Dear Homeland Security: Firefighters Not Spies

It's a sad day for the major papers when it takes the Telegraph, a British joint, to let us know that the Department of Homeland Security has come up with the brilliant plan of asking firefighters to not only put out fires and administer emergency medical attention, but to act as agents of domestic intelligence. Valued for their ability to enter private residences and businesses without search warrants, DHS is reported to have begun a program training first responders in New York and other cities to screen the private homes and businesses they enter for chemicals, blueprints, flight manuals, and signs of "hate speech" or "hatred of and discontent" with the United States, including books. Firefighters are even instructed to report "little or no furniture other than a bed or mattress." I guess this means I need to make some more trips to Ikea and hide my copy of "The Shock Doctrine" before I dial 911 next time.

Multiple Choice Quiz!

This program began over a year ago and is:

a) just plain creepy;
b) yet another attempt on the part of this government to void the probable cause clause of the Fourth Amendment;
c) likely to degrade the effectiveness of first responders by adding responsibilities that have nothing to do with their job;
d) likely to degrade the relationship of trust between undocumented immigrants and first responders, making them even less likely than they already are to call for emergency help;
e) all of the above.

Remember, the fire department can enter any structure it deems necessary at any time-- not just to put out a fire, but for purposes of inspection. And according to one fire chief in Arizona, sharing imputed, hearsay evidence of the political beliefs of American citizens with Homeland Security is merely "the evolution of the fire service."

UPDATE: FOX, of all sources, reported this on November 25. Video here.