Tallman, NY (Rockland) Fatal MVA 07/12/08

[RocklandFires 44]

Teen killed, 7 hurt in Thruway rollover

By David Schepp • The Journal News • July 13, 2008

RAMAPO - A dramatic crash on the New York State Thruway killed a teenager, injured seven others and brought southbound traffic to a standstill yesterday evening.

Brandon Berman, 19, of New City was killed about 5:45 p.m. after the driver of the 2000 Lexus he was riding in northbound lost control, struck the center guide rail and rolled over into southbound traffic, State Police Troop T in Tarrytown reported.

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008807130385

Additional photos can be viewed on my website as usual:

http://www.BrianDuddy.com/g/t071208

http://www.BrianDuddy.com/g/t071208

[x129K 1,393]

Dang!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[oilflame 0]

WOW! Nice pics

[Guest]

I was looking at the additional photos of this scene and there is an ambulance that zips through directly under the helicopter as it was landing. PLEASE tell me this did not happen!

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Looking at the photos, I saw the same thing!!!!!!!!!!!!! What was that about, that seems like it is against everything I have ever been taught about STAT Flight landings and safe emergency vehicle operations.

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Agreed. It does appear a "control man" on the ground was waving the helicopter off, or to hold off (possibly even over radio traffic) to permit the ambulance to pass. I do also concur that it would seem to violate all safe practices by Stat Flight/LifeNet NY.

Just an observation/opinion, I am not looking to point fingers here.

[Truck4 48]

Whoa!

http://www.brianduddy.com/p/t071208/dsc_733047

[RocklandFires 44]

From what I was told, they were trying to tell Stat Flight via radio not to land yet, but Stat Flight didn't hear or acknowledge them unfortunately. The patient in the ambulance was the 19 year old that eventually died, he was in traumatic arrest, wasn't pronounced until they got to Nyack Hospital. You can clearly see in some of the photos that the guys on the ground were pointing up, not waving them down, and eventually Stat Flight understood what they meant. Ambulance did not proceed until Stat Flight started to go back up into the air.

[lad45der 78]

From what I was told, they were trying to tell Stat Flight via radio not to land yet, but Stat Flight didn't hear or acknowledge them unfortunately. The patient in the ambulance was the 19 year old that eventually died, he was in traumatic arrest, wasn't pronounced until they got to Nyack Hospital. You can clearly see in some of the photos that the guys on the ground were pointing up, not waving them down, and eventually Stat Flight understood what they meant. Ambulance did not proceed until Stat Flight started to go back up into the air.

When guys shoot these on scene photos. before posting them on the world wide web you need to blurr out plates and blurr out any patient photos that might reveil their Identity.

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

When guys shoot these on scene photos. before posting them on the world wide web you need to blurr out plates and blurr out any patient photos that might reveil their Identity.

I was just about to post that. Good looking out.

[jack10562 414]

The shot of the patients inside the ambulance is definitely an invasion of privacy,

Brian, you really ought to consider removing this one picture from your public album, unless permission was obtained to publish that.

[x129K 1,393]

The shot of the patients inside the ambulance is definitely an invasion of privacy,

Brian, you really ought to consider removing this one picture from your public album, unless permission was obtained to publish that.

But it's OK for papers to PUBLISH the same kind of pics????????????????????????

[jack10562 414]

No, it is NOT alright for the papers to publish these types of photos. The media are responsible for following the same laws that protect rights to privacy. Once inside the ambulance, the patients are no longer in public.

[x129K 1,393]

No, it is NOT alright for the papers to publish these types of photos. The media are responsible for following the same laws that protect rights to privacy. Once inside the ambulance, the patients are no longer in public.

FYI...looks likr they are in a firetruck to me........

Personally I think it is an AMAZING photo, capturing raw emotion....

[jack10562 414]

Moot point. It doesn't matter. It could be construed an an unreasonable intrusion, and the publisher could be held liable for same.

People sue at "the drop of a hat", and there are tons of lawyers in the wings, ready to take their cases.

I for one, would not want to have to be the one to defend myself from this type of action. You can't win.

[ny10570 745]

If the image is of a subject plainly visible to the public then it is a perfectly acceptable shot. He wasn't in the ambulance, he was out on the street. There is no privacy out in public no matter what has happened to you.

[jack10562 414]

... There is no privacy out in public no matter what has happened to you.

That's not entirely true.

The accident scene itself is a restricted area.

The PD / FD / EMS agency has control of the scene, and access by the public is excluded.

Those patients Inside the emergency vehicle are in a secluded area, and have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Their privacy has been infringed once the picture was taken even without publishing the photo.

In the event you did not see my comments in another thread, there is case law stating otherwise:

http://www.emtbravo.net/index.php?showtopi...st&p=142558

[helicopper 1,050]

That's not entirely true.

The accident scene itself is a restricted area.

The PD / FD / EMS agency has control of the scene, and access by the public is excluded.

Those patients Inside the emergency vehicle are in a secluded area, and have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Their privacy has been infringed once the picture was taken even without publishing the photo.

In the event you did not see my comments in another thread, there is case law stating otherwise:

http://www.emtbravo.net/index.php?showtopi...st&p=142558

To make it a moot point, they should have closed the doors to the ambulance. Then it would be clearly inappropriate. I'm not so sure that standing on a public highway to shoot your photos is going to be an intrusion.

Great discussion!

[ny10570 745]

I'm just going by memory here, but wasn't that a case where the videographer was inside the helicopter with the crew as part of a television program? If thats the case the issue was that this person had special access above what is considered public access. This wasn't a guy who showed up with a camera and shot the couple being removed from the car to the helicopter and then flown off. This was a camera that was right there through out extrication, treatment and transport. That is special access. Being inside the yellow tape is access commonly granted to members of the media so long as they do not interfere with emergency operations and for that matter the public, since who really watches those lines carefully.