Editorial: Think before you post

Let's all do our bit to make the job of emergency services easier.

The emergency services are there to help us.

Thankfully, for most of us, it is not often we need to call on them.

They see things that would give many of us nightmares and are professional in even the most difficult and emotional situations.

I was disappointed to read in Saturday's Bay of Plenty Times Weekend that members of the public are making their jobs more difficult in more ways than one.

Some firefighters and St John staff reported drivers are regularly failing to get out of the way of emergency service vehicles with their lights and sirens going.

It's the most basic of road rules. Every kid learns early on that flashing lights and sirens mean you need to pull over and let the ambulance, police car or fire truck through. It is astounding that they regularly run in to people who don't do that or are so oblivious to what is going on behind them they don't even realise they need to.

The reactions of other drivers could mean life or death for the person who is in need of help.

A newer issue for emergency services is onlookers filming or photographing events and posting them straight to social media.

Rubber-neckers are nothing new but the problems caused by photos and video being shared online are numerous.

Pukehina volunteer fire chief Errol Watts said there had been instances where family had shown up at the scene of a fatal accident minutes after emergency service because they had been sent a text or photo.

Naturally the upset family members want to get through to see their loved ones but it makes it difficult for emergency services to do their jobs and make sure they can help everyone involved in the incident.

In this day and age it seems people post first, think later. I urge people to think hard before posting images or information from the scene of a traumatic event - will it upset people more at an already difficult time, will it hinder emergency service staff doing their work?

The emergency services are there to help us and they do a great job under often trying circumstances.

Let's all do our bit to make their jobs easier.