This episode of Inside EMS is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.
This week, Inside EMS host Chris Cebollero is joined by Chief Gary Ludwig to discuss the killing of Tyre Nichols, which led to the firing of six Memphis police officers and three members of the Memphis Fire Department. Ludwig previously served as the deputy chief of the department for 10 years, running their EMS program.
Chief Ludwig discusses professionalism, how a “normalization of deviance” may account for the lack of concern for bad behavior, and leadership’s role in keeping our workforce safe. The pair round out the episode by discussing whether it’s time for EMS to start wearing body cameras during patient care or at other times during a call.
Top takeaways
“The cameras are rolling and people know the cameras are rolling and this is still the behavior.” — Chris Cebollero
“We behave on these cameras inappropriately, and nothing happens to us. You go on the next call, there’s cameras there – body cams, security cameras, Ring doorbells – there’s cameras everywhere. We behave inappropriately and there’s no consequences, even though it was captured on camera, so it becomes normalized.” — Chief Ludwig
Read more:
‘Remember what you witnessed’: Memphis is a wake-up call for emergency services
I know Memphis Fire, and while the inactions of three members should not reflect on the entire FD, we must learn from these fatal errors
