Officer Ed

Thank you, Seth my friend, for posting this. I knew that you had faced adversity in your life, but I didn't know the depth of it. Like you, I also lost the career I loved due to an injury. In my case, it was as a police officer and the injury was incurred in the line-of-duty. I then started an online business selling emergency vehicle equipment.
Regardless, EMTBravo is a great site and an asset to firefighters (I was once a "volly", as they're called on the site). I still enjoy reading the posts and the comments.
Take care.
Ed
www.dash-flash.com

I have to admit when i first got my blue light it gave me a false sense of power or authority but as i got older i realized that its nothing more than courtisity today i hardly ever use it going to a fire call , its used to get though a fire line or police line to let them know who you are not so you can run red lights all that does is get you and others hurt. If the fire is that big it will be there when you get there look at warwick 7 alarms later and a day later its still there . I do find myself using the blue light to let others who maybe responding to calls behind me that i am one of you so please donot pass me if you really think you can get there before I will let you pass but you will have to wait for me anyway either I am driving or filling out the crew . what did you gain by passing by me and I see guys with all these lights in the grill on the sunvisor even a light bar sometimes responding from 2 towns away why ??? again if its that big it will be there when you get there !!!!!!!!!.

It's my understanding from articles I've read that the Council on Islamic Relations (CAIR) is miffed because some items hint that we were attacked by radical Muslims on 9/11.....when everyone knows that it was actually Norwegian fishermen.

I don't trust ANYTHING I read in the media, except maybe the weather report. Today's media is little more than entertainment, not "news." They intentionally withhold facts, twist the truth, and outright lie in order to sensationalize incidents and create controversy.
As they say on XFiles, "the truth is out there." But you'll rarely get it from the "mainstream" media.

1. Garner was not put in a "choke hold." That terminology is only used by the lying, sensationalizing media. He was put in a "carotid neck hold", which many police officers are trained in. The neck hold does NOT "choke" the suspect or restrict the airway at all. The neck hold is an alternative to using a baton or punching a resisting suspect and it has prevented thousands of injuries to suspects and officers.
2. Garner was morbidly obese and had asthma. He may have been on drugs. He overstressed his body by resisting arrest and fighting with the police. THAT caused him to suffer a heart attack, not anything the officer did.
3. He kept repeating "I can't breath" because he was having a heart attack, not because of anything the officer did.
The media is sleazy. They will change facts, omit facts, and outright LIE to sensationalize stories like this. Look at all the omissions and lies they initially made in the Trayvon Martin case. It's almost like they are trying to incite race riots and violence against the police.

This entire incident is just another case of lying media sensationalism. The FACTS are:
The officer did NOT put Garner in a "choke hold." He put him in a NECK RESTRAINT. Most officers are trained in the use of manual neck restraints. The restraint, or "neck hold" does NOT "choke" the suspect or restrict the airway in any way. The arm is positioned such that the airway is in the "crook" of the elbow and has an inch or two of room. Any pressure is applied to the sides of the neck only.
Garner was morbidly obese. He had asthma. He was quite likely on drugs. He died of a heart attack when he over-stressed his body by resisting arrest and fighting with police. Garner was hardly "murdered", as many NY blacks are claiming. He basically killed himself by making the conscious decision to fight with police despite his medical conditions.
It's just a shame that so many gullible readers fell for the sensationalism.

Happy Birthday, my friend! May you have many. many more!

1. Garner was not put in a "choke hold." That terminology is only used by the lying, sensationalizing media. He was put in a "carotid neck hold", which many police officers are trained in. The neck hold does NOT "choke" the suspect or restrict the airway at all. The neck hold is an alternative to using a baton or punching a resisting suspect and it has prevented thousands of injuries to suspects and officers.
2. Garner was morbidly obese and had asthma. He may have been on drugs. He overstressed his body by resisting arrest and fighting with the police. THAT caused him to suffer a heart attack, not anything the officer did.
3. He kept repeating "I can't breath" because he was having a heart attack, not because of anything the officer did.
The media is sleazy. They will change facts, omit facts, and outright LIE to sensationalize stories like this. Look at all the omissions and lies they initially made in the Trayvon Martin case. It's almost like they are trying to incite race riots and violence against the police.

I don't trust ANYTHING I read in the media, except maybe the weather report. Today's media is little more than entertainment, not "news." They intentionally withhold facts, twist the truth, and outright lie in order to sensationalize incidents and create controversy.
As they say on XFiles, "the truth is out there." But you'll rarely get it from the "mainstream" media.

This entire incident is just another case of lying media sensationalism. The FACTS are:
The officer did NOT put Garner in a "choke hold." He put him in a NECK RESTRAINT. Most officers are trained in the use of manual neck restraints. The restraint, or "neck hold" does NOT "choke" the suspect or restrict the airway in any way. The arm is positioned such that the airway is in the "crook" of the elbow and has an inch or two of room. Any pressure is applied to the sides of the neck only.
Garner was morbidly obese. He had asthma. He was quite likely on drugs. He died of a heart attack when he over-stressed his body by resisting arrest and fighting with police. Garner was hardly "murdered", as many NY blacks are claiming. He basically killed himself by making the conscious decision to fight with police despite his medical conditions.
It's just a shame that so many gullible readers fell for the sensationalism.

