Firemen run into burning buildings and cops confront dangerous people...

[cynatnite]

They put their lives on the line for us. There are times law enforcement fail us when it comes to brutality and systemic racism. It's infuriating.

I can never say what I would do in a situation similar to what happened in Florida. Not many of us can because we've never been faced with it or most of us weren't trained to deal with it.

I trust firemen, lifeguards, police and others will put their lives on the line to save people. We were told during EMT training it can be dangerous and if we're not willing to risk ourselves, we're in the wrong line of work. In the Army, we were told if we're not willing to die for our country, we need to find another job.

It's not rocket science nor is it that difficult to understand.

If you're job means putting your life on the line in order to save others, you do it. Period.

[LanternWaste]

1. How does one have absolute knowledge of that until they are in a situation subjecting them to that?

"if we're not willing to die for our country, we need to find another job."

How does one have absolute knowledge of that until they are in a situation subjecting them to that? Willing to do a thing is not the same as doing a thing.

[Skittles]

3. they don't

a friend of in IT became a cop, and quit after the first incident where he had to make a decision regarding his gun - although it turned out OK, he said: never again

[cynatnite]

7. It's going into the unknown...

You can't know until someone goes inside to know.

It's dangerous, yes. But someone has to do it. These people who do run into burning buildings, confront dangerous people are trained for the worst possible situations. Even the unknowable.

[LanternWaste]

9. Clever reponse by answering a different question no one asked.

Clever reponse by answering a different question no one asked.

[cynatnite]

17. I answered the question. Sorry you didn't like it. n/t

[Alea]

16. No one has "absolute knowledge" of anything

Are you saying first responders wait until they have absolute knowledge of a situation before they act?

[atreides1]

18. Okay

The man was a police officer from 1985 until 2009, when he was assigned as School Resource Officer! That's 24 years as a cop...it's a little difficult to believe that he never encountered a situation where he didn't have to at least draw his weapon!

The personnel file on Peterson shows he completed multiple training programs as well, including a mandatory firearms training program and special tactical problems training program.

The video shows that Peterson remained outside the building for upward of four minutes during the shooting, which lasted about six minutes. Which means he was there while the shooting was going on, and he didn't enter the building...he got on his radio, which it seems was all he did.

Peterson had the experience, he received the training, he spent 24 years as a street cop before he got this job...everything was there, except the courage, which might have been the one trait that Peterson didn't possess!!!

[USALiberal]

2. FFS, not this arm chair monday morning expert bullshit again! Nt

[LanternWaste]

5. There's always gonna be the guy who tells other people how tough they should be. nt

There's always gonna be the guy who tells other people how tough they should be.

[cynatnite]

8. I've been a first responder and I'm an Army vet. Call it what you want. n/t

[tazkcmo]

20. I'm an army vet

And that has nothing to do with it.

[Hoyt]

4. Las Vegas SWAT Team Waited One Hour Before Entering Killers Hotel Room.

I'd like to hear guard's side. If he ran or hid out of fear, I agree.

[MineralMan]

6. I grew up in a house with a Fire Chief. My brother

was an assistant Chief and my brother-in-law took over as Chief of the same department. Yes, firemen run into buildings...sometimes. There are rules, though. Before they do, the situation is assessed and the level of danger is assessed. As often as they run in, they are ordered not to. Nothing is gained if a person in the house AND a firefighter die.

It's not a matter of just running in, regardless of the risk. Not a chance. My home town fire department saved a lot of lives over the years. They lost some people, too, but no fireman died during that time. Every situation was assessed and the risks determined before a firefighter and his gear went inside.

There are risks worth taking and risks not worth taking. Somewhere there is a Chief or Captain who has to OK entry into a burning building. They decide.

[cynatnite]

12. Agreed, they are trained to know when to go and when not to go...

I've seen firemen run into a burning house and the flames were everywhere. I've seen cops take on some dangerous people and I'm amazed by them.

They've always said, we train for this. I've trained with some of them. It's intense, but you come away a hell of a lot better off than what you did when you started.

Some situations I know I can handle myself. Others, I have no clue.

But we shouldn't ignore the fact that more often than not, these men and women know what they're doing and they should be expected to do the jobs they were trained for.

It sure as hell shouldn't be kids doing their jobs. That's what infuriates me more than anything.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

10. IMO it's not that simple because people are not programmed robots.

And it's a necessary counterpoint to the let's-arm-everyone bullshit.

[madaboutharry]

11. I think this was a great way of explaining why the officer failed in his duties.

It seems that many people are projecting their own personal frame of reference and own personal experience onto this officer. But I am not a cop. I have no training in law enforcement and I have never fired a gun. He had that training. He had that job. He wasn't any of us in the private sector who no one would expect to run into a building with a shooter. He needs to be held to the standard of a trained law enforcement officer whose job it was to protect those kids in the best way possible. Standing outside the building was not what he was suppose to do.

I try to be kind and empathetic of people. I try to give people all benefits of all doubts. But this man failed those kids. Maybe he would have been killed, but maybe he would have saved someone else's life. That was the risk he took on when he accepted this job. Every RSO in every school knows, or should know, that something terrible is always possible.

[cynatnite]

13. I'm more infuriated that it was kids and teachers who were doing his job for him. n/t

[matt819]

14. Point taken, but

what are you referring to?

If you're referring to the deputy who didn't run into the school, then I have to take issue with your post.

Lifeguards - sure, they run into the water to save people at risk. But they do so after they have evaluated the options, even if that evaluation is quick.

Firefighters - I'm thrilled that there are men and women who will take the risk of entering a burning building to save people. But they do so after they have donned their protective gear and have a plan. Plus, they work with a team and as a team.

Cops - Sure, there are cops on the street who make snap decisions to run headlong into potential risky situations. But they often have backup. And when it comes to active shooter type situations, when cops are called they develop a plan to address the challenge, and they do so as a team.

If you're suggesting that the sole deputy should have run into the building with a hand gun to confront a shooter with a weapon of war, by himself, with fantastically incomplete information, then I have to take issue. Sure, it would have been fantastic if he had. He might be a hero. He might be a dead hero. Or he might just be another victim. Yes, he's paid to protect and serve, but that doesn't mean he should be reckless.

[flotsam]

15. Most people will never know

And those who have seen know that they will never know what they will do next time until it happens again. A combat vet told me that in Vietnam you ran toward the gunfire because that was were the ambush was being set up-that putting maximum pressure on that point was the best way to stop an attack. And that because it worked they learned that response. He also told me it did not at all seem instinctive. I know only how I have reacted in the past. I couldn't even guess what the next crisis would bring...

[Decoy of Fenris]

19. "I trust firemen, lifeguards, police and others will put their lives on the line to save people. "

Just be aware that if the firemen determine the situation is unsafe, they'll let you burn.

If you're a viable threat to a lifeguard's safety, they'll let you drown.

If a policeman determines that the best thing to do in a situation is to sit it out, they'll let you die.


It's cold, but it's true. That's life. Sometimes, people die, even if they could have been saved, because it's not worth the risk associated with saving them.

[malaise]

21. In protective gear n/t