Update: Jamie Bergeron has been terminated over Insensitive posts

Update: Here is the following statement released by Acadian Ambulance pertaining to Jamie Bergeron and his status with the company.

June 23, 2020

STATEMENT ON THE TERMINATION OF JAMIE BERGERON

We feel that while it is not the standard policy of Acadian Ambulance Service to provide public information regarding internal disciplinary matters, it is important to our Acadian family and the communities we are honored to serve that we both acknowledge and communicate the action that we have taken in the matter involving Jamie Bergeron. Mr. Bergeron’s employment with Acadian Ambulance Service has in fact been terminated. The posts and underlying insensitivity and disrespect shown by the posts are not in any way representative of our Company, our beliefs and values, and the extraordinary work of the men and women who work for Acadian. We humbly ask for consideration, as we have all been reminded of in these trying times, that one person and their actions do not represent the whole of one community, one gender, one race, one religion or one company.

The overwhelming good work and sacrifice made every day by our 4,800 employee-owners should not be overshadowed by the actions of one individual. As an emergency services company, we move very quickly and we have done so in this instance as well. However, we are taking the necessary time and opportunity to look further into our company and our practices to assure that we are doing our part to educate and create awareness and a sense of renewed respect for the value of a diverse workforce and the importance of the current Black Lives Matter movement.

Know that we have received your phone calls and read your texts. The management and 4,800 employee owners of Acadian Ambulance Service value the trust the public places in us to care for them. Derogatory actions by any employee who blatantly violates that trust will not be tolerated.

Cajun artist and full time Acadian Ambulance paramedic, Jamie Bergeron, is in a little hot water for some recent social media posts that have insensitivity written all over them. It started from a posting that included a cartoon of a vehicle hitting protesters in a roadway under the headline “All Lives Splatter". In another post, it suggested “my brakes have been acting up,” referencing protesters in the road.

The irony of this is that not only was it posted by Bergeron, but he has been a first responder and paramedic for thirty plus years with Acadian Ambulance. This is a field where, of all things, an individual must work with everyone, regardless of race or creed. However, these insensitive posts could make people think otherwise.

Bergeron and Acadian Ambulance have posted apologies about his social media account’s content grabbed from the account jamiebergeron1, which has now been made private.

According to The Advocate who spoke with Randall Man, an Acadian Ambulance spokesman, there are policies in place that extend to personal accounts of employees. If the activity of their social media pages are in violation to company policies, it could lead to termination.

The company is fielding calls for the termination of Bergeron over the insensitive posts. While I don’t know him personally, I have seen him perform a few times and obviously, you cannot tell much about a person from a distance. I do know that with the current climate in the world, this is a sensitive time for all and liking, sharing, or posting anything that could be perceived as insensitive is not a smart move.

I am sure there will be some repercussions after this is all said and done. However, if you are an important figure of any sort., a celebrity in training, or simply just a regular individual, this is not the time to be posting things that could be seen as negative in spite of all we are dealing with currently.

How do you feel about the posts and what would be your call to action?