I read an article this morning where Winnipeg declared Cellphones off limits for firefighters, paramedics with only some surprise.  Sure there are the embarrassments like the Texas Firefighter Charged With Taking Secret Bathroom Pics who need to be drummed out of the system.  And I understand that new technology can be a scary thing – especially from a legal perspective, but our reaction to any sort of potential change is always predicated by our view of the staff we employ.  If staff are viewed only as automatons, they need constant micromanagement even at the most basic level.  If they are viewed as professionals, they need only to understand the tools they have, the overall mission they are given, the latitude of their autonomy, and the impact of their misjudgment.

Businesses in the private sector have struggled for many years over the risk and rewards of giving employees increased access to sensitive corporate information from mobile devices.  Once the technology was finally embraced, the initial result was huge expenditures for company-owned devices that quickly became outdated.  As a result, many organizations have now embraced a BYOD (“Bring Your Own Device”) policy to leverage the employee’s willingness and need to provide current mobile technology for use outside of the office.  While it certainly increases the workload for corporate IT professionals to support and secure these devices, it has been determined that the improved productivity, increased job satisfaction, and in some cases even lowered equipment cost outweigh the investment.  The risk of exposure is still there, but when employees are properly treated as professionals they become empowered allies instead of floating liabilities.  In some ways the case is much easier for EMS. (more…)