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Firefighter Fired Over Facebook Post of Virtual Firefighter Video
HATZEL VELA
WCSC 5
Reprinted with Permission
COLLETON COUNTY, SC - A Colleton County paramedic and firefighter was fired over a video he posted on Facebook.
Related
On February 11, Jason Brown was called into the director's office and questioned about the video he posted the previous night.
The Facebook post takes you to a YouTube-like site, where a video almost three minutes in length shows an exchange between two cartoon characters at a hospital.
One is a doctor, the other a paramedic.
In a letter of dismissal Brown provided, Colleton County Fire-Rescue Director Barry McRoy said, "You [Brown] displayed poor judgment in producing a derogatory video depicting a member of this department with a physician which is implied to be at Colleton Medical Center."
"There was no malicious attack to anybody involved personally or countywide or any certain department ever," said Brown, who spent two hours making what he described as a text-to-movie video.
On the web site xtranormal.com, you can create characters and even make them look like you. Users can type in a script and the cartoon-like character will say what you write.
"I'm not trying to make any doctor or any nurse look stupid," Brown said.
He said he wasn't even talking about Colleton Medical. He only used the name of a doctor who works at that hospital because he had recently seen him at a party.
It was supposed to be a funny, exaggerated and an almost unbelievable story of real life on-the-job experiences, Brown said.
"It's just general things that go on in the day-to-day business of us running calls within any fire department, any EMS," he added.
The dismissal letter also said, "This video has created an embarrassing situation for this department, our public image and the cooperative relationship we enjoy with Colleton Medical Center. It reflects poorly on you and Colleton County."
Brown appealed the decision, but his appeal was denied.
[See the rejection of appeal letter (pdf).]
Brown never meant any harm, he said.
"If I knew it was going to give me this much headache, I never would have made it in the first place," he added.
Brown said he was told his video was racist because the cartoon character playing the doctor role was African-American and during one of the exchanges the character said, "I don't want to lose my job and go back to being a janitor."
"That was never, ever in my actions or even thoughts when I made the video," Brown said.
When making the video, a black doctor was the only option offered, he added.
Getting fired was a little overboard, he said.
McRoy wouldn't give details about the Brown's firing because he said he couldn't discuss personnel matters.
But he said the Facebook incident wasn't the only reason Brown was fired.
Brown said he has never been seriously reprimanded and points to the dismissal letter as proof the Facebook post was the only reason he was fired.
If asked to take down the post, he would have done it and that would have been the end, he said.
Brown said after he was fired, he was escorted to the station where he returned all his gear, while two officers supervised him.
"I felt like a criminal," he said.
Prior to working at Colleton County Fire-Rescue for three and a half years, he worked at Berkeley County EMS and Goose Creek City Fire.
He said he left those two places because Colleton County paid more.
WCSC 5
Reprinted with Permission
COLLETON COUNTY, SC - A Colleton County paramedic and firefighter was fired over a video he posted on Facebook.
Related
- Colleton County Disciplinary Policy
- Brown's termination Letter
- Rejection Appeal Letter
- STATTer911: Watch Out, This Could Be a Firing Offense
The Facebook post takes you to a YouTube-like site, where a video almost three minutes in length shows an exchange between two cartoon characters at a hospital.
One is a doctor, the other a paramedic.
In a letter of dismissal Brown provided, Colleton County Fire-Rescue Director Barry McRoy said, "You [Brown] displayed poor judgment in producing a derogatory video depicting a member of this department with a physician which is implied to be at Colleton Medical Center."
"There was no malicious attack to anybody involved personally or countywide or any certain department ever," said Brown, who spent two hours making what he described as a text-to-movie video.
On the web site xtranormal.com, you can create characters and even make them look like you. Users can type in a script and the cartoon-like character will say what you write.
"I'm not trying to make any doctor or any nurse look stupid," Brown said.
He said he wasn't even talking about Colleton Medical. He only used the name of a doctor who works at that hospital because he had recently seen him at a party.
It was supposed to be a funny, exaggerated and an almost unbelievable story of real life on-the-job experiences, Brown said.
"It's just general things that go on in the day-to-day business of us running calls within any fire department, any EMS," he added.
The dismissal letter also said, "This video has created an embarrassing situation for this department, our public image and the cooperative relationship we enjoy with Colleton Medical Center. It reflects poorly on you and Colleton County."
