Keeping it Professional

[JJB531 652]

With due respect to the staff,

Before the topic was locked, there was some measure of displeasure with the post from the site's founder regarding one-liners and inflammatory comments, with a poster saying the site has lost it's balls and the members need thicker skin.

It's not a matter of the site "losing it's balls" or members who need "thicker skin", it's about keeping the site educational, a positive environment, and most of all, PROFESSIONAL. Sometimes we need to remember that "we" (emergency service members) are not the only ones who read the content contained in these forums. I'm sure there are enthusiasts, members of local government, members of the media, and so on who read the content contained in these forums. While it's all good to banter amongst each other as if we were in the firehouse, precinct, quarters, or whatever you would like to call it, we still have to maintain some level of decorum and professionalism just as if we were present in a public place, since this board is easily viewed by members of the general public, and more importantly the media. Case in point;

The NYPD Rant for those who's haven't read it is full of so much garbage since there is little to no moderation, it's not one bit enjoyable to read from an educational standpoint. If anyone outside the NYPD read the material in that forum, the useless bantering of a few sets a bad precedence and honestly depicts the members of the NYPD in a very negative light. The media reported today on a thread contained in the NYPD Rant website about posters who posted personal attacks against an NYPD member. As a civilian reading that article, what kind of opinion do you think the "average Joe" will have of the Rant and the members of the NYPD?

So in order to keep this site from becoming another "rant style" website, there needs to be a level of moderation that suits the wishes of the site's founder, since it is ultimately his call on what is and what is not permitted. If any of us don't like it, we are all free to start up our own site where anything goes and all the members can brag over who has the biggest balls. Personally, I'll stick with the site that's an educational portal as well as promotes and exhibits the professionalism of emergency service providers.

[FFEMT150 214]

Well Said! I too enjoy the educational value found in these forums and have grown mighty tired of the constant banter and bashing. I commend you for saying what needed to be said long ago! For that sir, a rep...

[efdcapt115 1,511]

As a civilian reading that article, what kind of opinion do you think the "average Joe" will have

I learned a long time ago that you are no "average Joe". Well said.

[sfrd18 360]

Very well said, and definitely one outstanding member!

[joetnymedic 43]

joe,

while i know you personally, having worked in the field with you, I totally hear where you are coming from and I respect the hell out of you. that said, even if I didn't know you, I couldn't help but respect you after this post. It is both true and straight to the point and very accurate indeed. Well done my friend.

Joe

[wraftery 1,275]

Even us professionals have to rant on occasion. It's good for your mental well being and is sometimes necessary to get things under control. But

rants,like everything else in life, have ground rules.

1. Make sure you are right, or, at least believable before you start. I know, sometimes it's spontaneous and it just comes out.

2. After your rant, you don't necessarily have to apologize, but realize you said your peace and now it's over. Don't hold a grudge.

3. Keep a count. One or two conniption fits a year are needed to put things back on track or make your point. Any more that that, you may be the problem, not the solution.

I know a Deputy Chief that, immediately after a run, called his whole first alarm assignment to a shopping center parking lot to throw a fit over how that response was handled. It was about 3am when he threw his rant. It was certainly effective. If you have to throw a fit, at least try to be creative.

[EMT74 4]

Hey Joe,.....OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!

You make your hometown friends very proud of you.

[x635 4,066]

So in order to keep this site from becoming another "rant style" website, there needs to be a level of moderation that suits the wishes of the site's founder, since it is ultimately his call on what is and what is not permitted.

Joe,

I truly appreciate your input.

However, I just want to reiterate we have tried strategy after strategy for 8 years now to keep this site civil. It's a fine balance. No matter what we do, it's wrong to some people (not you) and they throw unfair accusations our way. I've probaly been labeled everything in the book.

As staff, we basically just enforce policy, and if members were respectful towards one another and kept things positive and constructive, then we wouldn't have problems. And sometimes, I behave like some of the members, and I get called on it by another staff member.

We have a really strong team of staff on this forum that basically works 24/7 handling everything that goes on in this forum. Every one of our staff members has a lot of responsiblity and a high workload, and this site wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them. We all work together on everything that goes on with this site, as there is a LOT of behind the scenes phone calls, emails,reported content, etc that goes on. We try to be as accesible as possible to our members and their concerns.

And, it really bothers me that more members don't show appreciation towards our staff, regardess, for the above reasons.

As for me, yes, I can make the final decisions and overide certain things, but I rarely do (like below). The all-volunteer staff of this site does a good job with operations and policy. If I have an idea, I will present it for discussion. I spend A LOT of time keeping this site funded, and doing the technical work on the forums, maintaining the server, etc. I also handle a lot of other administrative things which keep me quite busy. I also have a busy life beyond this site. That's why having such a great staff on the same level with moderation policy and supports me and this site is crucial.

