TN Firefighters Let Non-Subscriber's House Burn Over $75 Fee

[GBFD111 73]

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/07/9272989-firefighters-let-home-burn-over-75-fee-again?lite

This is tragic that incidents like this occur.

[INIT915 1,119]

There has been a few threads on this. Interesting that the victims so openly admit being aware of the policy, but choosing to gamble anyway.

[The Axe 8]

They are not firefighters! No one with a conscience would stand by and do nothing because of dollars and cents! Paid or volunteer! When there time of judgement comes and asked why you didn't help when you could of? really! are you going to say because they didn't pay! what a disgrace!

[ny10570 745]

They are not firefighters! No one with a conscience would stand by and do nothing because of dollars and cents! Paid or volunteer! When there time of judgement comes and asked why you didn't help when you could of? really! are you going to say because they didn't pay! what a disgrace!

We're going to really do this thread again? The dept responds to ensure there is no life threat. If everyone is out of the structure and the fire will not spread it is allowed to burn. The homeowner knew the risk when they chose to not participate in funding the FD.

If they offer their full services regardless of whether or not they paid, why would anyone pay until they needed help. You're now punishing everyone that was responsible and paid their fair share.

Edited June 20, 2012 by ny10570

[firefighter36 52]

"Bell and her boyfriend said they were aware of the policy, but thought a fire would never happen to them."

I think this line of the article speaks for itself. That thought process from the public and politicians is often a recurring issue when debating what is an acceptable level of service.

[INIT915 1,119]

We're going to really do this thread again? The dept responds to ensure there is no life threat. If everyone is out of the structure and the fire will not spread it is allowed to burn. The homeowner knew the risk when they chose to not participate in funding the FD.

If they offer their full services regardless of whether or not they paid, why would anyone pay until they needed help. You're now punishing everyone that was responsible and paid their fair share.

Exactly. Once again, no one wants to take any personal responsibility. We can debate the merits of their system (again), but that fact remains, that's how things work down there. You can either choose to participate or choose to decline. But, you can't complain about it after the fact because you rolled the dice and came up short.

[10512 214]

An analogy could be me not paying my car insurance. When I get into an accident, should I then expect the insurance company to cover my damages if I make a claim on a policy that I have not paid for?

Edited June 20, 2012 by 10512

[ex-commish 490]

I for one could not sit there and watch someone's home burn down.

[JetPhoto 626]

It's not to different then the story NBC did last night about people who don't carry renters insurance. Some felt that nothing would happen others didn't know about it.

[helicopper 1,050]

The original topic, poll, and discussion:

[bigrig77 95]

How do these Departments keep track of who is paid and who is not? Is it marked on the run card? Are they looking up if that address is in a database? Seems that this should be included in everyones taxes. I think that it would not be to much to ask that people can feel safe in their own homes. Also $75 a year doesn't seem enough to cover a FD's expensece. If every household paid $75 it would be $81,075 total.

[newsbuff 286]

Also $75 a year doesn't seem enough to cover a FD's expensece. If every household paid $75 it would be $81,075 total.

In many parts of this country, that is definitely enough.

[grumpyff 1,159]

Thats more than some departments In NY operate with (outside of LI,Putnam, Westchester). Keep in mind that not every state taxes like NY does, they may not have the authority to levee taxes for fire protection. I know my in laws in Indiana have to pay extra for garbage removal, it is not part of their taxes.

[ny10570 745]

How do these Departments keep track of who is paid and who is not? Is it marked on the run card? Are they looking up if that address is in a database? Seems that this should be included in everyones taxes. I think that it would not be to much to ask that people can feel safe in their own homes. Also $75 a year doesn't seem enough to cover a FD's expensece. If every household paid $75 it would be $81,075 total.

When you're using second hand POS trucks held together with spit and duct tape you'd pray for 80k a year. People outside the north east are not exactly fans of "big" government. They don't pay for what they see as non-essential. A year ago maybe people could say they didn't know. The homeowner in that case knew, rolled the dice, and lost. Now after all the publicity how can you defend people that still don't pay?

[JM15 386]

Bell and her boyfriend said they were aware of the policy, but thought a fire would never happen to them.

This whole situation boils down to this one sentence....