The “Look at Me” generation: Some new views.

We’ve often written about what I have long called the “Look at Me” generation. The New York Times credits the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press with that label. My only guess is the Pew people read STATter911.com. (Actually I was calling it that before writing this blog . I must be from the “Credit Me” generation as I am now performing great contortions just to pat myself on the back.)

It hit me first a number of years ago with all of the picture taking at bars and parties, where cameras are held at arms length, with the lens facing inward. I only imagine the captivating captions on Facebook. “This is Julie and me at 8:00”. “Here we are at 8:05”. “And again at 8:07 with Amy and Todd”. “At 8:09, Todd is on the left and Amy is standing next to me on the right”.

Just how many pictures of yourself do you really need? Are you violating rules of etiquette if you have drinks with a friend and you don’t document it. “She must really hate. She only took three pictures”.

I know. I know. I am just proving I have become a grumpy old man.

Then I started STATter911.com and realized it really wasn’t considered a fire if you didn’t have at least three video versions of the blaze, plus some still shots. Don’t forget the group picture in front of the house or on the back step of the pumper.

My friend Bill Schumm at Firegeezer reminds me every once in a while of my prediction that someday soon there will be a rescue where we can show you the point of view of both the rescuer and rescuee, each armed with a camera. The two examples I will talk about today show me we are getting closer to this lofty goal.

The image at the top of the page is from a video I watched yesterday on one of my favorite websites, Firefighter Spot. Jason tells us it is of an apartment fire in Harlem on February 7.

My initial impression had me wondering why this resident was staying in the apartment to video the fire instead of exiting the building. Then I noticed the poor guy hanging off the balcony three floors above the fire. I am thinking the man is waving to firefighters for help. Boy am I stupid.

Look at the picture below after the camera zooms in. He was just hanging over the balcony to get a better view of the fire for his own video.

Story two comes from West Haven, Connecticut. On January 24 firefighter Leo Kelly responded to the home of Lisa and Phil Rondeau. When he got there Phil was standing over Lisa with a video camera. Lisa was holding the baby that had suddenly arrived. Phil performed the delivery, with the help of Seth Wilcox at the local 911 center.

Phil then began shooting this dramatic scene of his wife for the TLC show “A Baby Story”. In fact FF/Medic Kelly and the rest of the crew from the West Shore Fire Department’s Benham Hill Station were being interviewed this week by TLC to help tell the rest of the story for airing in the spring.

Look, I understand wanting video of your child’s birth. I have it all on tape when Sam when was born and it was a C-section. But you must hear the rest of the Rondeau’s story.

According to the New Haven Register’s Abbe Smith, the arriving first responders had been alerted by Phil’s 911 call that the new born was turning blue and clearly not breathing properly. On top of that, the boy’s little brother was still inside Lisa.

Maybe it’s just me, and I shouldn’t be so judgmental, but would any of you be thinking of picking up a camera with your just born child in distress and a second one on the way?

But it ended well. We are happy to report the firefighters quickly got the baby breathing normally and took Lisa to the hospital for the birth of baby number two.

Here’s my next prediction. TLC will work with an OB/GYN to implant a tiny camera, so that by next year we will see child birth from the point of view of the baby.

Here’s looking at you kid.