Good PT or bad PR? Key Biscayne, Florida firefighters make quick exit after TV crew finds out of town tennis match.

Tennis anyone? Click the image to see the WPLG-TV report.

WPLG-TV reported yesterday "The Village of Key Biscayne has launched a massive investigation after Local 10 cameras spotted on-duty firefighters playing tennis outside the village limits."

First of all, what in the world is the fascination by TV reporters and anchors these days with the word "massive"? Something tells me this is not going to be a "massive" investigation. Yes, it will be looked at and dealt with. But come on, massive? They cheapen the story with hype that is completely out of perspective with reality. Some consultant must be telling news operations to use that word because I hear the phrase "massive fire" an awful lot in stories around the country (and 90 percent of the time it ain't massive).

But I digress. The point of the story is that the entire shift of Key Biscayne Fire Rescue was found by the reporter and videographer playing tennis a little less than a mile outside the Village limits on October 20 at the Crandon Park Tennis Center. The officer in charge has now been asked to write a report to interim Village manager John Gilbert. Gilbert is still listed on the Village of Key Biscayne website as the fire chief.

If the firefighters were doing what they were supposed to as part of PT, they probably shouldn't have run from the cameras the way they did. The reporter says they gave the indication they were responding to a call on the radio, but Village officials say that was not the case.

Gilbert confirms there was no specific policy the crew violated, except possibly using common sense. It looks like there soon will be policy. The report indicates the firehouse has a gym and basketball court.

This is another good reminder that cameras are everywhere. Make sure you can justify your actions and don't have to run from them. Whether you like it or not, little things that everyone used to get away with will likely come back to bite you on the local newscast or YouTube.

Here's an excerpt from WLPG's article:

"I think there was an extreme error in judgment. I was not aware this was taking place," said interim Village manager John Gilbert, who started the fire department 18 years ago.

"There will be an investigation. We will get their side in what they did and why they did it, and I will make some decisions on what happens next," Gilbert said.

Key Biscayne Mayor Frank Caplan expressed concern that firefighters on duty were playing tennis outside their jurisdiction, which might have had life-or-death consequences in a true emergency.

"There would be a delay in response time, which there surely would be if a call came in," said Caplan. "Absent other coverage on the island, there would be a delay."

 Point A is the Village of Key Biscayne Fire Rescue station. Point B is the Crandon Park Tennis Center. Google Maps indicates they are 1.5 miles apart on the same road. It appears the firefighters were playing tennis about .8 miles north of the village limits.