I wanted to take a moment and discuss something related to the hobbies of several fire alarm enthusiasts, and that is taking pictures of fire alarm devices in public. I had something happen to me today that I feel warrants a discussion.
I had an interview earlier today at a local hospital where I plan on volunteering. While waiting for a ride home, I got out my personal cell phone and took pictures of fire alarm devices from an older Simplex system (80s-90s with whiffleball detectors, 2902-9207 chimes on 2903 light/strobe plates). I made sure not to get pictures of other persons in my shots. There was no information in my volunteer packets that explicitly mentioned anything regarding the use of electronic devices for taking pictures. Shortly afterwards, I was approached by a security guard for the hospital, and I was asked if I was taking pictures, and I confirmed that. The security guard said to me that this was not allowed, as it was a violation of HIPAA regulations (HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). I was asked for personal information (name, occupational status, reason for taking pictures), which was written down on a handheld notepad. I was asked also to delete the pictures I had taken. I complied with all these requests without arguments and promptly apologized for my actions. The security guard then let me go, without detaining me or handcuffing me or referring me over to other law enforcement agencies. The security guard was never up in my personal space and the whole process was calm throughout. I feel like this was more of a warning not to this again instead of being some kind of citation or sanction against me. I felt really scared as I walked away, and I could feel my vision starting to pixelate with shades of green, pink, and gray, all while my hearing started to become muted. All of this gradually went away as I kept walking, but I really felt like I was going to pass out, especially because of how I responded due to my Asperger’s Syndrome. I did not disclose to the security guard that I was on the autism spectrum nor did I mention I was taking pictures of fire alarm devices as a hobby.
Now, I have shared pictures of fire alarm devices I have taken with you all in the past, and in almost all circumstances, I was never confronted nor inquired about my decisions to take fire alarm pictures. I even shared pictures of Beaumont Hospital that never had any information used to identify patients with, and I wasn’t even confronted. I started taking pictures back in November 2015 as a way for me to contribute my findings on fire alarm systems, and now I am at an impasse about where to go from here. I know of a couple of retail chains (Toys R Us, Pier 1 Imports) that don’t allow photography (as explained to customers next to store hours). I didn’t notice any photography restrictions inside a hospital setting, but I chose to be ignorant and take pictures due to the historic/unique nature of the devices; therefore, I accept full responsibility for what happened and for what may happen based on my actions.
My questions to all of you are as follows: What have been your experiences in taking fire alarm photos? Have you had similar situations like mine?