fire dept wouldn't put the fire out...

[Flame]

They were out of their jurisdiction

Well where I come from, don't remember the proper name for it, but if there's an emergency, who ever is closest, goes there. There could be 3 different districts all at one fire. They all work together.

To deny helping someone out who is about to lose everything would be too narcistic for me to handle. I genuinely get tired of dumb people, but eh...end up helping them out anyways. We all make mistakes.

 

[noregrets]

I don't pay the fee for one reason if I pay or don't pay my house will burn down. The volunteers around here couldn't put out a cigarette with a super pumper.

Well why dont you join then and do it better!!!

Sorry, but as a volunteer firefighter myself people that say stuff like this really grates me.... I am not sure how it is in the states, but at any time of the day when our pagers go, we drop everything and run to go and help. Some of the stuff we see is far from pretty, and it comes at a cost to family and work commitments.

Note the word volunteer - you might think differently if you crash your car/need any help from these people!

 

[showcase 66]

Well where I come from, don't remember the proper name for it, but if there's an emergency, who ever is closest, goes there. There could be 3 different districts all at one fire. They all work together.

Two possible scenarios here:
1: they have an agreement in writing from the state fire marshal or
2: They are in the same district.

There can be many different groups within a district. Different colors, different look, different everything. But at the end of the day they are under the same district.

 

[1leonchen]

that is wrong just wrong! some time i wonder about the free world. i dont want to be banned so i wont say the rest.

 

[threeputt]

that is wrong just wrong! some time i wonder about the free world. i dont want to be banned so i wont say the rest.

You hit the nail on the head. Free world. Where you're free to make decisions about how you will care for your own personal property. (his house)

Not ask everyone else to care (pay) for your choices.

Guy declined to pay for protection that was offered at $6.50 per month. Now he whines. And people like yourself think the rest of the "free world" should help him out.

 

[JimJenson]

Guy declined to pay for protection that was offered at $6.50 per month. Now he whines. And people like yourself think the rest of the "free world" should help him out.

Suppose it was a clerical error? Should someones house burn down intentionally over a billing clerks mistake?

I personally believe the fire should have been put out. Figure out the financial aspect at a later time.

75 bucks is more or less an insurance rate, however a one time use fee of 5000$ (or fill in the amount) would have been appropriate. If the homeowner failed to pay, their property would be liened just as if it was a tax bill that was not paid.

 

[threeputt]

I personally believe the fire should have been put out. Figure out the financial aspect at a later time.

That's not a workable idea. Here's why:

Suppose the firefighter is injured in the course of putting out that fire. Or dies. The first thing the insurance carrier they have is going to say is,
"did this injury (or death) occur in the course of his normally scheduled duties?"

Ah...no, he was free-lancing. In the absence of a contract or specific agreement to perform that job at that time, he was not authorized to perform that function. (and then expect to be covered)

There are so many legal entanglements in any undertaking by a City Employee, but even more so when he goes out of his jurisdiction and does a job he's not authorized to do.

 

[knifemaker3]

It would be nice to live in an area where your tax dollars go to fire depts. However, that is not always the case. Where I live we are an all volunteer fire dept. of which I am a member of. We do respond even if the person is not a member. If they are not we do charge the customary $500 to THEIR INSURANCE However, most of the time the insurance doesn't pay or we get a $5 check in the mail. Most of the time we don't even bother because we know we aren't getting paid either way we go. Will we still respond? Yes. And this is on a @ $5000.00 per year budget made from fundraisers and what little membership dues we can collect. No firefighter is paid any money whatsoever. Most of us spend a minimum of $500 per year in personal gas, vehicle expenses, etc. to train and respond to fires and medical calls. YES WE SPEND OUR OWN MONEY of which we get no reimbursment And this is the norm in many communities across America. I'm not sure what the situation is in this particular area where this incident happened. But before you just assume things you need to be aware of what is actually happening in many areas in America today.

All you people who don't live in a non taxed based fire district do not understand what fire depts. all across america faces on a daily basis. It's the freeloaders that cost fire protection the most, yet everyone expects us to show up with all the latest muli thousand dollar equipment when they are in need. Most depts. are having troubles maintaining enough fire personel to even respond and have enough funds to even maintain their equipment. Yet somehow they are still expected to show up with a fully staffed vehicle to put out your fire when it happens. The majority of depts. are also volunteer, most not even paid per call volunteers ( at least in our area).

