SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Sacramento area firefighters are facing some new challenges on emergency calls.
A man is going up to crews with a camera while they’re on calls, often peppering them with foul language and intimidation.
Video shows the man behind the camera verbally confronting fire crews and coming right up to firefighters with taunting language.
“It’s extremely concerning to us,” said Roberto Padilla, a spokesperson with Sacramento Area Firefighters 522.
The firefighters union spokesman says run-ins with this man have happened on multiple occasions.
“He’s antagonizing people, he’s insulting them, he’s trying to get a rise out of them,” Padilla said. “That’s not acceptable behavior.”
“I would like to know what his motive is,” said Walt White, a Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District board member.
White, who is also a former Sacramento Fire chief, says the confrontations appear unprovoked.
“It’s unfortunate that you have somebody out there who’s looking to incite them,” he said. “The crews conducted themselves professionally, kept their focus on their patients.”
CBS13 reached out to the person posting the videos, but he responded with a false phone number. The Youtube account has multiple videos showing police and fire incidents. In the videos, the man asserts his right to film in public – which is protected by the First Amendment – but firefighters say his confrontational behavior goes too far.
“Public safety, for lack of better words, is under attack by certain people and it’s viewed as possibly the enemy when the reality is firefighters, we’re here to help the community,” Padilla said.
So far, fire crews say they have not had to contact the police for assistance.