Firefighter Refused Call to Giffords Shooting

[TickTockMan]

TUCSON, Ariz. -- A veteran firefighter refused to respond to last month's deadly shooting spree that left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords wounded because of "political bantering," and it may have delayed his unit's assignment to help, according to internal city memos.

The Arizona Daily Star reported Thursday that firefighter Mark Ekstrum's team, which is specially trained to handle large medical emergencies, was dispatched to assist 90 minutes after the Jan. 8 shooting. The newspaper obtained the memos about the incident through a public records request.

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/17/f...?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl1|sec3_lnk2|202163


I thought this was a fairly amazing thing. What do you think should happen to him? Should emergency responders be able to do this kind of thing without losing everything?

 

[palemale]

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/17/f...?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl1|sec3_lnk2|202163


I thought this was a fairly amazing thing. What do you think should happen to him? Should emergency responders be able to do this kind of thing without losing everything?

It sounds too strange to be true. It's hard to imagine anyone not responding based on that. I read the article and the firefighter claims he was too distraught to respond, and that he had voted for Congresswoman Giffords. I hope that is the true story, because the reported reason is disturbing.

I remember when Ronald Reagan was shot. I hated the man politically, but I was profoundly upset when I heard he was shot. Any political assassination or attempt is disturbing because, aside from the personal tragedy of the person aatacked, it is an attack on the stability and foundation of our political system.

 

[jackoroe]

Upset or not. He had an obligation to respond and to render aid. That's what professionalism is about. If he's not prepared to do his job, he needs to find another line of work. And he feigned illness to avoid his reponsibilities! Good riddance!

 

[BostonPirate]

Upset or not. He had an obligation to respond and to render aid. That's what professionalism is about. If he's not prepared to do his job, he needs to find another line of work. And he feigned illness to avoid his reponsibilities! Good riddance!

unless you are a republican congressman or governor...

Then you get to just say fuck the people and all their protective services. Classic.

 

[jackoroe]

unless you are a republican congressman or governor...

Then you get to just say fuck the people and all their protective services. Classic.

I'm not quite sure what your saying here, BP. You think this guy should be able to not respond to an emergency, like we're paying him to, just because he has some political reason not to go? That's about the most irresponsible thing I've ever heard! He's responsible to save everybody who is in need, not just people he agrees with.

 

[BostonPirate]

this stuff is beginning to happen more and more. The house of the guy that didnt pay his 80 bucks, so the firefighters just stood by and watched it burn.

Primary services becoming elective services because politicians don't have the nuts to tell the people that we are at the danger levels. we have lowered taxes imposibly and cut services too greatly as we spent up billions of deficits on wars.

There can be no more defunding of essential services, and taxes have to go up. I know thats not a popular outlook for either party, but I am not a party member. I don't care who takes one for what team.

I just expect the truth to start coming out and fast.

This kind of rumor could never get started if it wasn't so believable. Is this the image the republicans are shooting for? cause its what they are getting.

 

[justapixel]

unless you are a Wisconsin State Senator

Then you get to just say fuck the people and all their protective services. Classic.

I fixed your post for you.

 

[palemale]

Upset or not. He had an obligation to respond and to render aid. That's what professionalism is about. If he's not prepared to do his job, he needs to find another line of work. And he feigned illness to avoid his reponsibilities! Good riddance!

I agree. However, I still wonder if we're getting the whole story, it sounds too far outside my worst imaginings of what an otherwise sane person would do over politics. Maybe the guy was a candidate for a mental disability retirement and this was the last straw. I still find it hard to believe a veteran of that many years would refrain from assisting so many gravely wounded people based on politics. I tend to think the worst of some of the more extreme conservatives these days, and this would be beyond that. This would only put him a few steps this side of the scale of heinous then the actual assassin if what has been reported is accurate.

 

[BostonPirate]

I fixed your post for you.

Pixie!!

I was beginning to think you didn't like me anymore

Its been weeks since we enjoyed plaguing each others existence

How have ya been?

 

[jackoroe]

I agree. However, I still wonder if we're getting the whole story, it sounds too far outside my worst imaginings of what an otherwise sane person would do over politics. Maybe the guy was a candidate for a mental disability retirement and this was the last straw. I still find it hard to believe a veteran of that many years would refrain from assisting so many gravely wounded people based on politics. I tend to think the worst of some of the more extreme conservatives these days, and this would be beyond that. This would only put him a few steps this side of the scale of heinous then the actual assassin if what has been reported is accurate.

I heard on the news that he's retired, so it's a moot point.

 

[MoltenRock III]

I heard on the news that he's retired, so it's a moot point.

He only "retired" AFTER this whole bullshit dealio. Only AFTER he met with his attorney and made his legalistic decision, he made this statement:

Ekstrum said in the statement he was aware of the shooting from TV reports and became "distraught over the magnitude of how this would affect our country."

"Countless thoughts were streaming through my brain. ... I became distracted to the point of not being able to perform my routine station duties to such an extent that I seriously doubted my ability to focus on an emergency call," his statement said. "I decided for the best interest of my crew, and more importantly the citizens, to go home on sick leave and return to emergency work the next shift when I would be more focused."

Ekstrum added he "failed to communicate my situation to my supervisor correctly at the time of the incident." He said he realized the next morning that he shouldn't have refused the call. He then decided to retire.

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/ariz-firefighter-too-distraught-844917.html

 

[MoltenRock III]

It's clear as day this asshat is only interested in avoiding being sued and/or losing his retirement. He's a disgusting piece of shit. I don't care if GW Bush was choking on his pretzel in front of me..... I would have saved him; no questions asked. This guy is such a Glenn Beck, hate filled, moron.

 

[Kulindahr]

I can almost believe the distraught business -- almost.

I fixed your post for you.

I see you understand that all those Republican senators there are trying to screw over the people.

 

[SteveyBoyLA]

My brother is a firefighter. Never, ever would he consider for a second his response decision based on anything to do w/ gender, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, religious beliefs, race, height/weight, type of business, or any other qualifier. He has helped all types, from the wealthy, homeless, crack addicts, to criminals. Not his job to triage assistance based on his personal beliefs.

He understands that taxpayers pay his wage, and he damn well responds to all emergencies, even if the call puts him in harms way. He took an oath as a public servant to do just that.

This guy's a idiot. He deserves nothing. Yet this motherfucker will get a pension from the very taxpayers that paid his wage to be a responsible public servant. Pathetic!