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So if I lived in Southern Indiana, they would have let me burn down because of my olive skin?
him
– Thu Feb 17, 7:50 pm ET
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.
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.[Emphasis mine--RG]
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.
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Interesting tidbit.
Well
So if I lived in Southern Indiana, they would have let me burn down because of my olive skin?
him
I'd say "idiotic" is more appropriate than "interesting". "Pathetic" being another option.
I dunno. I don't think there is nearly enough of the story for me to express an opinion.
Hard to know who said what, and why exactly the guy was upset.
Yeah I saw this piece this morning. Made me a little angry. I'm just confused with his reasoning. Is he saying there's more republicans in the firehouse? Is he trying to blame them? I can see if this dude was a republican and refused, which is equally if not more f'd up. A scenario that many here would salivate over.
It's he refused to do his life-saving, every-minute-counts job in the heat of battle. He's a deserter. Grounds for dismissal.
Sounds like he's too emotional for that kind of nerve-wracking job.
He said he voted for a Dem, so he may have been pissed off at "banter" by red-state/racist/nativist bubba colleagues.
Last edited by boutons_deux; 02-18-2011 at 02:29 PM.
When your politics interfere with the ability to do your job, it's time to let go of either the politics or the job.
It would not surprise me if his collegues were saying something along the lines of "she deserved it", but again, not enough data.
If he really did refuse to go on a run because of his political viewpoint, I can't see any way not to see him except as a dumb .
It would certainly surprise me if his colleagues were saying that. Especially since there is zero data to base that presumption upon outside of a typical boutons post.
You Lie
I didn't say anything about firemen's comments about the shooter's victim. More than likely, the deserter's problem was banter directed at him going back weeks or months before the shooting.
You lie.
"He said he voted for a Dem, so he may have been pissed off at "banter" by red-state/racist/nativist bubba colleagues"
You painted the pony. RG saddled it and took it for a little ride.
Looked like it to me as well but I'm not believing my lying eyes.
Absolutely. If the account is true, he needs to be fired. However, there is often parts to a story that are not said.
I didn't know Firemen were suppose to respond to shootings? I know they are normally called along with ambulances for most situations, but a shooting?
"He said he voted for a Dem, so he may have been pissed off at "banter" by red-state/racist/nativist bubba colleagues."
I didn't say the others' banter, on this day, for this incident, was against Giffords.
Very probably, the banter and teasing and even bullying had been going on long before the shooting.
Upon first reading this, I was under the impression he didn't want to respond because he differed with her political views.
Then I read the last sentence.
Ekstrum also said in the statement that he had no problem with Giffords and even voted for her in the last election
Whatever his problem was, I'm glad he's off the force.
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