The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Tucson Firefighter Refused To Respond To Giffords Shooting; Memo Questions "Political Bantering" And Delay
TUCSON, Ariz. - A veteran firefighter refused to respond to last month's deadly shooting spree that left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords wounded because he had different political views than his colleagues and "did not want to be part of it," according to internal city memos.
In this Jan. 8, 2011 file photo, emergency personnel work at the scene where Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., and others were shot outside a Safeway grocery store in Tucson, Ariz. Veteran firefighter Mark Ekstrum refused to respond to the deadly shooting spree because of "political bantering," and it may have delayed his unit's assignment to help, according to internal city memos. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)
Related
Mark Ekstrum's insubordination may have delayed his unit's response because firefighters had to stop at another station to pick up a replacement for him, the Arizona Daily Star reported.
While the crew was not among the first called to the supermarket where six people were killed and 13 others wounded, a memo from Ekstrum's supervisor said his actions caused "confusion and delay" during the emergency.
Ekstrum's team, which is specially trained to handle large medical emergencies, was dispatched to assist 90 minutes after the Jan. 8 shooting.
The 28-year veteran of the Tucson Fire Department retired two days later while his supervisors were still considering how to discipline him, according to the Star, which obtained the memos about the incident through a public records request.
Capt. Ben Williams wrote in a report that when Ekstrum first said he would not go on the call, "he mentioned something about `political bantering' and he did not want to be part of it."
Williams said in the report that he told the 56-year-old firefighter that he could not refuse a call for that reason and then talked to the firefighter privately in his office. He said Ekstrum "started to say something about how he had a much different political viewpoint than the rest of the crew and he was concerned."
Despite being told that was not acceptable, Williams said Ekstrum informed him he was going home "sick," so they answered the call without him.
Ekstrum's crew had been dispatched at 12:03 p.m., seven minutes after the last patient arrived at the hospital, said Joe Gulotta, an assistant fire chief. The team was responding as a support crew with a large delivery truck with tents, medical supplies, water and cots used to assist those who were not seriously injured.
Ekstrum declined to comment on the Star's story and refused to elaborate on any details of the memos when reached at his home Thursday by The Associated Press.
"I have nothing else to say about it," Ekstrum said.
But the Star said Ekstrum gave a statement Wednesday to the Fire Department saying he was distraught over the shootings and was "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."
Ekstrum also said in the statement that he had no problem with Giffords and even voted for her in the last election.
___
Information from: Arizona Daily Star, http://www.azstarnet.com
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
In this Jan. 8, 2011 file photo, emergency personnel work at the scene where Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., and others were shot outside a Safeway grocery store in Tucson, Ariz. Veteran firefighter Mark Ekstrum refused to respond to the deadly shooting spree because of "political bantering," and it may have delayed his unit's assignment to help, according to internal city memos. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)
Related
- Arizona Daily Star: Firefighter refused call to Tucson shooting spr...
- Firefighters, Paramedics Describe Tucson Shooting Scene
- JEMS: Arizona EMT Recalls Tucson Shooting
- LawOfficer: Arizona Congresswoman Among Many Shot at Community Outr...
Mark Ekstrum's insubordination may have delayed his unit's response because firefighters had to stop at another station to pick up a replacement for him, the Arizona Daily Star reported.
While the crew was not among the first called to the supermarket where six people were killed and 13 others wounded, a memo from Ekstrum's supervisor said his actions caused "confusion and delay" during the emergency.
Ekstrum's team, which is specially trained to handle large medical emergencies, was dispatched to assist 90 minutes after the Jan. 8 shooting.
The 28-year veteran of the Tucson Fire Department retired two days later while his supervisors were still considering how to discipline him, according to the Star, which obtained the memos about the incident through a public records request.
Capt. Ben Williams wrote in a report that when Ekstrum first said he would not go on the call, "he mentioned something about `political bantering' and he did not want to be part of it."
Williams said in the report that he told the 56-year-old firefighter that he could not refuse a call for that reason and then talked to the firefighter privately in his office. He said Ekstrum "started to say something about how he had a much different political viewpoint than the rest of the crew and he was concerned."
Despite being told that was not acceptable, Williams said Ekstrum informed him he was going home "sick," so they answered the call without him.
