I am driving down the road and I hear a call to either Police/Fire/Rescue
about an accident and IF It is on the same road -- I have every RIGHT to
know so that I can slow to a safer approach until I see it and just let the
other assholes yapping on the cellphones roll on by.

If I am on the Vol. Fire Dept. or Rescue then I may continue as a first
responder in a safe manner and not cause another accident.

But I am not on either the Fire or Rescue/EMT teams, so therefore I will
maintain my watchful eye for the accident ahead.

I have, in rare situations, rendered assistance with traffic awareness until
Virginia State police/County units and fire/rescue arrived and advised them
that I was not a witness, yet I stopped to check if someone had called in.

They welcomed my assistance and thanked me and said,"Alright, Sean. Thank
you very much and be careful going home / to work. We'll take it from here,
now. Good job."

That's what involvment should be. Yet, some localities will look at you as
though you are impersonating law enforcement.

I have lived in Amelia County, Virginia for 35 Years.

I know a fraction of Local Law enforcement units, Fire and Rescue/EMTs, I
also know some in the Virginia State Police.
They know me --- IN a Good Way.

I would like to ask a question to those who might know what I am talking
about.
(This has been my concern for quite some time and wanted to know if it is
just me or some folks feel uneasy about me being around them.)

When I was real young, I used to climb up into the cab of the Fire Trucks or
Ambulance, or in the police car.
I am grown up now, and when I go near these vehicles I notice some members
look at me in a "Who the hell is he andwhy is he coming over here?" look.
As an EMT or Firefighter or Police officer, I would greet someone,
regardless of age, in a cordial manner and invite them to look inside or
sit inside as long as they didn't take off or scare someone with the
siren/horn (with a chuckle.)

I feel a repulsive attitude coming from those who are on the Fire or
Rescue/EMT teams when I even come near them.

What have I ever done or said to these people that are acting this way and
yet turn around and are laughing and joking with those in their "clique".
I would speak to them in a cordial manner and all they would do is look at
me and shrug and I would hear them whisper to the others that "his daddy
runs the schools that's why I don't talk to him."

I am also a Ham Radio operator and in Amelia County, Virginia -- your'e not
considered good company around EMTs and Firefighters and Local Law
enforcement.
You're looked down upon because you have radios that can receive their
frequencies.
It Is Illegal for anyone to transmit on those frequencies, unless they are
with the County Sheriff/ Fire or Rescue.

We don't mount Red lights on our vehicles where ever we go.

We have Mobile Command Stations, antennas, radios, and equipment that can
take the place of cell phone and/ landline phones when power is disrupted.
We use HF, VHF and UHF radios and can do autopatches and conduct emergency
nets and training operations over amateur radio frequencies.
We can talk to other stations around the world.

And yet, we are considered bad company around others when helping out in a
disaster situation.
Some places in the U.S. Welcome Hams!
I guess it depends on who really knows you anymore when you're a Ham than
it's who you know or don't know.
(I tried to make it sound good or make sense of it)

I will now come down from my tower now.

Tnx.

Sean
KD4ADV