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Life threatening Stupidity
- Aug 24, 2009 at 11:43 AM
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- Comments (14) Total Views (282) Everyone can see this journal post.
Yesterday I read about the fools who were swept into the ocean because they wanted a front row view of Hurricane Bill as it swept up the Gulf of Maine. I am infuriated by this & by the other really stupid & self centered things people do that causes massive risk to other lives.
I am speaking of the thousands of volunteers here in this state(& other states as well) that risk their lives on a daily basis because some jerk wasn't smart enough to stay out of harms way. I am not speaking of legitimate accidents.
The Coast Guard, Police & paid rescue are also put at risk, needlessly. But I am especially angry on behalf of our volunteers.
Probably 75% of our emergency personnel here in this state are volunteer. That means they are not paid. Fire, Rescue, Divers, & others give thousands of hours of their lives, not just in the actual rescues, but in hours of training, much of which they have to pay for out their own pocket.
Our state, which has the highest per capita taxes in the nation, & has a huge & developing deficit every year, rarely makes it any easier to be a volunteer in an emergency service. That however, is a whole other post. Back to the point-
Every year, some idiot(s) goes out on the ice way before it is safe. Volunteers have to attempt rescue or recovery of that person. Every year a rescue person is injured or dies because of this.
Every year, some fool(s) thinks it would be fun to jump into the Saco River while there is still ice along the edges. Volunteers have to retrieve the body, putting them at huge risk.
Every year some jerk(s) drives drunk on an ATV, snowmobile or boat. Volunteers have to attempt rescue putting themselves at risk.
Every year some fool(s) disregard storm serge warnings, & stand on the shore or rocks watching the excitement of huge waves. They get swept away. Volunteers must then attempt rescue.
Every year some idiot(s) ignore evacuation orders, & then has to be rescued from flood, storm, etc. Volunteers then have to come to the rescue, risking themselves in high winds, ice, flood...
The list goes on & on...
We are so very indebted to our volunteers for legitimate emergencies & accidents. The people who thoughtlessly & selfishly put our volunteers at risk for no reason other than stupidity.....
I'm not sure what the answer is. Human nature being what it is, there will always be those too self centered to think of risk- to themselves or others- but there really needs to be a way those people are made to be responsible for the harm they do.
Without our volunteers this state would be in huge trouble. We simply can not afford the losses of life that stupidity is causing.
Comments:
Good rant, Mom.
There was a huge story in my area not to long ago, it was a warm day just before the thaw and I believe the temps got into the 40s that day... well a bunch of idiots decided it was a nice day to go ice fishing... they saw the cracks but put boards over them to get to their fishing area (yea real bright) they started floating out into the lake, one lost a pick up truck.. hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars later the sheriff was on the news ranting and raving about how all the fishermen could do was complain because the rescue workers couldn't save their supplies and vehicles... yea, stupid people breed and this is the result!!
Anyway, yea you have a good rant going on!!
Your right, right down stupid.
That's why I watch storms from a far.... I won't mess with Mother Nature!
Yep, there are a lot of people suffering from life threathening stupidity. It is maddening.
I agree with you 100%!
What about the guy who was killed at a ski resort a couple of years back? The resort was sued even though it was the guy who went on a slope he was not skilled enough to ski!
The person who puts others at risk should be accountable, possibly financially.
excellent!
I didn't see this article. I didn't even want to drive in the storm and cancelled plans.
It's a shame that some are so blatantly idiotic. They don't stop to think how their actions affect others, not just themselves.
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You certainly call it as it is... pure stupidity. And those people dare to be angry and the system for any troubles they have during the crisis!
- HistoryMamaX3
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