Dethroned By Social Media

Once upon a time before Patch came along, before every damn Public Safety Agency switched to Digital or the P25 Protocol, I was on top of the game.

I could respond to ANY Incident, Camera gear in hand and be the first to cover it. These days, my Analog Scanner picks up only the activity from Agencies still using Analog Communications such as Newark Police, Alameda County Fire and ACSO.

The last 23 outings, have been fruitless. Some of the blame rests on First Responders refusing to give EXACT addresses like they USED to, now it's just "Mowry" or "Cedar" or "Stevenson" and when Multiple Departments respond to the same Incident things get really complicated.

I heard Fire Engines tonight, Headed in the direction they were coming from (Cedar) and actually saw one fly by me, unfortunately I was stopped at one of Newark's excssively long traffic lights, by the time I got thru couldn't find shit!

Wasted a couple gallons of gas and over 35 minutes of my life searching side streets and Parking lots looking for action. Never finding it!

I come back on here and lo and behold people posted seeing the Fire Activity heading towards Stevenson via Newark Patches Facebook.

I've lost the magic, and just another example of Social Media beating me to the punch :(

Meanwhile I don't do Social Media, cause I can't be arsed with it. It's a sad state of affairs for me right now.

Once upon a time I could be the first one at a Scene before any of the responders showed up to it, now I can't even find it LOL. My Ego is Battered and Bruised.

How hard is it for First Responders in 2013 to say "IC Cedar", "IC Stevenson" or even "IC Blackburn", instead these boneheads say "IC Fire" or "IC Traffic Control"  BTW "IC" means Incident Command, for those not in the know.