Taking Pictures at a Fire Scene

hate to bother the room with this but something cute happened at a fire the other day. i was ordered to stop taking pictuires at a fire by a cop who asked why i was taking pictures of a fire? later when i had moved to where she told me to i was taking more pictures when she told me again to move on so she would not have to arrest me for obstruction. i'm only asking because i'm not sure if any laws had changed. (seriously)- i'm really not sure, because (post 9-11) i'm not sure if some laws had been changed and i somehow missed it

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Permalink Reply by Olivia Jones on May 21, 2010 at 12:38pm

Russ, it can vary by where you live, but I know that in my part of Ga. there is no law that states you can not take pictures at a fire scene. Now if you are too close to the hot zone you will be told to move back, but otherwise you are within your rights at least around here.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on May 21, 2010 at 12:50pm

I don't know the cops thoughts on the matter....But, I do know mine.....If you had nothing better to do on a fire scene than to be taking pictures then you shouldn't have been there...Was this your Departments scene...? or were you out for a stroll and came across a Fire and decided to stop and take a photo-op...? I know we keep track of strange or unusual people at scenes "just-in-case" it turns out to be arson....Maybe this was the LE officers thoughts as well....and in response to your question....No, I don't think the law has changed.....

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Permalink Reply by Brandon on May 21, 2010 at 12:52pm

I wouldnt worry about it, there is no law or way to get in trouble for that what so ever hell most of us take shots with out dagon cell phones and helmet cams no diffrence if there was i mean then how would you have billions of videos and pictures of fire calls over the years. now if she asked you to move to a specific area then yes that she can do. as long as you are behind the boudry nothing can be done and if she did arrest you i would fight it casue it would probly get thrown out. normal ppl are no diff then the press doing the same thing

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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on May 21, 2010 at 12:57pm

Brandon...Be careful with your advice...there IS a law..."Failure to comply with a law enforcement Officer"...Why stir up crap...if it wasn't a fire you were working (obviously not) then for some reason you were asked to move...simply solution....MOVE.

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Permalink Reply by WestPhilly on May 21, 2010 at 1:04pm

Russ,

You're skating on thin ice coming here looking for advice about firefighting. This DEFINITELY ain't the place to look for legal advice! Having said that, I will now render my opinion. The cop was wrong to order you to stop taking pictures - IF that's what the cop really said. If it was more along the lines of "you're in the way", that's different.

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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on May 21, 2010 at 1:07pm

Bearing in mind of course that, in his mind what happened was "...something cute..." I'm thinking there may be some cognitive dissonance at work here.

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Permalink Reply by WestPhilly on May 21, 2010 at 1:31pm

Wow! From fire, to law, to psychology. I need to lie down. (Where's that sofa?)

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Permalink Reply by Roman Isaryk on May 21, 2010 at 1:34pm

I was told a few weeks ago at a Fire Scene I couldnt take pics because of them investiagating the Fire. That is the only time that has happen to me so I listen to them other time it happen was from a Home Owner who did not want want pics taken of there House Burning I respect that so I just took pics of the crews. But most of the time If they say you cant take pics more then likely its because of the Invest going on............

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Permalink Reply by WestPhilly on May 21, 2010 at 1:51pm

Roman,

How does picture-taking interfere with the investigation? I'm assuming we're not talking about one of them there old-time cameras where you put your head under cover and hold up the flash thingie that practically explodes, are we?