When do you call the fire department?

Question

I work nights, sleep during the day. I was waken by an explosion of sparks just pass my porch on the other side of my tree, at the back of my neighbor‘s house. I hurried outside, but the sparks seemed to have gone and the air thick with smoke.
We’ve had transformers blow on the corner, but this seemed too low for the wirers.
So I called the fire dept. (not 911, because I wasn’t sure it classed as an emergency and I told the operator that the smoke seemed to be dissipating now, so…)
Big ol’ fire truck came out and found a honking huge fire cracker in the bushes.
They took my name and D.O.B. and info, and left saying it was legal firecracker.
Admittedly, I come from a county where firecrackers are strictly illegal except for on the beach on the fourth of July, so I’m completely unaccustomed to firecrackers on open streets like allowed here in Humboldt.
Here’s the Q:
Am I going to be in trouble for calling the FD?
What was I suppose to do with an explosion of sparks and a lot of smoke?
When do you call the FD?

sorry.... not sure if this is an etiquette question or a law question... so here it is.

Answer 1

You will not get in trouble for calling the FD. You had a true concern. That's what they are there for. I probably would have checked things out a little more before calling but you were snapped out of sleep and probably very startled. You did the right thing by calling the FD and not 911. It's better to be safe than sorry. That's what the pros are there for, right? Usually you call the fire department when there is a fire that is too big to be handled with just a bucket of water OR if there is smoke coming from somewhere or something even if you can't see a fire. So you did the right thing. I'm glad it was only a firecracker. :)

Answer 2

You did well. You called it in to the non-emergency number but the operator can always decide to upscale the alarm. Sometimes sparks from fireworks (or any other sparks) can smolder for quite a bit before a larger fire ignites, and it was on the porch of a residence, I can understand they made it a priority call. That clearly means they took your message serious, that it turned out to be okay is no reason the call was not needed. You can best err on the side of caution, especially when you're calling the non-emergency number. Do exactly what you did, explain the facts as well as you can and the trained operator will decide what to do.

Answer 3

I think you did the right thing and here's why: If I were your neighbor, and I was at work and I had my little doggy children at home alone, and something like that happened, and lets say that one of the sparks actually caused a fire, which is very possible, and if you called the fire department like you did, then my doggy children more than likely would be fine, however, if you did not call the fire department, my doggy children could have perished in a horrible fire, and I would never be the same again. I would not know how I would ever get through that pain. So, please, always know, you did the right thing!

Answer 4

Don't worry, you are not in trouble, you did not make a false call, there really was sparks and smoke. Firecrackers have been known to cause fires, so you did the right thing.
If you had ignored it, and there was a fire, you would have been feeling a lot worse.
I'm glad they reported back to you that it was a firecracker, it should have relieved your wory that there was a fire.

Answer 5

You had a legitimate concern and I would have done the same thing. It's nice to see someone that looks out for their community and doesn't think "it's not my problem". You won't be in trouble either. You did exactly what you should do!

Addition - Are you talking about Humboldt, Saskatchewan? If so, you definatey are in no trouble, and yes the firecracker laws are quite a bit more lax!

Answer 6

You will not be in trouble for calling the fire department. They took information to put in their records as to why and where they go on runs. You did not do anything wrong, you didn't know what was happening. Some people still call fire departments for cats in trees. If you see fire, sparks, a lot of smoke you need to call them.

Answer 7

I don't think you're going to be in trouble. They would have told you if you were.
It's better safe than sorry! If it were a fire, you could have saved lives, property, and money by calling earlier rather than later.
If this ever happens again, you might recognize a firecracker, but in the future don't be afraid to call the fire department. That's their job.

Answer 8

It's better to play it safe. You did the best thing.

Don't worry about getting in trouble for calling the fire department. As long as you feel in danger (not for prank calling) it should be alright.

It's ok to call the fire department (or 911) whenever you feel in danger (or see something seriously illegal)

Answer 9

I think you did the right thing. You thought it was a fire and called them before it got out of hand. Even a fire cracker under the right circumstances can get out of control.

Answer 10

In a part of Cavite, a Visitor committed -almost- the same mistake
-but for a (completely) different reason..

Our auntie Josie's della Bicol's vast-and-expensive resturante, 32 Kms. south of Manila was not doing so well;
but it was two nights after the Barrio Fiesta and she had a goodly amount of food
left over -some of it was of a chilli-dish, that would almost 'dwarf' Thai-cooking -in HEAT!

Our visitor wanted, and got THE biggest serving.. and began eating..
After, two more bites, lept from the table, grabbed his mobile-'phone, began stabbing at it, screaming: "Ma-init! -Super ma-init!! (then:) FIRE !
-and ran- with everybody 'flapping', at last to the sink .-in the kitchen!

Always warn strangers of Bicol food-wit EXTRA chillis, in it.. -for Heaven's Sake!