Editor in Chief - John McMahon Ret. Deputy Chief

Today's Technology, Tomorrow's Trouble?

by Lt. Todd Bales aka imaff4free

As the world around us gets more and more technologically advanced and technological devices become cheaper, could we be heading for trouble?

I have first hand knowledge and have also been told that emergency response workers have their own cell phones and use them at a moments notice or whim. It seems to me that if a cell phone is needed to do the job then the agency should provide the phone, so that the amount of personal calls and wasted time on them would be kept to a minimum.

I have a cell phone and yes I do take it with me but I never use it or even turn it on until the officer in command asks for it or he knows I have mine and asks me to use it. If my cell phone is used for the scene I do not ask to get money back for its use because I offered it. I have seen many of these cell phones on scene and being used for non-related calls and it makes me wonder how the Emergency response workers of the pre-cell phone days did their jobs?
I am not employed nor do I get any money from any cell phone company, this is only my view of the times we live in and what new technology has done for us, I own cell phones and use them like others do and pay for their use.

My question would be to think about what and who we are and what we are showing the public we protect when we use them on the scene.
Some of my friends carry their cell phones on their side and make sure they are there before they check to see if they have their radios, makes one think about our priorities and responsibilities.
I once called a friend, not knowing he was on the scene of a motor vehicle accident. He answered the cell phone and I started talking as if he was just sitting around the station. When all of a sudden I heard him talking to someone else and I knew that the other person was on the MVA. I asked my friend where they where. To my amazement he said, "on the MVA scene working it." I said, " go do your job" and hung up.
Even if he was not doing anything I feel he is there to do the job and not talk on the cell phone for any reason, except if job related.

If the powers that be feel it is necessary for the units to have cell phones and pay for the calls because they are used for the job, then I can see having them there. But just because today's technology and cost has made it so anyone can afford a cell phone is it right to have them as part of the uniform?

Cell phones and how they can help emergency workers;
To get orders for the drugs for patient care, to have a private way (not over radio waves) to get information passed on that is for the patients care, and I guess, as a back-up for communication to your dispatch.
But the calls to friends and spouses do not need to be made, when duty calls.

In the same field of things what is it with the pagers and why do we carry them like a cell phone? I posted a topic on Fire Fighters Forums back on September 26, 2000 at I asked if it was a New Trend or just Rude? And at time of me writing this it only got (5) five replies. A question that should be asked and answered is, what do the batteries and these devices do if exposed to fire, heat, or chemicals we face doing the firefighting job? I wish I knew how the firefighters of yesterday did their job with out all these high tech toys.
My final point would be how does the modern technology help and hurt us, the emergency response workers of today and tomorrow?

Bales Todd Vol. Lt.
FireFighter/First responder
TN. State FFII/FD Instructor

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