Ekstrum's crew had been dispatched at 12:03 p.m., seven minutes after the last patient arrived at the hospital, said Joe Gulotta, an assistant fire chief. The team was responding as a support crew with a large delivery truck with tents, medical supplies, water and cots used to assist those who were not seriously injured.
Ekstrum declined to comment on the Star's story and refused to elaborate on any details of the memos when reached at his home Thursday by The Associated Press.
"I have nothing else to say about it," Ekstrum said.
But the Star said Ekstrum gave a statement Wednesday to the Fire Department saying he was distraught over the shootings and was "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."
Ekstrum also said in the statement that he had no problem with Giffords and even voted for her in the last election.
___
Information from: Arizona Daily Star, http://www.azstarnet.com
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on
-
Mike,
Including the psychotic photo of the shooter in a comment that compares the firefighter with him seems a bit over the top, especially from one whose opinions and comments are usually of the highest caliber.
And your very quick-to-convict dismissal of a firefighter, with an otherwise unblemished career as a "clown" and "damaged unit" seems excessive and entirely unfair. Would you so easily dismiss a firefighter who collapses in grief from an extreme and emotional call? Could you consider that FF Ekstrum suffered some similar, excessive emotional issue? As a benefit of the doubt?
-
Permalink Reply by Gregory Borg on
-
Jack, Why are you always so reasonable? Sheesh, it doesn't make for much drama.
-
Permalink Reply by Mike Bond on
-
Politics? What the. There is always some kinda politics to deal with no matter what house you work out of, and I mean internal politics! It's a part of life, but never a part of a citizens call...the tones say it all. No matter what your doing, even reading on the thunder mug, you respond. I think this firefighter has crashed,and burned. His thought process doesn't go with the job. So it is best that he did get the the "blue flu" and went home, the retirement decession was the correct one. I'd feel ike a piece of....leaving my seat open, that has always been my biggest nightmare; missing the truck, This is even hard to believe. Goodbye missfit! Don't work safety jobs anymore, try politics!
-
-
Tyler you surprise me with your maturity. Good on ya mate.
-
-
Greg,
It's one in a suite of characteristics that people always find so admirable in me.
-
-
Today you are making Capt. Mike look like a radical! Holy bat wings!
-
-
I'm chalking it up to a certain level of emotional discord he may be experiencing with the loss of the LA brother.
-
-
Mike B.
Please look at the link I included on my reply on the previous page.
I believe the politics referred to was national politics, not internal, departmental politics.
The FF admits to holding a minority political view and was upset from watching the newscast on the shooting. If he was in constant disagreement with his co-workers over political views (and he was an admitted admirer of and voted for, Giffords) it takes no great leap of imagination how he may have been constantly defending his own views and how his brothers could have made comments while watching the new that absolutely infuriated him. There is something called the "tyranny of the majority.' FF Ekstrum could have felt the heat of that tyranny.
You would really believe that this 28 year veteran firefighter was a misfit?
Curious, what would your reaction be if you were to find out that other firefighters might have made comments that in some way applauded the horrible actions in Tucson that day? I'm just saying, you're condemning a veteran firefighter without any thought as to what may have gone on or been said that day, around the table. Minds are like parachutes, they only work when they're open.
-
Permalink Reply by John S-B on
-
Tyler, the man had time to think about his decision, this was not a snap decision. He in no way made the "right choice", and responding on a call has NOTHING to do with being PC. I believe as a emergency services worker he has a duty to act. Luckily he was not involved with patient care, but he may still be liable for non-feasence or deriliction of duty. He was part of a unit specially trained to do what he was called to do. If you can't rely on a brother or sister FF or EMT, they have no business in the job.
-
Permalink Reply by Jeremy Morgan on
-
I can't help but think there is more to this story than what we know. There could have been some serious tension within that department, and the guy was afraid to snap. If they were the first ones in I would say suck it up and do what you have to do, but this was a support crew, so he may have made the right decision to stay behind, knowing that he couldn't serve to full capacity.
It's easy for us to sit and judge from here, but we don't know nearly enough about the situation to really develop an opinion on it.
-
Permalink Reply by Ron Ayotte on
-
Tyler... in my career, I have dealt with fires at my in laws homes, medicals involving very close personal and family friends and family; not all of them with happy outcomes.
You have to be able to turn off the emotion laden personal side and go into professional mode.
You have to be able to function at 100%
It's part of the job.
PS: Political correctness should not be part of any call... period.
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
