By Bill Carey
EMS1
BULLITT COUNTY, Ky. — A Kentucky county EMS department could be the first in the state to use body-worn cameras.
Bullitt County EMS is considering providing Axon body cameras to all of its staff, WDRB reported. The idea came from a discussion while attending a resuscitation academy with other first responder agencies from Kentucky.
Shift Supervisor and Paramedic Dani LaTondress said they learned about agencies using audio recordings during actual calls and using those recordings in training and for quality improvement and assurance reviews.
“These devices are really for three main areas. It is for training, quality assurance and quality improvement, and the very few cases we get of complaints,” LaTondress said. “The employees we work with daily on the streets and in the back of the ambulance, they do a fantastic job, and we really want to outline and highlight their integrity and their professionalism. We know they’re doing a great job; we want to help improve upon what they’re doing."
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LaTondress said the video would not be subject to open records requests or released because of privacy laws.
The Bullitt County Fiscal Court approved a six-week, no-cost trial. Bullitt County EMS command staff will wear the cameras during its trial period.
Once approved and after policies are created, the county could issue between 40 to 80 cameras at a cost between $40,000-$80,000.
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