Nosey Neighbors

Tonight we had a call of "the smell of something electrical burning" turned out to be nothing big but as part of our SOGs, we rolled two engines and a ladder. two police happened to be nearby, plus the chief's car. We determined it was a motor on something downstairs (I wasn't down there at the time. All I needed to hear was burnt up motor.) As I was getting back on the engine, a neighbor walks up to me and says, "I live next door. Is there anything I need to know?" "No sir. nothing serious." "You've got all the trucks here and you tell me it's nothing serious?" "yes sir. nothing serious." "Was it a gas leak?" "no sir. it was nothing to worry about."

Maybe it's because I'm becoming an EMT and I'm getting in the habit of following HIPAA, but I tend to not make it my place to tell the public anything.

How do you deal with those nosey neighbors?

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Permalink Reply by CJ Knapp on January 16, 2009 at 9:43pm

Exactly what you did.... I have to deal with HIPPA everyday as well... But, to hell with HIPPA it's none of thier damn buisness... LOL

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Permalink Reply by Kayla Bartlett on January 16, 2009 at 9:45pm

yeah your right its not there buisness... I have to deal with them all the time cause everyone has a neighbor and they always need to know whats going on.. read it in the paper.. lol

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Permalink Reply by Adam Box on January 16, 2009 at 9:51pm

Well if the house is on fire, it's one thing. but if it's something small (such as a burnt out motor) that tends to get on my nerves.

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Permalink Reply by Jason Brooks on January 16, 2009 at 10:23pm

If the house is on fire, they should be able to figure that one out themselves. The funny thing is that most of these people wouldn't give each other the time of day normally. But, when we show up, suddenly they are all concerned.

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Permalink Reply by Kayla Bartlett on January 16, 2009 at 10:26pm

yeah thats deff true... and its sad cause after you leave they dont really care anymore...

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Permalink Reply by turk182 on January 16, 2009 at 10:37pm

Tell them nothing let your chief or P.I.O. to give out the information.

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Permalink Reply by reece on January 16, 2009 at 10:42pm

but sometimes it is better to let them know just so they dont go over board with it, and also hippa is for personal info that would have been for them to sleep better at night info. sometimes to just let the public know is a good thing

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Permalink Reply by Adam Box on January 17, 2009 at 12:53am

My two favorite responses to public interest:
Citizen: Oh my goodness, is that house on fire? (gestures towards house that is obviously on fire.)
FF: nope.

#2.
Citizen at detour: What do you mean I have to go around? I can't go around. What's going on?
FF: Fire department activity sir.
Citizen: What KIND of activity?
FF: Arts and crafts sir. move along.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff on January 17, 2009 at 1:04am

I think you handled the situatin great. It is none of the neighors buisiness what is going on. If something posed a threat to them then thats different. I would of done exactly what you did.