It would be far easier to explain to pax why fire vehicles are following you down a runway, than to their reletives (in the subsequent board or enquiry), because you (pilot) hadn't declared an emergency, or passed on the full fact to prevent bad publicity or so as not to cause a 'fuss'.
When a the reletively 'small' number of pilots come for a visit. I always remind them not to be afraid to declare an emergency. As an ATCO I provide an ALERTING SERVICE.
