Middle River Station 12 is along a pathway, as shown in the picture, that is frequently used for exercise, (running/walking) by those in the community. It is a good waypoint for those in the community who play PokemonGo, as it is a permanent fixture and a good marker for those exercising or traveling. There is a field that is directly in front of the station that is frequently used for flag football and other games by those in the community. The waypoint selected is nowhere near either entrance to the Ambulance or Engine Bay.
On my submission page, no reason was given for the community rejecting the POI. It appears to me that the submission was rejected ONLY because of its being a fire station. The rejection criteria provided to me by Niantic states the following:
Niantic Wayfarer Rejection Criteria
Ineligible location, place, or object: • Location obstructs the driveways of emergency services or may interfere with the operations of fire stations, police stations, hospitals, military bases, industrial sites, power plants, or air traffic control towers.
The location I have chosen neither obstructs the driveways of the emergency vehicles, nor interferes with any of its operations. (I work at this particular station so I selected a location that would not interfere with any of our operations.)
If a wayspot for/at a public fire station (including on the grounds of Fire Station/Department) doesn’t obstruct the driveways of emergency services or interfere with operations, then it can be allowed. There are many existing Fire Department wayspots in the US today that Niantic kept online because they didn’t obstruct/interfere with emergency services.
Niantic itself has responded to reports on Fire Station POI’s on its community forums and have stated the following, ”We took another look at the Wayspot in question and decided that it does not meet our criteria for removal at this time.” This has been the case when waypoints have been in the driveway of Emergency Vehicles.
I find it difficult to believe that this waypoint that has been submitted does not qualify when it is zero interference with the stations operations and is well know for being along an exercise path and as a place where those in the community frequently gather. It’s especially difficult to believe when the exact same location is also a power spot for max battles.
I would really like to hear from someone from Niantic that can clarify.
Fire stations are inelgiible, as as Wayspot there may obstruct emergency services. This is outline in the Rejection Criteria secion:
Location obstructs the driveways of emergency services or may interfere with the operations of fire stations, police stations, hospitals, military bases, industrial sites, power plants, or air traffic control towers
Regardless if one thinks there are areas that one may be able to play at without obstructing the station’s services, fire stations in their entirety are ineligible locations.
That’s not what the criteria says though. I’m at a hospital right now and there are several pokestops here. What the rejection criteria says is that if it obstructs the driveway or may interfere with operations, it doesn’t qualify. As an employee and station member, I’m am uniquely qualified to say whether or not the location interferes and the one I have selected does not. Case in point, as stated below, the exact same location is now a power spot and there are several other volunteer and career stations in the area that were approved as POIs. No disrespect, but how could you make the statement that fire departments don’t qualify when that hasn’t consistently been the case and others have been successful? I’m really hoping that a staff member sees and responds because it doesn’t make sense.
There’s no leeway with fire stations, unfortunately. If you try to nominate, they will most likely be rejected each time, regardless if there is an area nearby that may be acceptable to play at.
Also, if you see any fire stations with Wayspots, these should be reported for removal, as they no longer meet criteria. Fire stations may have at one time, but it’s been quite some time since they have not, and any Wayspots at fire stations should be removed.
Not talking of this nomination in particular but we have to remember that the current criteria to accept has change and is also different to the current criteria to remove.
Also the criteria is in regards to Emergency Services. In regards to Hospitals, there would have plenty of areas that don’t deal with Emergencies. I would not say that in regards to Fire Stations.
Are you able to provide proof of this? I haven’t seen this happening as of late. One of the most recent ones I have seen for a fire station was removed after staff took another look in the Wayspot Appeals section.
I have also had many fire stations removed via help chat or the abuse form without issue.
A lot of Power Spot imports are low quality, whether that’s because they’re in an inaccurate location, using outdated data, or because they represent ineligible locations. You shouldn’t be using them as a gauge for what a wayspot can be, as a lot of them aren’t actually wayspots in the first place.
Hello @ioneous
You posted here as your appeal had been rejected and appear to want that rejection to be reconsidered.
There is no Appeal the appeal route. We can only offer our experience as to why.
