Arresting People Who Stay to Protect Their Property During Disaster

Can homeowners waive that right to be rescued? It would be a nice CYA for all sides if police, instead of arresting citizens for not evacuating, have then sign a waiver. I too am in the right-to-die side. It's so stupid imo to refuse to evacuate, but damn, it should be your right. Rescue workers should not be obligated to rescue those who refuse (in writing) to follow the emergency procedures. These are adults making decisions and rescue workers are not their parents.

 

This would put the police in the unenviable position of having to visit all of those who stay in place to get them to sign the waivers. The whole point of this discussion is that the police have far too many important tasks to carry out during a hurricane to be bothered with worrying about the people who have been ordered to evacuate.

The police should have the ability, during a mandatory evacuation, to haul people to jail if they are out and about. That is the crux of this conversation.

 

But wouldn't hauling people to jail be more of a hassle with all the time and paperwork? I mean it's not like this law is going to assure 100% evacuation. It's about weighing rights and the greater good during an emergency. So I'm just thinking it might be a better alternative for cops to have some waiver and when the situation presents itself, have the adult who does not want to leave, sign it, abandoning the privilege of rescued if necessary.

 

What if the adult is looking to do some looting? I think the cops should have the option to take someone in a mandatory evacuation zone to jail if they are doing things they shouldn't be, like going out and about while under evacuation orders.

 

What if it's adults making the decision for their children? Does a parent have a right to willingly endanger a child?

 

In theory that would be a good idea but hard to do in practice. During Ike there were people who didn't want to evacuate and said they didn't want rescue only to end up calling for it later. I have a hard time thinking that any remotely ethical rescuer wouldn't try to save someone who was calling for help even if they had signed a waiver earlier.

 

They were told no during Ike. It really happened. You don't have to think about one bit.

 

Kind of like abortion?

 

Why don't you go wreck some other thread?

 

During the most dangerous part of the storm probably so but I doubt that they didn't rescue people when they could. I recall from watching the news feed that some rescues were made during they eye of people who had said they weren't leaving but then changed their mind and called for help.

Seriously lets say its a flood and a rescuer has a boat. Do they bypass people they see sitting on a rooftop yelling for help just because those people had foolishly signed a waiver earlier?

 

It is one thing for the dispatch to tell people no during the storm and something very different afterward for relief workers to see people in need and just ignoring them.

 

The same questions are being looked at in Australia...prior to the incidents this report examines, "shelter in place" was the dominant approach for Australian fires.

 

Interesting survey...

Full report here...

http://www.citizencorps.gov/pdf/2009_Citizen Corps_National Survey_Findings.pdf

 

I'd like to repeat that I have no problem letting people die.

 

This is the fundamental point on which we differ.

 

I think this is a bit ridiculous. A man should have the right to stay behind to protect their property if they wish. However, they should be warned that medical service may not be available to those in need. I wouldn't want a firefighter or EMS person risking their lives to save someone that stayed back at their own risk.

 

After the disaster, during the recovery, when it is the most dangerous your average EMS personnel will usually not deny aide to somebody in need regardless of the peril to themselves.

 

We've hashed this out already, but again, can a man make that decision for his kids?

 

I hope you're not an EMT or firefighter.

 

No no... I'm a brain surgeon. (I stayed a holiday inn.)