This entire incident is just another case of lying media sensationalism. The FACTS are:
The officer did NOT put Garner in a "choke hold." He put him in a NECK RESTRAINT. Most officers are trained in the use of manual neck restraints. The restraint, or "neck hold" does NOT "choke" the suspect or restrict the airway in any way. The arm is positioned such that the airway is in the "crook" of the elbow and has an inch or two of room. Any pressure is applied to the sides of the neck only.
Garner was morbidly obese. He had asthma. He was quite likely on drugs. He died of a heart attack when he over-stressed his body by resisting arrest and fighting with police. Garner was hardly "murdered", as many NY blacks are claiming. He basically killed himself by making the conscious decision to fight with police despite his medical conditions.
It's just a shame that so many gullible readers fell for the sensationalism.

What if they weren't dispatched, but asked the IC/ other person in authority if they could help and were told 'yes'? Maybe not so much with the fire service but it happens in police work all the time (i.e. a trooper drives by a local officer or deputy on a car stop and stays to help or provide backup)
Also, if they were allowed to tag in, wouldn't the officers who arrested them check with the IC first before making any arrests or expelling anyone from the scene?

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1. Garner was not put in a "choke hold." That terminology is only used by the lying, sensationalizing media. He was put in a "carotid neck hold", which many police officers are trained in. The neck hold does NOT "choke" the suspect or restrict the airway at all. The neck hold is an alternative to using a baton or punching a resisting suspect and it has prevented thousands of injuries to suspects and officers.
2. Garner was morbidly obese and had asthma. He may have been on drugs. He overstressed his body by resisting arrest and fighting with the police. THAT caused him to suffer a heart attack, not anything the officer did.
3. He kept repeating "I can't breath" because he was having a heart attack, not because of anything the officer did.
The media is sleazy. They will change facts, omit facts, and outright LIE to sensationalize stories like this. Look at all the omissions and lies they initially made in the Trayvon Martin case. It's almost like they are trying to incite race riots and violence against the police.

This entire incident is just another case of lying media sensationalism. The FACTS are:
The officer did NOT put Garner in a "choke hold." He put him in a NECK RESTRAINT. Most officers are trained in the use of manual neck restraints. The restraint, or "neck hold" does NOT "choke" the suspect or restrict the airway in any way. The arm is positioned such that the airway is in the "crook" of the elbow and has an inch or two of room. Any pressure is applied to the sides of the neck only.
Garner was morbidly obese. He had asthma. He was quite likely on drugs. He died of a heart attack when he over-stressed his body by resisting arrest and fighting with police. Garner was hardly "murdered", as many NY blacks are claiming. He basically killed himself by making the conscious decision to fight with police despite his medical conditions.
It's just a shame that so many gullible readers fell for the sensationalism.

1. Garner was not put in a "choke hold." That terminology is only used by the lying, sensationalizing media. He was put in a "carotid neck hold", which many police officers are trained in. The neck hold does NOT "choke" the suspect or restrict the airway at all. The neck hold is an alternative to using a baton or punching a resisting suspect and it has prevented thousands of injuries to suspects and officers.
2. Garner was morbidly obese and had asthma. He may have been on drugs. He overstressed his body by resisting arrest and fighting with the police. THAT caused him to suffer a heart attack, not anything the officer did.
3. He kept repeating "I can't breath" because he was having a heart attack, not because of anything the officer did.
The media is sleazy. They will change facts, omit facts, and outright LIE to sensationalize stories like this. Look at all the omissions and lies they initially made in the Trayvon Martin case. It's almost like they are trying to incite race riots and violence against the police.

Photo of Firefighter/EMT Dodge POV equipped with
Dash Flash® Emergency Lights.

12-Watt Light Heads - Three times brighter than Generation 3. Only $39.95

Stealth Flash Split Visor-Mount Lightbar. - Only $199.99


NIGHTBLASTER! 12600 Lumen Work/Scene Lightbar with 3-Watt Cree LEDs.

