reason for keeping a fireengine blocking lanes, but threatening to arrest someone because he said he was going to run it by and inform his superior first, what the fuck?
I do first aid for a load of road cycling events, you wouldn't believe some people. It's common for the public to rage at us when we have to treat people in the middle of the road because of a suspected spinal injury or them being too fucked to move. The really weird thing is it is virtually always BMW drivers.[/QUOTE]
Fire engines are almost always used like this. It protects the injured and the rescuers from a vehicle that either isn't paying attention, or loses control. A damaged pumper truck is a lot easier to deal with than multiple injured or dead as the result of a car skidding into an existing accident.
Here in Colorado, I saw them using a couple of them a week ago to block 2 lanes of the interstate, for a rolled over vehicle that was a good 10-15 feet from the highway. My guess is they were prevent other cars from driving into an icy area and following the previous car into the ditch while it's full of rescuers.
[QUOTE=Sir_takeslot;43804127]Firefighters and any other medical personal should [B]always[/B] outrank police officers when it comes to stuff like this.
He needs to be charged with endangering the life of another.
.[/QUOTE]
like I siad, in California CHP has control.
'To serve and protect' seems pretty simple to me. I wonder what ranking that officer is. It's pretty obvious you want to create a barrier between the accident and motorist, If that slows down traffic who cares? Imagine if it was the cops loved one involved, then it's calling all cars!
[QUOTE=tirpider;43803978]Knee jerk reaction: Fuck that cop.
After a bit of reflection: There has to be more to this.[/QUOTE]
I hate the mentality that what is evident and known isn't complex enough to be right. Why can't you accept that people can be stupid?
[QUOTE=tirpider;43803978]Knee jerk reaction: Fuck that cop.
After a bit of reflection: There has to be more to this.[/QUOTE]
why?
[QUOTE=Sir_takeslot;43803718]That cop is a fucking moron.[/QUOTE]
You got more than one fireman standing around, they can move the truck.
[QUOTE=zakedodead;43806553]I hate the mentality that what is evident and known isn't complex enough to be right. Why can't you accept that people can be stupid?[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=SIRIUS;43806611]why?[/QUOTE]
Because I don't trust media to offer the whole story on the first try.
Not anymore, at least.
[QUOTE=meatwad253;43806677]You got more than one fireman standing around, they can move the truck.[/QUOTE]
the truck is there on a purpose
In the UK, the first emergency service to arrive on the scene usually holds the ability to give out orders to the rest.
[QUOTE=tirpider;43803978]Knee jerk reaction: Fuck that cop.
After a bit of reflection: There has to be more to this.[/QUOTE]
No, there doesnt.
You are overestimating the sanity of humans.
Being a firefighter myself, I can only laugh at this. Normally you should do what cops say, no matter what.
However, while in the middle of treating someone? Thats dumb as fuck. Plus the truck should be there to block traffic, thats normal. The firefighter was doing the right thing
[QUOTE=Mattk50;43808029]No, there doesnt.
You are overestimating the sanity of humans.[/QUOTE]
Oh, don't get me wrong.
I am certain that there is some detestable human stupidity going on.
I'm just reserving judgment till I know where it's coming from.
The officer could be over stepping his authority or just be an ass. But the firefighter might have said something rude about his mother. Any number of stupid things could have happened before the footage we were shown.
Overall, it's a ridiculous situation to begin with. A policeman (highway patrol, whatever) doesn't really need to be fucking with firemen or paramedics without a good reason, and certainly not until they are finished doing what they were called out to do.
I like most all the cops I have met, so I am willing to give the man the benefit of the doubt. Something that seems to be unpopular these days.
Media has lied to me many times before. Either by omission or just flat out making shit up. So I am not willing to assume they aren't doing it this time.
Simple.
[QUOTE=tirpider;43808318]Oh, don't get me wrong.
I am certain that there is some detestable human stupidity going on.
I'm just reserving judgment till I know where it's coming from.
The officer could be over stepping his authority or just be an ass. But the firefighter might have said something rude about his mother. Any number of stupid things could have happened before the footage we were shown.
Overall, it's a ridiculous situation to begin with. A policeman (highway patrol, whatever) doesn't really need to be fucking with firemen or paramedics without a good reason, and certainly not until they are finished doing what they were called out to do.
I like most all the cops I have met, so I am willing to give the man the benefit of the doubt. Something that seems to be unpopular these days.
Media has lied to me many times before. Either by omission or just flat out making shit up. So I am not willing to assume they aren't doing it this time.
Simple.[/QUOTE]
Police in the US are trained to believe "I am always right, you always have to do what I say, when I say it, or else." Doesn't matter if they are right or not, they hold all the power and there is nothing you can do to prevent an injustice when it happens because if you do, one cop will become ten and they will all back up the first because that is what they are trained to do.
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