Web Photos Lead to Termination of Missouri EMT

[Bill]

Please visit the following link:

www.jems.com/news/239939

Exclusive: Web Photos Lead to Termination of Mo. EMT

By Ray Kemp

Editor's note: For more than a month, controversy has surrounded photos of an accident scene posted on the Internet by an EMT, who was suspended and subsequently terminated. Last week, we asked what JEMS.com readers thought of the ruling, and we've selected a few of your responses.

Today, we follow up with this exclusive report by JEMS contributing photographer Ray Kemp.

In addition to Kemp's report, we asked EMS attorneys and former field providers Doug Wolfberg and Steve Wirth of Page, Wolfberg & With to weigh in. They emphasize that the most important lesson here is that organizations must have clear policies in place limiting on-duty photos and videos to job related purposes using company owned equipment.

Without oversight and solid guidelines, an inappropriate photo is bound to show up on the Web. They have developed such policies for fire and EMS organizations.

And their warning of improper online conduct rings true in a similar case reported in an Oct. 11 USA Today article: A Florida woman was awarded $11.3 million in an Internet defamation lawsuit. Legal analysts say the Sept. 19 award represents the largest such judgment over postings on an Internet blog or message board.

For more on PWW's suggestions for photography policies, read Pro Bono in the upcoming December JEMS.

- Lisa Bell, JEMS Senior Editor

Thanks to Jerry Flasher for forwarding this information.

[noelkline]

Bill,

Thanks very much for this post. How important it is to all of us involved with photographing fire scenes and maintaining company websites.

As a news media photographer in Franklin County and in the City of York, I know the law is unforgiving with regard to photographing accidents and fire scenes as well as crime scenes.
In conversations with Wash. Twp. Police and attorneys with the Nat'l Press Photo. Association, it is illegal for anyone to
trespass across yards or enter a fire ground or crime scene without authorization. Similarly, I have learned that a photo taken from a public vantage point (sidewalk) is deemed "OK" according to most civil laws. Patient identity must be protected just as a minor's identity in any photo taken in a public place, school, or library. Its a wonder that more fire/ems departments are not sued due to the postings of photos showing burnt personal possessions and property. In a way, I could see a home owner complaining that his/her privacy has been violated. I feel if we are all careful with website postings (photos and stories) we
can avoid the problems as experienced by the EMT described
in the JEMS article.

Noel Kline, WFD