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FDNY, EMTs Can't Take Photos At Holiday Parties This Year
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Dec 27, 2013
Modified Dec 27, 2013
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By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Dec 27, 2013
Modified Dec 27, 2013
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The collective sculpted abs of the FDNY were regrettably unable to participate in Holiday Selfie Season while on-duty this year, after a recent FDNY order barred members from "taking photographs, videotaping or recording audio while working."
The NY Post reports that the directive targets FDNY’s firefighters and EMS workers, noting that "Members of the department are prohibited from taking photographs, videotaping or recording audio while working unless authorized to do so by the [Office of Public Information]." There have been some recent issues with certain firefighters' and EMTs' use of social media. Earlier this month probationary firefighter Trilain Smith was barred from his graduation ceremony after referring to his superiors using a racial slur on Facebook; Smith, who is black, was also fined for posting some racy half-nude selfies on his profile, too.
The FDNY started paying closer attention to its members' social media outlets after Joseph Cassano, the son of FDNY Commissioner Salvatore Cassano, was caught sending a series of racist, anti-Semitic and generally prejudiced Tweets back in March. The younger Cassano resigned and the FDNY revamped its social media policy, though not before a few more social media-related FDNY and EMT fiascos surfaced.
Unfortunately, with this no-photo order, FDNY and EMT members were unable to take photos at their holiday firehouse parties this year. "So, if one of my kids wants to sit on Santa’s lap in the firehouse — he’s not going to get his Kodak moment,” one attendee told the Post. “It’s a shame that because of a few knuckleheads, the kids have to suffer." Yeah, it's sad that your kid's precious moments with Santa will go undocumented, but missing out on this type of candid Yuletide photo action is far more distressing to the rest of us.
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