Firefighter Help on Terrorism (spying raises privacy concerns)

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Firefighters in major cities are being trained to take on a new role as lookouts for terrorism, raising concerns of eroding their standing as American icons and infringing on people's privacy.

Unlike police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel don't need warrants to access hundreds of thousands of homes and buildings each year, putting them in a position to spot behavior that could indicate terrorist activity or planning.

But there are fears that they could lose the faith of a skeptical public by becoming the eyes of the government, looking for suspicious items such as building blueprints or bomb-making manuals or materials.

... The American Civil Liberties Union says using firefighters to gather intelligence is another step in that direction. Mike German, a former FBI agent who is now national security policy counsel to the ACLU, said the concept is dangerously close to the Bush administration's 2002 proposal to have workers with access to private homes — such as postal carriers and telephone repairmen — report suspicious behavior to the FBI.


Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gek2oSZ_67sh2ukVvXaCGCXzpypwD8T3IFL81

[lvx35]

1. Yes! I hope they BURN those bomb making manuals!

Its time our firemen start setting some fires instead of always putting them out!!!

[hootinholler]

9. It's not illegal to own the books...

It's illegal to read them.

-Hoot

[ixion]

2. yeah, that's some freedom we got going

you have the freedom to be spied upon anywhere you are, including your own home, without a warrant or regress of grievances.

Land of the free? I think not.

[Journeyman]

3. Just what's needed -- citizens going all Deputy Dog on my bookshelf. . .

Who among us doesn't have something in our homes that an ignorant zealot could see as a threat?

[99th_Monkey]

4. Farenheit 451

I couldn't resist. Funny how all these older movies like 1984, Brazil, Dr. Stranglove, et. al. seem to keep transforming
reel life into real life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit_451

[Reno.Muse]

5. This is because of all those presidential exec orders related to FEMA/Homeland Security

Firefighters nationwide get lots of money through states for emergency operations plans, etc. related to firefighting and, er, terrorism. If states refused to apply for these Homeland Security funds that they distribute down to cities, counties and tribes, people at the state would be out of jobs, federal level out of jobs and less money for "toys" for police and firefighters. It's a racket while our bridges fail ...

[AlertLurker]

6. This'll sure cut down on those damn Mooninite Terrorists!!!

[nightrider767]

7. Horrible Idea

I doubt fire fighters will buy into this....

[SyntaxError]

8. I would assume that even before this, if a firefighter saw bombs on someones kitchen table then they

would notify someone about that. I don't fully understand what they are asking firefighters to do...

[danhan]

10. I agree

I agree with you Syntax. I think if the firefighters saw something suspicious they would report it anyway. However, I also believe that they would object to it being a requirement for them to look for things.

[SyntaxError]

11. or to go out of their way to look for things...

which would be wrong, at least in my book(which happens to be a popup book)

[gatlingforme]

17. Do you think that well " if you aren't doing anything wrong, then

why should you be worried?" type of person??
let them pass all the anti-privacy laws they want because if your not doing anything wrongk, then you will be okay/?
HAHAHHAA, I love it when people say that CRAP -Until of course, they get screwed by the same law they were so adamently supporting. An example would be that a cop goes into a home and sees something suspicious, decides to report it and you get arrested then you find out that all it was was a stinking bowling ball in your closet and not a bomb, then what you gonna do??? That's after you are hauled in and sitting in jail for weeks and not have access to lawyers etc..
Thats when morons like this who believe this shit decide to wake up and get a effing brain!!!!!
BUT, your honor it was a bowling ball, really!!
FUCK THAT>

[Acadia Blue]

12. USA old soviet style.....thanks to the monkey in the White House.

[appleannie1]

13. I was a fire dispatcher.

If firefighters found things like bombs in a home, they have always reported it to law enforcement. What is really troubling is things like this: firearms or weapons boxes; surveillance equipment; still and video cameras; maps, photos, blueprints, little or no furniture other than a bed or mattress.

So if you are scrimping while working your way through college, studying to be an engineer and have a picture of your family home on a wall, does that mean you get put on a terrorist list?

[Bombero1956]

14. as a firefighter and fire marshal

I won't do it. It's hard enough getting the public's cooperation without having them think we're spies working for the Chimp. Many times my inspectors see drugs and other illegal activities when they enter homes and for the most part they ignore it unless it would cause a fire hazard.

[LiberalFighter]

15. What would be the consequences?

Firefighters not being trusted?
Firefighters being killed?
The public refusing to support firefighters with pay raises and increase personnel?
Homeowners relying on volunteer firefighters?

[LiberalFighter]

16. What's to say that Home Security or local police won't impersonate firefighters

as a means to avoid using legal warrants?


By the way, since when do postal carriers have access to private homes?

[One_Life_To_Give]

18. Nothing New

There is no "Privacy Right" concerning what a Firefighter might see inside a residence. Unlike in the case of "Medical Information" which is explicitly protected under the law. If there is a Crack Lab in your building and a Firefighter observes it. You can expect the ppolice will be back with a warrant based on the firefighters witness account.