Brown appealed the decision, but his appeal was denied.
[See the rejection of appeal letter (pdf).]
Brown never meant any harm, he said.
"If I knew it was going to give me this much headache, I never would have made it in the first place," he added.
Brown said he was told his video was racist because the cartoon character playing the doctor role was African-American and during one of the exchanges the character said, "I don't want to lose my job and go back to being a janitor."
"That was never, ever in my actions or even thoughts when I made the video," Brown said.
When making the video, a black doctor was the only option offered, he added.
Getting fired was a little overboard, he said.
McRoy wouldn't give details about the Brown's firing because he said he couldn't discuss personnel matters.
But he said the Facebook incident wasn't the only reason Brown was fired.
Brown said he has never been seriously reprimanded and points to the dismissal letter as proof the Facebook post was the only reason he was fired.
If asked to take down the post, he would have done it and that would have been the end, he said.
Brown said after he was fired, he was escorted to the station where he returned all his gear, while two officers supervised him.
"I felt like a criminal," he said.
Prior to working at Colleton County Fire-Rescue for three and a half years, he worked at Berkeley County EMS and Goose Creek City Fire.
He said he left those two places because Colleton County paid more.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Cindy Jodrey on
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ROFLMFAO!!!!!!! love it!! now see...this makes me laugh....thanks Brian :D and of course i would definatly ki...shakehands :P
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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Cindy,
So when an ambulance crew creates a video and vents specifically about you.... (lets say your the nurse) oh by the way go to you tube and search firefighter vs nurse, doctor, cop, etc. And when the so called joke is very derrogatory and disrespectful, I would bet if the video was specifically about you, your opinion would not be the same. If this is about a specific doctor, and he complained about the incident or after seeing the video, how can any administration not deal with it? Now add in a decent policy, and that will dictate the penalty.
Now if this was about you, I think your opinion of this being a harmless joke is not true. The storyline and specifics to all these text to videos are very personal. Nobody is making this up off the top of there head. Words that were said on calls, times, places, details and medical issues are all specific to a recent call. Then if you are the one being portrayed as unprofessional, uneducated, how can that be funny to the offended. If named specifically, it is called slander and potentially ruining the individual or the hospital's reputation.
Which is unprofessional no matter what the intention was originally.
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Permalink Reply by David Johns on
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Glad you all have super controling policies, very exciting! Just don't get it in your head that the respect or trust of the FIREFIGHTERS under you is going to be REAL! And that my brothers impacts firefighter safety in a REAL way! I think some of you missed your calling as lawyers...
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Lack of policies or having multiple chiefs allowed to intrepret unwritten rules is not a liability either... I have seen more Fire Chiefs, (number one guy) be blindsided by a firefighter playing off the trust and respect issue you state with a fellow friendly deputy chief. Interpersonal dynamics wise, it reminds me of kids asking mom and not getting the answer they want... so they go find the answer they want from dad. Without policies firefighters are have no boundaries, and policies are standard in our industry.
Without them, firefighters will push the envelope... would you allow a firefighter to work drunk today? I bet you have a policy on that one. Why???? someone, somewhere probably killed someone.
If you did allow him to work, it could ruin YOUR career... how about not dealing with a personnel issue.... sexual harrassment? Bet you have a policy on that one. Why?
Policies are made because new issues or concerns happen. The internet is one of the hottest topics to get firefighters in trouble, seen some get fired as well. Why because it is new to most, like kids in a candy store... from running side business on the net, to viewing things that is very inappropriate, sending and recieving it, harassing people via the new medium, and now I guess making videos to make fun of other people...
You the progressive supervisor need to deal with new issues as they evolve, otherwise it is 150 years of tradition unimpeded by progress...
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wow...u know what...my apologies...i had no idea my comment of that i felt it was wrong would have such an impact. that's all my original comment stated. can't help the way i feel.
sure...if it was about me...i'd be pissed...but..doesn't mean he had to be fired. suspended...repremanded in some way sure...but all i stated was that in my very own personal opinion...not anyone elses opionion...i am not a higher rank ...i am not a boss or a supervisor...just little 'ol me with a silly opinion...so my sincere apologies if this had offended anyone....wow...all i wanted to do was just to say i am sorry he lost his job...
