Interesting perspective from "The Media"

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Permalink Reply by Skip Kirkwood on August 1, 2009 at 2:38pm

That approach will surely not help the public be informed about EMS activity, etc. Many progressive agencies GIVE radios to the media so that they can monitor activity. Others put their CAD info on the web - California Highway Patrol has done that for years, so does WCCCA in Portland and RWECC in Raleigh. I'm with the paper on this one - we need all the exposure that we can get. If we're afraid of the consequences of the media reporting on what we do, maybe we're not doing what's right? I think the public has a right to know. And who knows, one day one of those reporters might say "Those EMS units sound awfully busy compared to _____, maybe there is a story there!"

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Permalink Reply by Nathan on August 1, 2009 at 3:08pm

Im with the reporter, for the same reasons Skip is, as they say, any publicity is good publicity. The media is an almost unstoppable force in our country and they can create the momentum for change if needed.

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Permalink Reply by TheCannulator on August 2, 2009 at 7:22am

If we want the media to know something, we'll let them know.

Whilst we have some secure digital channels on our network, which we share statewide with other emergency services, it's not an automatic right to listen in (as fun as it is)

Um I'm not sure saying that Mrs X in address Y that's running around thinking she's a demigod after just slitting her wrists is necessary for the public to know.

If you need radio traffic for good PR it's time to upgrade to a bet Media Liasion Team.

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Permalink Reply by Medman25 on August 3, 2009 at 2:21am

Less than 2 years after I got on the job I am currently at, we switched to digital ericsson radio. The system is a "semi" trunked system that is secured and a closed system. You cannot listen in without the radios assigned to the system. At that time the public was blocked from hearing us, as well as all media/news. We do not even hear the police anymore, although we share one channel to talked to each other it is never used. We can only talk to the county agencies on statewide mutual aid. Many people complained they could not hear us any more, and that is just how the Chiefs wanted it. Also we stopped publishing all calls in the paper. Only the fire dept hears what is going on and where now.

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Permalink Reply by dr-exmedic on August 4, 2009 at 9:40am

And the more we try to hide stuff from the public, the more they'll wonder what there is to hide, and then we'll wonder why they don't support us at tax time any more....

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