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Old 01-06-2011, 09:06   #1
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Water Rescue Failure - SF

Interesting and weird news story about water rescue policy out of SF

Excite News - Man's death in SF Bay prompts rescue policy review

Quote:

Man's death in SF Bay prompts rescue policy review


Jun 1, 3:18 AM (ET)

By SUDHIN THANAWALA
(AP) - Fire crews and police could only watch after a man waded into San Francisco Bay, stood up to his neck and waited. They to do something, but a policy strictly forbade them from trying to save the 50-year-old, officials said.


See link for full story.

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Old 01-06-2011, 16:22   #2
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pirate re: Water Rescue Failure - SF

Well... seems even an EPIRB would not have helped.... 6ft of waters to shallow for the CG
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Old 01-06-2011, 16:27   #3
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re: Water Rescue Failure - SF

cg has boats that draw 2-4 ft-- couldnt use those??/ they wereprolly toobusy seeing who is and isnt in compliance with poo regs....
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Old 01-06-2011, 16:31   #4
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re: Water Rescue Failure - SF

Didn't they ban thinking like that in Nuremberg?

"Just following order Sir."
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Old 01-06-2011, 20:49   #5
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re: Water Rescue Failure - SF

I'm not sure this is an appropriate topic for CF and be assured if it turns political in anyway it will be yanked.

That said I'll play rescue workers advocate. You are not trained in this in anyway but decide to wade in and rescue the person who has chosen death by hypothermia as his prefered method of departing the mortal coil. He kicks up a fuss and in the struggle swallows a lot of water and drowns. The city and you are now named in a lawsuit for causing the poor mans death because left to his own devices he would have walked out before succombing. Tax payers would prefer not to pay extra for the training but payments must be made to the widow since a city employee acted outside of his/her training and now budget must be cut for training in other areas such as ...

Well, I leave the rest of this to you but I think it's not a stretch to understand why someone might not act.
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Old 01-06-2011, 22:40   #6
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re: Water Rescue Failure - SF

Alameda, California, is an island.

Due to budget concerns, Alameda no longer trains its fire department personnel in water rescue.

Did I mention that Alameda is an island?

Due to the aforementioned budget concerns, the Alameda fire department no longer maintains wetsuits for rescue personnel.

Did I mention that Alameda is an island?
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Old 01-06-2011, 23:21   #7
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Re: Water Rescue Failure - SF

If there are any non-political conclusions that I could point to from this, it would be the fact that any Sailor would do well to always plan to rely on others as a plan 'B'.

Government is not the answer.... plan accordingly. That EPIRB.. that MAYDAY.. that call for help... none of it beat whatever you can do to prevent needing it in the first place.
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Old 01-06-2011, 23:58   #8
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Originally Posted by hummingway
I'm not sure this is an appropriate topic for CF and be assured if it turns political in anyway it will be yanked.

That said I'll play rescue workers advocate. You are not trained in this in anyway but decide to wade in and rescue the person who has chosen death by hypothermia as his prefered method of departing the mortal coil. He kicks up a fuss and in the struggle swallows a lot of water and drowns. The city and you are now named in a lawsuit for causing the poor mans death because left to his own devices he would have walked out before succombing. Tax payers would prefer not to pay extra for the training but payments must be made to the widow since a city employee acted outside of his/her training and now budget must be cut for training in other areas such as ...

Well, I leave the rest of this to you but I think it's not a stretch to understand why someone might not act.
That is rediculous. If that was the concern of the fire Department or police department they would be advised to simply stay in their station houses, because if they, god forbid, tried to help someone and failed, they would be subject to a POTENTIAL lawsuit. Simply a false argument. Reasonable action to save a person is what the public expects from it's public servants whose jobs are to "serve and protect" the public. Whoever gave the order to do otherwise should be fired!
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Old 02-06-2011, 00:10   #9
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Re: Water Rescue Failure - SF

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That is rediculous. If that was the concern of the fire Department or police department they would be advised to simply stay in their station houses, because if they, god forbid, tried to help someone and failed, they would be subject to a POTENTIAL lawsuit. Simply a false argument. Reasonable action to save a person is what the public expects from it's public servants whose jobs are to "serve and protect" the public. Whoever gave the order to do otherwise should be fired!
Agreed. Most jurisdictions have "good Samaritan" laws that protect those who are assisting others.
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Old 02-06-2011, 00:47   #10
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Re: Water Rescue Failure - SF

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Agreed. Most jurisdictions have "good Samaritan" laws that protect those who are assisting others.
But good Samaritan laws, at least in my area, only apply to a helpful, untrained by stander. Professionals like police, fire fighters, doctors, etc, even off duty, are not covered.
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Old 02-06-2011, 04:29   #11
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Re: Water Rescue Failure - SF

The cowards wouldn't even pull the body out of the water. It took and unnamed passerby to swim out and retrieve the body.
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Old 02-06-2011, 04:46   #12
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pirate Re: Water Rescue Failure - SF

Things have changed a lot in the UK as well...
now the headlines are more about police killing and/or assaulting innocent members of the public.. rather than assisting them as was the fashion in yester year....
Its called 'PROGRESS'.....
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Old 02-06-2011, 04:54   #13
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Re: Water Rescue Failure - SF

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The cowards wouldn't even pull the body out of the water. It took and unnamed passerby to swim out and retrieve the body.
I know many firefighters and law enforcement officers and I can assure you that "cowardice" is not a personality characteristic these people normally possess. But I will say that "ignorance" is one that applies well to you.
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Old 02-06-2011, 04:54   #14
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Re: Water Rescue Failure - SF

Putting on a contrarian hat. This fellow wanted to commit suicide he did not want to be rescued. So by not attempting to rescue him they allowed him to persue his desire and saved taxpayers a lot of costs in the end too. Better to have them devote their time and effort on those who truly want their help.
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Old 02-06-2011, 04:56   #15
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Re: Water Rescue Failure - SF

Obviously the person wanted to be rescued, or he would have gone in the water at night. Sometimes you just got to break policy, and do the right thing. I can't imagine the dreams I would have standing there watching a person kill themselves doing nothing........i2f
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