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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Writing on the walls in the crapper and reading it is funny until your phone number is attached to a promise of an unsavory act appears. Then you want the person found and punished, if you don't catch them first.
Lots of nameless, faceless, gutless wonders go on the internet like its their private crapper and believe that they can get away with anything and especially if it's done anonymously, because then, they can tease you, maybe throw the first punch and then, run away.
Others of the YouTube Generation wants the notoriety, so they will post under their real name, looking for a movie or book deal.
Bottom line is that you will see more legislation and regulation by PROFESSIONAL organizations of the social media as used by their employees, because common sense goes down as the word count goes up or in this case, a "harmless" video.
If you belong to a fire department and you understand its history and tradition, then you shouldn't be surprised that "control" is a cornerstone of the fire service. It lends itself to the discipline needed in order to be a firefighter. You WANT people that you can control, under the right circumstances.
The reason that there is more control being extended to the social medias is because the crap stirrers have found what was once a safe haven for their stirring. Administrators are simply closing this loophole. It is a conduct issue; not a free speech issue. Argue if you want, but I will tell you that there have already been these cases that went through the courts and the courts ruled that employees have limited free speech when they are on the clock and the company's money. Therefore; it IS a conduct issue if there is a policy forbidding that type of behavior.
No; I'm not a lawyer, but I have read alot to know that we aren't taking anything away, but are limiting how it is used. Big difference. Just like you have the right to own a fire arm, you do not have a right to take it to work.
You get the picture.
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Art and Ralph, well said... I am just offering my opinion based for the most part from past experience and have seen the social media play out already, without and now with what I feel is progressive policies. Social media is a new medium for most and therefore with all new tools, equipment or drugs we use in fire or EMS, we need to have some guidleines, a policy, or medical control authorization, to keep (all the brothers) operating within acceptable boundaries.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Mackie on
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Cindy .. do not sweat it k! You are entitled to your opinion and don`t
apologise..appologah hell.. say your sorry for having an opinion or defending what you think. But, remember others do too. Maybe you are being singled out, because you are closer! (many have posted the same as you in the beginning, its easier to pick on the fresh ones, rather than go back all the way to the front of the line and single out some of them) and they are simply stating why it is not a cut and dried case of the guy being fired for something minor. They (and I as well) don`t feel it was an innocent or funny thing and are simply stating why they think like that. Hang in there k. Remember, everyone is entitled to my opinion! ;)
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FETC:
I'm squarely in your corner on your comments.
My thoughts came from reading someone else's but can't remember who it was and as you know, the comments follow no specific order.
It all comes down to people who want to throw the sucker punch and then scream if they get caught. They are the ones who would keep the money if no one is looking. They are the ones who will run a red light if no one is coming. They are the ones who will lie, cheat and steal their way through cyber-space. Bet they have a few illegal DVDs too.
Watch for the FCC to grab more control over the internet. It's coming. Maybe someone can do a humorous video about it.
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You guys make some great points but each issue can be addressed individually within the context of a policy that works and discipline should be progressive. I do not see an effort made here to be making an attitude change through progressive discipline, just the easy out of termination. Do have a look in the mirror and see if you follow ALL your policies to a tea. If you just thought about that in an honest way your fired just like this guy! Yes we have to have policies but they absolutely must be usable and make sense.
Are you guys the same ones that do not believe live fire training is essential to training a good firefighter, then I understand where you come from, good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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David, it's possible that this is the last step in progressive discipline. Unless Colleton County starts putting their personnel records on YouTube, Facebook, or here on FFN, we probably will never know. On the other hand, the way Colleton County's rules are written, a violation of this nature is serious enough that if they want to invoke termination for the first offense, it's probably justified.
In this case, the agency policies is usable and it makes sense. Making a video ridiculing a local physician to which you transport patients every 3rd day is a pretty serious violation. It likely opens the individual up to a potential slander lawsuit, and it may drag the agency into that liability since the individual was identified as a CCFR firefighter-paramedic on the Facebook account in which he posted the video.
The live fire thing is a complete straw man logical fallacy. It has nothing to do with discipline for an infraction of professional responsibility rules on a social media site. Coincidentally, I ran a live fire training exercise yesterday. I didn't post it on YouTube or Facebook - that's not necessary or pertinent.
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As someone else posted on another web page regarding this issue...
"Freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom of consequenses for that speech."
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