See more at www.dash-flash.com

Let's not forget that in so many similar cases the news media edits the video to show you the most incriminating 5 seconds of a 20 minute video. A court in Florida recently rules that news media editing like this is not libel. I read an article years ago about a very high profile case, where an expert witness was brought in to testify against the police. He, like everyone else in the nation, had seen the footage shown on the news. After watching the whole unedited video, he refused to testify against the police, went to their lawyer and became their expert witness for free.
Cameras will not solve anything. First of all there was a camera in this case and the public is still up in arms. How did the presence of the video help the suspect? The police officers did what they did, right or wrong the camera did not seem to have any effect on this. There is still a dead suspect, although I can't help but think there were other factors beyond control of the police or EMS that played into the end result. The NYPD commissioner says that he expects the entire department to go through retraining. I always laugh at this. The news is reporting that choke holds are not allowed. So if (and only if) this is a case of excessive force, how will a class about following an existing rule that was not followed help the situation? I am pretty sure there are already classes in that. How about a class for the public on how not to sell bootleg cigarettes or DVD's or illegal drugs? Maybe pass a new law that says you still have to follow all the other laws we already have?
From the video footage I have seen I saw the EMS workers check the pulse and do some sort of assessment. Of course the video does not show what care occurred int he Ambulance, but that is irrelevant to the pro-criminal crowd, who make a living stirring up local communities against the police.
What I did get from the video is someone who was about to be arrested and when the cuffs came out, resisted being cuffed. When officers tried to restrain him, he turned away and probably would have tried to run if he were not outnumbered and 300 pounds. I will be willing to say that had he been compliant during the arrest, he would be alive today. Not only that but EMS would not have been needed and we would not be talking about 4 EMS members being suspended.
I do have to laugh (in a sort of sad way) at the reporters that have not stopped using as some sort of damning evidence that the suspect kept saying he could not breath. Last time I checked it took breathing to talk. This is just like the parent that says their baby isn't breathing and you can hear the baby crying. I can't speak to the effectiveness of respiration, but I do not that if you can talk to me you are breathing. This is the same theory behind not doing the Heimlich maneuver on someone who says they are choking, only on someone who isn't speaking and is holding their throat in the "international choking sign". You would think that every channel would get one of their semi-doctors or even Dr. Oz to explain this to them before they go on the air.

Goons? Blimp uniforms? Didn't have the guts to admit it? What's your problem with the police? They're doing a tough job under miserable conditions and you're calling them goons? That's just messed up!
I saw another video on the news this morning about some crazy carjacker in Colorado being taken down on the highway by a cop who used the same technique to bring the guy down - arm around the neck. There are not a lot of other/better options to take down a guy especially one who's 6'5 and 300+ pounds without using significant force (like taking out a knee or two). Martial artists learn that where the head goes the body follows so here we are.......

Video surfaces of choke hold incident in East Harlem, days before the Garner incident....
From CBS news;
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/07/23/video-purportedly-shows-another-nypd-officer-using-chokehold-on-suspect-in-east-harlem/
I am not a police officer, therefore I do not know proper procedures. However, I was under the impression that officers may use whatever force neccisary to place a suspect in custody, including punches/kicks.
I was not at either incident, none of us were. There's always two sides to a story and there's the truth. I am certainly pro law enforcement and feel the LEOs face danger every tour they work. They have to do what they have to do to get the job done and go home safe. If you are actively resisting arrest, then you should expect that force will be used against you!

K9s are great "tools"! From patrol dogs, to narcotics and bomb dogs, to accelerant/arson dogs, they greatly enhance our ability to serve the public.

Thank God. Contrary to popular opinion, it's not domestic violence calls that are the most dangerous for police officers, it's traffic stops. Drivers assault or shoot the officers; or other impaired drivers crash into them. I try to get motorists to pull as far off the road as possible and I always do a "passenger-side approach."

The GOP doesn't claim Christie. He's a RINO and RINOs are closer to Democrats than to Republicans.

I was not aware of the animosity between some regular FFs and volunteer FFs until I began to read these forums. Perhaps things are different "back east", but out here in the wild west, volunteer firefighters are required to have the exact same training and certifications that the full-timers do.
We don't have volunteer firefighters in the metropolitan areas, but only in rural parts of the state. Without them, those areas would be completely without fire protection and first-responder medical care. I consider volunteers who give up so much of their time - and even put their lives on the line for the public - to be true heroes.
We also have reserve police officers who attend the same police academies and get the same continuing training as regular officers. They do the same job...they just don't get paid and they don't do it full time.
Now, having said the above, what I see as the only real difference between the volunteers and the full-timers like me (at least here in the west), is that we full-timers do this 10 hours a day, every day....and the volunteers do it maybe a couple of times a month. When you're doing a job every day, you're BOUND to be better at it than someone who only does it occasionally. But I think we should support the idea of the volunteers getting as much training as possible because when the fecal matter hits the air-movement device, we're both in the business of serving and protecting the public.

I was not aware of the animosity between some regular FFs and volunteer FFs until I began to read these forums. Perhaps things are different "back east", but out here in the wild west, volunteer firefighters are required to have the exact same training and certifications that the full-timers do.
We don't have volunteer firefighters in the metropolitan areas, but only in rural parts of the state. Without them, those areas would be completely without fire protection and first-responder medical care. I consider volunteers who give up so much of their time - and even put their lives on the line for the public - to be true heroes.
We also have reserve police officers who attend the same police academies and get the same continuing training as regular officers. They do the same job...they just don't get paid and they don't do it full time.
Now, having said the above, what I see as the only real difference between the volunteers and the full-timers like me (at least here in the west), is that we full-timers do this 10 hours a day, every day....and the volunteers do it maybe a couple of times a month. When you're doing a job every day, you're BOUND to be better at it than someone who only does it occasionally. But I think we should support the idea of the volunteers getting as much training as possible because when the fecal matter hits the air-movement device, we're both in the business of serving and protecting the public.