Firefighter Files Claim Against CHP Over Arrest

[diverwcw]

It looks like the Chula Vista Firefighter who was arrested/detained by the CHP has filed a claim against the CHP. The incident made national news when it showed a pic of a CHP officer handcuffing an on duty fire fighter over a disagreement as to the placement of parked emergency vehicles at a scene.

Although the claim makes no mention of monetary demands, it says they are looking for a policy change within the CHP. Claims are the first step in filing a lawsuit. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/25/firefighter-gregoire-chp-arrest-handcuff/

[34marine]

It looks like the Chula Vista Firefighter who was arrested/detained by the CHP has filed a claim against the CHP. The incident made national news when it showed a pic of a CHP officer handcuffing an on duty fire fighter over a disagreement as to the placement of parked emergency vehicles at a scene.

Although the claim makes no mention of monetary demands, it says they are looking for a policy change within the CHP. Claims are the first step in filing a lawsuit. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/...rest-handcuff/

Good luck with changing our policy. While I agree that I most likely would not have arrested the fire fighter, he was trying to avoid any further traffic incidents due to 11-25 visual fire truck until the dick measuring contest occurred. It's my hope the department has his back, although it was blasted all over the news and what not. Push come to shove, we are all professionals and should have come to a better resolution.

[CBR_rider]

interesting

[yzErnie]

Good luck with changing our policy. While I agree that I most likely would not have arrested the fire fighter, he was trying to avoid any further traffic incidents due to 11-25 visual fire truck until the dick measuring contest occurred. It's my hope the department has his back, although it was blasted all over the news and what not. Push come to shove, we are all professionals and should have come to a better resolution.

Please enlighten us on the facts of the incident.

[Sir Toast]

Caveat: I'm buzzed.

Caveat 2: I don't know what I'm talking about.

Nevertheless: I think the CHP know traffic and traffic situations pretty well, especially with their training. Firefighters know fires and first aid. If a CHP officer is telling a firefighter to move a rig, thinking he's trying to prevent further traffic accidents, then I defer to the CHP officer. If a firefighter is telling a CHP officer not to roll an unconscious person over, I would defer to the firefighter.

It should have never come to this. However, I'm sure there is LOTS more that we don't know.

Knowing that, I side with the CHP who is trying to protect me and my loved ones from what he perceives is an obvious danger.

Just move the rig!!! What if someone crashed into it like the officer feared?

[Fjold]

Just move the rig!!! What if someone crashed into it like the officer feared?

Then it would protect the ambulance crew, injured victims and other rescue personnel working the scene, just like it's supposed to.

[Sacmedic]

^^^This^^^

[teg33]

I thought this already solved between Departments

[RickD427]

Then it would protect the ambulance crew, injured victims and other rescue personnel working the scene, just like it's supposed to.

^^^This^^^

I thought this already solved between Departments

I'll stand second in line to "^^^This^^^" fjold's posting. I rather see the firetruck get hit by an errant motorist that to have the fireman get hit. The firetruck is better padding and is more easily replaced.

Teg33 - You're right, management folks from both agencies went public with their display of affection for each other, and to put the public's mind at ease. We call that "Damage Control 101."

This claim was personally made by the involved fireman, not by his agency. It may that all of that "good feeling" stuff didn't work its way to the bottom.

I concur with several of the prior posters. This event was a bad reflection on the professional status of all involved. The public deserved better.

[CBR_rider]

Wasn't there one of these stupid incidents where the firetruck was parked on the opposite side of the freeway?

[emtmark]

All CHP are EMT-b's correct? Or First Responder minimum?

All roads all codes = CHP

[Sacmedic]

CBR-

Yes, there was an event like the one you describe. Obviously not as normal or acceptable as the Chula Vista case.

EMTmark-

They used to all get EMT-B training. That was rescinded about 10 years ago I believe. Now they all get EMR(First Responder) training.

[j-shot]

Caveat: I'm buzzed.

Caveat 2: I don't know what I'm talking about.

Nevertheless: I think the CHP know traffic and traffic situations pretty well, especially with their training. Firefighters know fires and first aid. If a CHP officer is telling a firefighter to move a rig, thinking he's trying to prevent further traffic accidents, then I defer to the CHP officer. If a firefighter is telling a CHP officer not to roll an unconscious person over, I would defer to the firefighter.

It should have never come to this. However, I'm sure there is LOTS more that we don't know.

Knowing that, I side with the CHP who is trying to protect me and my loved ones from what he perceives is an obvious danger.

Just move the rig!!! What if someone crashed into it like the officer feared?

[MEDIC!]

In LA County, and rural San Bernardino County, it is the policy of the Fire Departments to use heavy apparatus (engines or ladder trucks) to protect the scene (Paramedics, EMTs, Firefighters, CHP/PD/SO, and patients) by blocking oncoming traffic for reasons stated above. If a vehicle does lose control and collide with the engine or ladder truck, the scene will remain safe. In fact, I have been on the other side of an engine that was struck by a SUV on the 110 freeway in Highland Park (Los Angeles) in the rain while working up a TC victim. I very easily could have been killed if the scene were not protected in this manner. We have all seen video of Highway Patrol vehicles being hit by oncoming traffic during a traffic stop and many EMS/LE personnel have been injured or killed in these instances. In fact, it is taught in EMT and Paramedic schools that highway incidents pose the largest threat to EMS personnel for this reason.

That being said, FD always attempts to leave at least one open lane (if possible) to allow for traffic to keep moving (although slowly) past the scene.

I can not speak to specific policies/regs in SD County, but I stand by the FD personnel that refused to move the engine that was protecting their scene. However, I can not imagine that a lawsuit is necessary. It seems as though the individual departments (CHP and FD) should be able to work it out to ensure that this type of incident does not happen again.

[Unit74]

Here in AR, they don't give a shhhhhhhh.....they block the whole damn road and that's that. You don't like it, tough....