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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 Greenman on
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Maybe I am blind, but the only thing I can find with the initials "H.V." is Hatzel Vela's name. Hatzel Vela is the reporter whose name appears in byline of the story.
Greenman
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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Some of you need to realize that, whether you like it or not, you lose certain freedoms once you became a public servant. Childish tendencies had to be discarded for more adult tenets. Go read my "The Futility of Our Humility", because I have read alot of arrogance in some of the replies here.
The COURTS have held that public servants and their freedom of speech CAN BE LIMITED, in some cases.
This could very well be one of them. He identified himself and his department. The fact that he did it on FACEBOOK doesn't make it OK. It makes it easier to find him and discipline him for violating department rules. It is not his right to have a Facebook account. It is not his right to post anything he wants there. Hell; a chief just got arrested and charged for soliciting sex from two boys. Guess where...FACEBOOK. It that his right? Since he didn't get caught doing it on a street corner in his town, were his rights violated? Should he sue his employers?
This case is another example of not using good, common sense to post something that can come back to bite you. WE control it. If we abdicate that, then we should not be surprised by the end result.
He has about as much of a chance at winning a lawsuit as I have of winning American Idol. It ain't happenin'.
Think about it; it took alot of time and effort to create the video. He didn't do it because he was bored. He did it to send a message. It wasn't as "harmless" as he would lead you to believe.
I don't like to see anyone lose their job, but he is upset that is was over a stupid video. I agree. It was stupid for him to post it to a linked account.
And the end result is what it is whether you agree with it or not.
Think before you hit "Send".
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Permalink Reply by Cindy Jodrey on
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seriously????? come on...fired? that's just wrong...where are people's sense of humor?
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thank God i live in Canada
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Permalink Reply by Joseph McMahon on
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Do they allow you to make derogatory videos about people that are less than competent at their jobs in Canada? Is that widely accepted? Because if it is, I am glad I live in the United States...
Joe Mc
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Look; if Firefighter Brown had taken that effort and made a fire prevention video, got the permission of the department to do it or do it anonymously on his own with all of the disclaimers whatever, then we wouldn't be having this discussion.
When you post something, it leaves interpretation OPEN to the reader. You call it humor, but someone else might see it as criticism. Remember; FUNNY always happens to the other person. If it isn't you, then it's OK.
If not, why are you glued to the TV when America's Funniest Videos come on? Or why you forward the funny stuff from YouTube?
What is stupid is to believe that we can do anything we want on the social websites and it won't affect our personal and professional lives.
If there weren't so many junkies for attention, social websites would still be just a dream and we would be using Atari game systems.
He violated his terms of employment. He got fired.
THAT is not funny.
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no...but seriously? it was obviously meant to be a joke...he accidently made an error in using a doctors intitials....the rest of it is hillarious...i am pretty sure he didn't mean for this to be such a big thing...to degrate any doctor or any department or community...it was obviously just a small error that unfortunatly made a huge impact. I am sorry Joe...but I come from small communities and if that was done here, yeah maybe it wouldn't have been the greatest...but to be fired from our job...probably not. We may have gotten a written letter on our file, and made to make a written apology to the people involved. The fired thing is what gets me the most...
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Permalink Reply by Brian Mackie on
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I agree Art. Things are not always what they appear. To some, the video was intended to be funny. To the "film maker", I personally think he was sending a message, and venting a bit. I suspect he felt there was a problem in the system, and was not in a position of authority to change or fix that problem, and therefore his way of blowing off steam was with this video. I never like seeing anyone losing their job on a first offense type thing. Certainly there are more serious issues within the fire service, such as sexual harrassment, discrimination, and sadly the list goes on, that would, in my mind, warrent dismissal, and in the most serious cases, on the first offense. This, to me is not necessarily one of the serious ones, but I certainly hope that people contemplating similar postings to these social networking sites, will realize there are consequences. Do the risk assessment first. What can we gain vs what can we lose by posting it? Its not a Canada vs USA thing either. We need to leave that one alone. The only real important Canada vs USA issue is... (takes cover) How we are gonna kick someone's (_!_) in Hockey at the Olympics! lol Go Canada Go.
Stay safe brothers and sisters. STAY fn SAFE!!!!
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Cindy,
You are assuming that it was an innocent “joke” that was also expected to get laughs from the doctor, the hospital administration and the local civilians (who depend on getting care there), as equally as anyone else who would have viewed it. I think that is a stretch….
But my real point is that I am glad I live in America…
:)
Joe Mc
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lol...ok Brian...I agree...u make a perfect point. Enuf said...and some people get very angered over this sort of stuff...I was only making a comment that from my personal point of view...it was funny and that being fired...was going a bit too far.
So...yes...the Canada vs USA thing...yes...each country is wonderful in its own way...(and we gonna kick ur butts...lmfao)
i am fun...positive thinking...and trying to avoid arguments/confrontations at all times.....my comments are just my plain point of view never meaning to offend anyone at all....
so thank u Brian :D
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u and i obviously are 2 different people and will never agree to either side of this. so......in reply to ur lovely comment...i have my point of view...u have urs...point taken..but i don't have to agree with u
glad u live in america...i am sure its a wonderful place...as well as canada is wonderful...and for those of those who live in other countries...will say the same :D
i would comment further but here is not the place...
thanks for the discussions
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