Helmet Cameras Banned by Houston Fire Department

A firefighter can now be fired for even possessing the camera on duty, and the Captain is responsible for ensuring compliance.

There are those who consider this to be censorship and a first amendment violation. Others are applauding this rule to limit the liability of a department when the feces strikes the rotary oscillator.

My department, while not prohibiting the camera, has instituted a rule prohibiting the posting of incident images on-line, and also the posting of call information, comments about another member/employee on sites such as Facebook.

I'm sure we haven't heard the last of this one.

http://www.texas-fire.com/2009/10/26/helmet-cameras-banned-by-houst...

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on October 27, 2009 at 9:53pm

Art, he has a video that consisted of around 2 minutes of sirens and shots of the cupholders in his engine, then attacking the involved end of a trailer fire and driving the fire into the other end. From the commentary he had about that video here before he privatized his profile, apparently it's SOP, at least for the camera wearer.

If I were his chief, I'm not sure I'd want this video shown anywhere outside my firehouse, let alone posted as the way to do it on the internet.

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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on October 27, 2009 at 10:07pm

Ben,
I believe it is SOP to push fire into the unburnt area, apparently it slows the fire down that way,

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Permalink Reply by joe on October 27, 2009 at 10:09pm

ok lets talk here on a few points, first - you should not be using a helmut cam at med call at all, if you are using on you need to under satnd that that will most likely be used in court if you do something wrong , second - your dpet does and can regulate what you do when on a call or on dept time, thrid- there people that make money on looking for video's of depts. that allow them to be put on the net ,
Depts. need to come up with a happy area to let the members use pics ,

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on October 27, 2009 at 10:36pm

Particularly when the chief is telling you to beware of the "oxygen tanks" inside.
Apparently, more heat and direct flame impingement is good for oxygen tanks.

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Permalink Reply by Rusty Mancini on October 27, 2009 at 11:32pm

I think it was in the urban renewal tactics section?

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Permalink Reply by Herman Kappes on October 28, 2009 at 10:23am

Remember, if your an employee any photos or videos (or ideas for that matter) that you obtain while being compensated are property of your agency...

Normally its not a big deal when you are using it for yourself, but when you begin posting incident photos or video to the internet without approval it could cause problems...

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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on October 28, 2009 at 10:59am

You know Ben, if you're going to constantly be rational about these things then there is no joy to these discussions whatsoever.

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Permalink Reply by FFN WebTeam on October 28, 2009 at 11:21am

There are good points expressed to each side. In the case of this video, DC TK.17 Tillerman, could you say that if properly edited, almost any helmet cam video could serve as a instructional tool and as a public relations piece, as in explaining why we must 'destroy' (in the public view) dwellings?

If properly endorsed and supervised, a department could take advantage of the technology amid the social network, correct?

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on October 28, 2009 at 11:52am

Here's another similar video that has a counterpoint, and it's from the same department.

Check out the "unexplained" gaps in the video. I have a theory about why they're there, but want to see what the group's take on this one is.

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Permalink Reply by WestPhilly on October 28, 2009 at 12:06pm

Those traffic lights were pink, not exactly red.

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Permalink Reply by Rusty Mancini on October 28, 2009 at 12:15pm

It's like Ben stated, when the camera operator is focusing on the right angle or what great frame shot he could capture, he's not performing his job correctly. Also others become distracted trying to be the star in the segment of the operations instead of being focus on their safety and assignment.

Public demonstrations at a training facility would be the place and time for educating the public, not through a helmet cam. Although it didn't go to well for DCFD.

As far as a department taking advantage, on a working incident, shouldn't be the time for that. AT a training session at a training facility would be safer for the crew with a designated trained photographer.

Would you be asking these questions because, departments are now starting to implement policies on helmet cams and it would lesson the video's that are posted on this site? With all the cameras that the public possess, there will still be enough video's. Just my opinion!