Helmet Cams Under Fire In Austin

Posted by: Curt Varone September 24, 2013 1 Comment

"This is nothing the citizens know about or have approved of. If we have firefighters or first responders rushing to scenes with cameras when people are injured … and don't even know these things are being used, that is an outrage.

I think the public is going to be offended."  Deborah Peel, founder and chairwoman of Patient Privacy Rights.

FYI – there is no need to ban helmet cams and other types of digital imagery. What is needed is a sound, defensible digital imagery policy. It is do-able.

We will be discussing this issue next week in Athens, Texas in Strategies for Managing Fire Departments in the Digital Age. There are still seats available. Wednesday, October 2, 2013. Click here for more information, including online registration.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
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