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LINK Tucson Firefighter Refused to RespondBy THE NEW YORK TIMES Published: February 17, 2011 PHOENIX — A Tucson firefighter refused to respond to the Jan. 8 shooting rampage that wounded Representative Gabrielle Giffords because of political differences with his crew, delaying his unit’s arrival at the scene, according to internal department records. Firefighter Mark Ekstrum’s unit was not a first responder and was called after the last of the 13 wounded gunshot victims had been transported from the scene by paramedics, fire officials told The Arizona Daily Star, which obtained the memorandums. Still, Firefighter Ekstrum’s refusal to respond because of what he called “political bantering” caused confusion as the department dealt with the shooting, which left six dead, officials said. Firefighter Ekstrum, a 28-year veteran, retired after the rampage as department officials considered disciplinary action. A memorandum from a supervisor, Capt. Ben Williams, said that Firefighter Ekstrum “mentioned something about ‘political bantering’ and he did not want to be part of it.” Exactly what the disagreement was over remained unclear. In a statement, Mr. Ekstrum later said he had voted for Ms. Giffords, a Democrat, and did not respond because he was distraught over the shootings. In the memo, Captain Williams said the firefighter had said “there were underlying issues regarding the call that brought up a lot of anger and made him ineffective as a firefighter.”
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Dawg Talker
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If true, someone needs to take him out back behind the woodshed . . .
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Legend
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Legend
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I think I'll wait to judge anyone in this story. All we know for sure is that everyone was already transported before they were even called. Something is fishy with the rest of the story.
#gmstrong
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Legend
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Legend
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Quote:
I think I'll wait to judge anyone in this story. All we know for sure is that everyone was already transported before they were even called. Something is fishy with the rest of the story.
Kinda my thoughts. If everyone had been transported already........
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Dawg Talker
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Dawg Talker
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Agree with everyone saying there is something off with this story.
On a side note it's amazing to read about the progress Giffords has made in the last month.
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Legend
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Legend
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I'm with you guys, can't help thinking that something was left out of the story.
But, in the end, an EMT or firefighter or cop needs tend to the injured.. regardless of any political issues.. That much I hope we can all agree on .
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”
Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe."
Damanshot
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Legend
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Legend
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Quote:
an EMT or firefighter or cop needs tend to the injured.. regardless of any political issues
Another gem from Captain O! 
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Legend
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Legend
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If I was to speculate... it sounds like he voted for Giffords, when it became known that she was a victim, somebody who opposed her politics may have made some inappropriate comments, some words were exchanged and rather than go to the scene and do his job like a grown up, he refused...
Maybe he could be a firefighter in Wisconsin.. public servants there have already set precedent that running away and not doing your job is totally acceptable.
yebat' Putin
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Joined: Sep 2006
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Legend
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Legend
Joined: Sep 2006
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Quote:
Quote:
an EMT or firefighter or cop needs tend to the injured.. regardless of any political issues
Another gem from Captain O!
what's that mean?
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”
Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe."
Damanshot
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Hall of Famer
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Hall of Famer
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I'm guessing "Captain O" means "Captain Obvious"...
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Legend
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Legend
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Could be Captain Over-his-head. 
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All Pro
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All Pro
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Quote:
If I was to speculate... it sounds like he voted for Giffords, when it became known that she was a victim, somebody who opposed her politics may have made some inappropriate comments, some words were exchanged and rather than go to the scene and do his job like a grown up, he refused...
Maybe he could be a firefighter in Wisconsin.. public servants there have already set precedent that running away and not doing your job is totally acceptable.
As long as we're speculating, they were playing Scrabble, I mean Clue. Colonel Mustard with a candlestick in the billiard room. The EMT was about to solve the game when the call came in for help. Just then Sarah Palin shows up. He is so happy to see her he won't leave. The other EMTs subscribe to mac's blogs. They decide to have a jello wrestling match to see if they respond. By the time of the main event, it was too late and he refused to leave.
Thomas - The Tank Engine
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Hall of Famer
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Hall of Famer
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Quote:
Quote:
an EMT or firefighter or cop needs tend to the injured.. regardless of any political issues
Another gem from Captain O!
Please allow me to offer my translation services. IF Jules had said Captain Big O.. she would have been paying you a high compliment. As such, she called you Captain O. That translates to... A person with a firm grasp of.. "Well, Duh."
SaintDawg™
Football, baseball, basketball, wine, women, walleye
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Legend
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Legend
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Quote:
As long as we're speculating, they were playing Scrabble, I mean Clue. Colonel Mustard with a candlestick in the billiard room. The EMT was about to solve the game when the call came in for help. Just then Sarah Palin shows up. He is so happy to see her he won't leave. The other EMTs subscribe to mac's blogs. They decide to have a jello wrestling match to see if they respond. By the time of the main event, it was too late and he refused to leave.
No way. There is no way that somebody who voted for Giffords is that happy to see Sarah Palin... not a chance. 
yebat' Putin
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Legend
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Legend
Joined: Dec 2006
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Firefighter refused call to Giffords shooting
TUCSON (AP) — 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.
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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FOOTBALL IS NOT BASEBALL
Home of the Free, Because of the Brave...
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Legend
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I'm guessing "Captain O" means "Captain Obvious"...
Ahh Yes,,, of course, it was so obvious I missed it..
Jules Jules Jules,, you never miss a chance to rag on me do ya... aren't you just a wonderful human being.. There should be a monument erected in your honor.. I'm guessing that's pretty obvious so I just did it again....
FA
Last edited by Damanshot; 02/19/11 08:39 AM.
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”
Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe."
Damanshot
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Legend
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Well, I think we can all agree that if there is a fire, we all hope firefighters would respond.
I am unfamiliar with this feeling of optimism
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Legend
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Well, I think we can all agree that if there is a fire, we all hope firefighters would respond.
79...they are termed "Fire/Rescue"...
If the order comes down to the firefighters and paramedics to respond...you don't ask questions..."you respond"..
I can remember some claiming that the political atmosphere in Arizona was not as bad as the media was claiming...well, it was obviously bad enough to trickle over and into the fire dept.
This firefighter made a grave error in judgement and it is probably best he exposed his poor judgement so the fire dept could get rid of him.....he retired when it became clear he was about to be fired...
In the 28 yrs this guy worked for the fire dept, hopefully his poor judgement didn't cost anyone their life.
Last edited by mac; 02/19/11 10:54 AM.
FOOTBALL IS NOT BASEBALL
Home of the Free, Because of the Brave...
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Legend
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Legend
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Story must be tainted, garbled, or incomplete. Or the EMT is headed for early carewer change. Could understand it but not condone it in the least iota.
"Every responsibility implies opportunity, and every opportunity implies responsibility." Otis Allen Glazebrook, 1880
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Legend
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Legend
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Quote:
Well, I think we can all agree that if there is a fire, we all hope firefighters would respond.
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Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Firefighter refused to respond to
Giffords' call; cited politics
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