I love a lot of the good that this site has done, and believe we can always improve and be better, and I still spend every free minute that I can thinking about and working on this webite. Keeps me up for hours some nights. Sometimes, I will hire a babysitter so I can get the work on the site I need done, whether it is fixing a bug, helping members with log in problems or name changes, keeping up with advertisers invoices, trying to get new advertisers, some which I have to design ads for. I also just launched a site which I am very proud of that I have a lot of ideas for the concept that allows people who don't or can't use this forum to still be "in the know".

Now, I usually discuss this with the staff before making this kind of decision.....but I would like to offer you a spot as a Moderator on these forums. I handpick staff based on what I see would be right for the site, and I think you'd be a great addition, as do the 22 people and probaly more who repped you. That way, you can see what goes on behind the scenes, and help to influence the policy on this forum from your viewpoint. Email me to seth@emtbravo.com if you want to take me up on this and help out this site. It's rare that a member comes along and cares enough about this site to make a resepectful post like yours, and I hope you will step up and accept the offer. You have also been a longtime member of this site and have demonstrated your ability to offer guidances in a productive manner.

Seth G.

Founder, EMTBravo

P.S.: Please, anyone interested in becoming a staff member now or in the past can contact me VIA EMAIL at seth@emtbravo.com . I can't "overstaff" any more right now, but I will build a list for consideration based on what I feel the strengths of the kind of member that I need for a certain roles. It's nothing personal, and many of you I have considered but I can't make every great member a staff member....then we'd have no members!

(BTW-wraftery I really liked your post as well!)

[BigBuff 27]

Well said Joe!

This is 100% true and should go for all or most of the members throughout the site. I know I have screwed up some times, and others do also.. This should go up on the threads again just for a friendly reminder for all of us.. This post seems like it took a lot of time and effort into wording it right, etc. Great Job Joe, and keep up the great work!

Thank you to the EMTBravo staff for making our visits onto the site better and better daily, you all have done a great job with the site, if I could give you a thousand rep. points i would..

We should all thank them by "keeping it professional" to give them a break after years and years of tireless work so we can enjoy the site..

Best of luck to all members on wherever their future leads them too.

Ryan

Edited December 27, 2011 by BigBuff

[FFPCogs 863]

I have to agree that this site and ones like it are most valuable when used as an educational and professionally enhancing medium and by and large this site does that. But like wraftery I tend to think that a good rant is a necessity at times as well. That means that sometimes it will be inevitable that some will get offended, and they have every right to be. In the end though censorship of subjects or views that are contentious is counterproductive and in fact breeds ignorance. What we as professionals must remember is that not everyone believes as we do and that's ok. We can put forth our opinions on this open forum and defend them if necessary without getting personal. This type of frank and open exchange, when kept civil and conducted by those with open minds, can be an invaluable asset to us as individuals and to the Fire Service as a whole. Ignorance may be bliss but it is also one of the prime reasons progress is stifled in the fire service. Without opposing views and civil discussion and even debate of those views, we cannot and will not move forward. Sometimes a rant is the catalyst that sparks that much needed, and with any luck productive, exchange of opposing views and ideas. As a case in point I will take the 80+ pages of the Stamford thread. For many this may seem like nothing more than an endless back and forth that offers no solutions. Maybe that is so for some but for me and a number of my colleagues our ongoing discussions in that thread have provided a wealth of information and more importantly understanding which only benefits those who seek a lasting solution. Another touchy subject is always the career vs volunteer discussions. Here again many see nothing more than a endless fight, when in fact much insight can be gained for those willing to be open minded enough to accept it. There will always be subjects which will cause disagreements and when inflammatory comments or opinions make their way into a thread it may be best to simply ignore them....ignorance has a way of alienating those who show it. Sometimes those who speak the loudest (or most offensively) only do so to get attention and depriving them of it has a far greater effect than reacting to it. On this or similar sites for me it is quite simple, I take what I want and leave the rest.

Professionalism takes on many forms besides just doing well at a particular job and one of the most important aspects of being professional is a willingness to accept differing opinions and defending our own without making it personal.

Stay Safe

Cogs

Edited December 28, 2011 by FFPCogs

[Guest alsfirefighter]

I have a simple rule I always live by. If you wouldn't say it in the open or directly to someone...don't type it. There isn't one person that I know personally or professionally that doesn't know this to be true. Which is exactly why JJB is one of my closest friends. He's the same way. Although sometimes my one liners say more then some on here can in 2 paragraphs.