Would you contact CPS?

[Anonymous]

I have an acquaintance who admitted to having no working smoke detectors in their home, which they share with their 4 young children. Their excuse? They are a light sleeper, so it would be fine. I challenged them, assuming they were joking, but no, they were dead serious. I can’t stop thinking about it, and about how quiet fires are, and how deadly they can be without being loud, and that this is exactly why smoke detectors exist. I tried explaining but it fell on deaf ears.

I don’t want to mess up this person’s life, or the kids, I just wish they’d be forced to install working detectors. Would I be wasting my time? What would you do?

[Anonymous]

Are you for real?!? I will never call CPS for something like that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you for real?!? I will never call CPS for something like that

How would you live with the guilt if anything happened, and a quick call may have changed the outcome?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you for real?!? I will never call CPS for something like that

How would you live with the guilt if anything happened, and a quick call may have changed the outcome?

This is not what CPS is for. Yes, that's a terrible decision on her part, but CPS is not an appropriately shaped intervention for what you are describing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you for real?!? I will never call CPS for something like that

How would you live with the guilt if anything happened, and a quick call may have changed the outcome?

I think you have very high anxiety. You can suggest what do you think is best but cannot control other people lives and you can report to CPS only if there is an imminent danger. what is next? Are you going to verify how big or small they cut fruit for their toddlers to avoid chocking hazard? Or, if they have a newborn, are you going there at night to check if they follow all the safe sleep recommendation?

[Anonymous]

Cps would do anything. Buy them a few and help install.

[Anonymous]

Just buy them a working smoke detector!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you for real?!? I will never call CPS for something like that

How would you live with the guilt if anything happened, and a quick call may have changed the outcome?

This is not what CPS is for. Yes, that's a terrible decision on her part, but CPS is not an appropriately shaped intervention for what you are describing.

OP here. Is there anything else I could do? I’m open to any ideas. I suggested free detectors from the fire station, and even offered for my husband to install them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you for real?!? I will never call CPS for something like that

How would you live with the guilt if anything happened, and a quick call may have changed the outcome?

I think you have very high anxiety. You can suggest what do you think is best but cannot control other people lives and you can report to CPS only if there is an imminent danger. what is next? Are you going to verify how big or small they cut fruit for their toddlers to avoid chocking hazard? Or, if they have a newborn, are you going there at night to check if they follow all the safe sleep recommendation?

I’m just aghast at the complete lack of concern for such serious danger. But you make good points. I suppose I’ll leave it alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you for real?!? I will never call CPS for something like that

How would you live with the guilt if anything happened, and a quick call may have changed the outcome?

This is not what CPS is for. Yes, that's a terrible decision on her part, but CPS is not an appropriately shaped intervention for what you are describing.

OP here. Is there anything else I could do? I’m open to any ideas. I suggested free detectors from the fire station, and even offered for my husband to install them.

You did what you could. People are responsible for their own choices

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cps would do anything. Buy them a few and help install.

This! Or if you're too lazy, just call the local fire department and ask for their help to help install.

what would make you even think CPS is an answer? You need to rethink your values and place independence over "call the gmen".

[Anonymous]

Uh, CPS isn't going to do anything...

[Anonymous]

You could always report to code enforcement which will result in a civil penalty. It's not criminal to not have smoke detectors.

Does she have a real reason, like radiation poisoning, for her dislike of smoke detectors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you for real?!? I will never call CPS for something like that

How would you live with the guilt if anything happened, and a quick call may have changed the outcome?

I think you have very high anxiety. You can suggest what do you think is best but cannot control other people lives and you can report to CPS only if there is an imminent danger. what is next? Are you going to verify how big or small they cut fruit for their toddlers to avoid chocking hazard? Or, if they have a newborn, are you going there at night to check if they follow all the safe sleep recommendation?

I’m just aghast at the complete lack of concern for such serious danger. But you make good points. I suppose I’ll leave it alone.

I am aghast at your complete lack of concern for the serious danger caused by placing a family in contact with CPS for something this common.

Send a Taskrabbit to install them and save the full power of the state for a problem that cannot be solved privately.

[Anonymous]

No, never. Calling CPS is never ever the answer. Don’t be evil.