It is hard to tell from the screenshot but you do appear to have placed the pin position right on the area of the trucks. That would interfere. I appreciate that it is possible to play some distance from the pin in pokemon go but the rules are that we consider where exactly the pin is. So in terms of acceptance criteria it would be correct to reject.
There are many instances that you wont see where Fire Engine stations are removed. Occasionally the wayspot might not be the station itself but something else at the station that potentially could qualify. And if it is located away from the engines it may be permitted to stay as removal criteria is different from acceptance criteria. Each case is assessed on an individual basis and does not set a precedent for any other case.
So to go back to the start your nomination was correctly handled both by the community and the appeals staff.
Understandable, but if the purpose of the criteria is to prevent individuals from interfering with fire department operations, it should impact whether or not a power stop is there. It seems a little hypocritical to say, “all fire department stops are bad” and then consistently make them power spots.
No, as I wrote in the conclusion of my initial post, I wanted clarification. Based on the rejection criteria, I don’t believe the spot should have been rejected.
Thank you for that, that makes sense. However, based on how many people have been responding, it seems it’s irrelevant because as soon as someone sees “fire department” it’ll immediately be rejected, which I don’t think is right.
The entire community has done just that. The very first commenter said that fire stations, without exception, are rejected. That is a precedent that has been set for every case by members of the community. Granted, you make a really good point about the position of the waypoint itself, but I bet dollars to donuts that even if I reposition the waypoint and take separate photos, because it’s a fire station, it’ll be rejected. I think that’s wrong.
Hey there @ioneous I get your point and have made a similar point in the past. However, unless Scopley changes the current rules and criteria. No reviewers is going to approve something listed as a Fire Station.
Your point of the pin not being on the driveway withstanding. It’s something that Wayfarer Admins have made clear since the last couple iterations of the criteria.
Your chances of getting it overturned on appeal are about as slim.
If you are looking for something in the area. I’d try to look across the street at Vince’s Crab House and see if there is a mural on the wall to nominate.
Thanks for the suggestion. I wouldn’t use Vince’s, only because it’s been boycotted for the owner using some racist remarks. Even thought it was a while ago, the community is still pretty sore about it.
And that one was not for the fire station itself, but for a coat of arms which was away from the engines.
It was also a request for removal, and yours is a request for acceptance, they are 2 different things - yes that sounds odd but it is the way things are.
The powerspot import should be rreported for consideration of removal.
Thanks for that Reading through the thread, it seems to me that there isn’t enough clarity for what is or isn’t approved for fire stations. The OPs POI shouldn’t have been removed based on the criteria that Niantic established (it wasn’t even a fire station and shares no driveway with it.) I agree with one of the commenters that said it was rejected just because “fire station” is in the name. I appreciate your thoughts on it as well. I would also like to hear how Niantic clarifies things like this because if I were to resubmit, place the waypoint in the park where everyone actually plays, and have the Fire station as the picture, I know it’ll still get rejected for two reasons.
“fire station is in the name”
the field itself doesn’t have any unique identifiers, so you would have to use the station as the landmark.
Coat of arms was right next to the driveway of the vehicles. My point in sharing was that this was on FD property, it shares a driveway with the apparatuses, and the removal was rejected. If the criteria is that it can’t interfere with operations or driveway, and OP feels that it does and requests for it to be removed, and that request is rejected, then it’s relevant.
That’s like saying that a waypoint can’t be near any adult stores, and someone reports a waypoint next to an adult store, and the removal request is rejected, then saying that the removal and acceptance are different things. It sends mixed messages.
Reading through the thread, it seems to me that there isn’t enough clarity for what is or isn’t approved for fire stations. The OPs POI shouldn’t have been removed based on the criteria that Niantic established (it wasn’t even a fire station and shares no driveway with it.) I agree with one of the commenters that said it was rejected just because “fire station” is in the name. I appreciate your thoughts on it as well. I would also like to hear how Niantic clarifies things like this because if I were to resubmit, place the waypoint in the park where everyone actually plays, and have the Fire station as the picture, I know it’ll still get rejected for two reasons.