A California Highway Patrolman Arrests an On-Duty Fireman for Doing His Job….

Check this out:  http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Veteran-Firefighter-Cuffing-Fire-Crews-Ridiculous–243940041.html

If you haven’t seen the whole story and the video, the Los Angeles news picked up the story as well: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/cop-arrests-on-duty-firefighter-over-parking-feud-150128011.html?vp=1

A fire truck was responding to a freeway rollover accident and the CHP officer arrests the fire truck driver for blocking traffic.  The fire truck driver parked the  fire truck so that the accident scene is protected from oncoming traffic.  Yes, I understand that the duty of the CHP is to reopen traffic as quickly as possible, but this is beyond the pale.  When these things happen, it undermines public perception of the CHP.  I don’t think the CHP officer was acting maliciously or with ill intent, but this didn’t need to happen, and it certainly didn’t need to happen in front of the media.  This makes it look like the two agencies don’t work together, when in fact they work together every day to help the citizens of San Diego. 

Hopefully this situation never happens again.  I’m a bit concerned that the PR people for the CHP said on the radio this morning that it “should not happen again.”  I would have preferred stronger language, like “it will never happen again.”  But at least, if nothing else, communication will be improved after this incident.  I have so much respect for our First Responders…they don’t need their image to be tarnished by bureaucratic nonsense.