CUPE holds a protest against cameras inside ambulances outside Essex County Council, June 17, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)CUPE holds a protest against cameras inside ambulances outside Essex County Council, June 17, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)
Windsor

Misunderstanding Over Ambulance Cameras

Privacy concerns continue over the county's decision to install cameras inside ambulances, but the EMS chief says there may be a bit of a misunderstanding.

CUPE Local 2974 President Ian Nash held a protest with several other unions outside the Essex County Council meeting Wednesday. "The issue is public privacy and the union has not been informed properly what the cameras' capability is," says Nash.

But Essex-Windsor EMS Chief Bruce Krauter says that's simply not true because both sides met this week to discuss specifics. "We want to advise the union, or the paramedics, of when, how, where and how to activate the system, why it's being activated, so that we can also set up a process and protocol for it," he says.

The front camera with audio isn't monitored live and won't start recording until paramedics are trained, he says, adding that it isn't on for the paramedics' entire shift.

The camera in the patient area, which was added in 2010, isn't able to record. "When you're driving an ambulance and you have a patient in the back, your partner (could be) up standing to do an intervention or the patient becomes unruly," says Krauter. "It's hard to see in the back with the way the mirror is set and with the chairs and the obstructions."

Krauter says the reason for recording is to provide video evidence to mitigate any potential issues.

Nash says the union is prepared to take legal action within 21 days. "End the practice. There's a lot of case law out there right now in regards to cameras and whether it's reasonable or not and all the unions present here feel the cameras are unreasonable," says Nash.

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