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A veteran city firefighter's refusal to respond to the Jan. 8 shooting spree, citing "political bantering," may have slowed his Tucson Fire Department unit's response to the incident that left six dead and 13 wounded, city memos show.
The firefighter, Mark Ekstrum, retired from his 28-year career two days later, while his supervisors were still considering how to discipline him, internal memos obtained by the Arizona Daily Star in a public-records request show.
In a Jan. 9 report on Ekstrum's actions, fire Capt. Ben Williams wrote that when Ekstrum first told him he would not go out on the call, "he mentioned something about 'political bantering' and he did not want to be part of it." He said he was acting "for the good of the crew."
Williams said he told Ekstrum 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.
It pretty much speaks for the current political division in our country.
NATION: City memos show AZ firefighter refused response to Giffords shooting
Wait. They call the fire department in response to a shooting?
So he didn't respond because of his politics? I don't understand... what 'political bantering' is he referring to?
If you read the article it shows something different. I think the guy was not emotionally prepared to go on the call, therefore, he was right to retire. I hope there is no action against him. His record was good in the past.
So then there wasn't any political bantering?
Wait. They call the fire department in response to a shooting?
It pretty much speaks for the current political division in our country.
NATION: City memos show AZ firefighter refused response to Giffords shooting
From what i read, he may have said that as an excuse but that wasn't why he refused to go.
I don't know...that's just my opinion. He knew Giffords and maybe thought more of her then he let on. Maybe he felt he wouldn't be able to do his job to the best of his ability. I just like to give people the benefit of the doubt before throwing them under the bus.
I am speechless... :shock:
Firefighters, cops, and doctors aren't in the business of deciding who deserves to live or die..
What is noted in the article that the fireman actually liked Giffords but a statement in the article stated "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."
With different political views some are now having a hard time working together. Slowly the thread of our country pulls apart.
So then there wasn't any political bantering?
It pretty much speaks for the current political division in our country.
NATION: City memos show AZ firefighter refused response to Giffords shooting
I'm going to have to disagree with you. He had a JOB to do, if he couldn't do it, and slowed or delayed a response that might have made a difference in saving lives he should be punished, perhaps a lowering in rank effecting his pension. You sign up to do a job like that, you don't let personal feelings affect the job. Period.
Think everybody needs to read the details of this story again...
The call came to the fire station after all victims had already been transported to the hospitals. It was 90 minutes after the shooting spree occurred. And apparently the location of Ekstrum's firehouse was 20 miles away from the location of the event. So they were a still a half hour away at that point.
Don't know the details of what was in Ekstrum's head. But in this case they (his fire crew) were not called as "first responders". And as far as i can tell no lives were endangered.
The whole story has a funny smell to it....
.
.
I just like to give people the benefit of the doubt before throwing them under the bus.
What this really speaks to is this firefighter violating his Oath, being a narrow minded idiot and I think he should have been fired on the spot and if at all possible charges of some kind brought against this jerk.
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