It would be nice to live in an area where your taxes pay for fire protection. However, many depts. are having to not respond to non member fires due to the increased cost of protecting those who do choose to pay. Yet, non paying members will always expect to get service even though they opt out of paying the required fees

This will turn out bad for the fire dept. because of the national publicity. Even though the guy chose not to pay the requirement to get said protection.

This makes the dept. in question look bad, even though they are probably doing the best they can to do what they can for those they protect.

People think that public servants should just be willing to risk their life for free. BEFORE YOU COMPLAIN GO RUNNING INTO A BURNING BUILDING WHEN NO ONE IS TRAPPED INSIDE AND RISK YOUR LIFE TO SAVE SOMEONE ELSE'S PROPERTY WITHOUT BEING PAID TO DO SO

I'D VENTURE TO SAY MOST IF NOT ALL OF YOU ON HERE WOULD REFUSE TO GO INTO A BURNING BUILDING EVEN IF YOUR WERE PAID! MUCH LESS ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS

'nuff said!

 

[Haakon]

http://www.dagbladet.no/2010/10/06/nyheter/utenriks/usa/brann/13725684/

This is now the front page news story on the largest newspaper here in Norway, and I bet on most other countries in Europe, and yes it makes both the fire department and US laws look bad to onlookers. Most of all it seems strange that you would have a choice to pay a tax to get help from the fire department, instead of it being automatically taken from your income tax or added to your property tax.

 

[binki]

This has been in the news here in Los Angeles for two days. Pretty much outrage at the fire dept.

General feeling is this is what current taxes are for and the extra fee is just a money grab.

 

[royster13]

The dude that had the fire did not pay taxes to support the fire department in question......He was outside the jurisdiction of the fire department in question.......

 

[binki]

The dude that had the fire did not pay taxes to support the fire department in question......He was outside the jurisdiction of the fire department in question.......

The primary purpose of government is the protect the public and provide infrastructure. The 75 bux fee is just a money grab. The fire folks are already on duty, already have the truck, water, and supplies. There is no added cost for them to have actually have helped this guy. It is just plain old mean and cruel.

 

[royster13]

No doubt it was mean and cruel but justified under the circumstances...This dude chose to live outside the area of fire protection, no doubt partially to save taxes charged in the adjacent organized area......So there is no way he can claim foul when his own plan backfires.....

 

[signmeup]

Royster13..... I'm beginning to think you are 13.

 

[cajun312]

I read this in a news story this morning,

SOUTH FULTON, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee woman says she doesn’t blame the firefighters who watched while her house burned to the ground after her family failed to pay a $75 annual protection fee.
Paulette Cranic said Wednesday the firefighters who came to the scene were just following orders. Cranic said her family had paid the fee in the past but simply forgot it recently.
She’s thankful no one was hurt in the fire last week that destroyed their doublewide trailer in rural northwest Tennessee.

 

[Gino]

Why have rules at all.... if for any reason you're all about breaking them ??

• I don't need shop insurance.... I'll just cry when my shop is broken into or burns down.
• I don't need health insurance, when something goes wrong, I'll just make a scene.
• I don't need auto insurance..... I'll just get it when I'm in an accident.
• You don't need anything in this life, someone will always bail your ass out of a jam.

Well, the buck has to stop somewhere and these people stopped paying and the fire department's hands were tied and could not go against the same rule and code the Cranick's opted out of. It's tragic, but simple.

One must know their circumstances and make a decision on how to cope with your every decision. With an attitude of happy go lucky and then complain about it when you're in a jam.... just doesn't sound like a very responsible grown up to me.

Where I live it's all volunteer people. I don't pay any extra, but I donate quite a large amount where I live and where our shop is. I want to make sure I'm taken care of. I don't fly by the seat of my pants and then when something goes wrong place the blame on someone else.

It's a total shame what happened, but many of you are pointing the blame at the wrong person.


Whatever happened to share and share alike ??

In other words, if he had participated and paid $75, he be 100% able to collect in full. He'd share in everything. He admitted he didn't think they would do this to him. Why was his thinking so clouded ?? Where did he ever get the notion this was a free ride ??

This is the mindset of too many people of today. Someone else will always bail me out. Too frickin' bad. No one was hurt and life goes on.

 

[CES020]

I don't pay any extra, but I donate quite a large amount where I live and where our shop is. I want to make sure I'm taken care of.

Are you telling me you donate more to make sure you get special treatment in case of a fire? What if your neighbor is on the verge of going out of business and they are fighting to keep afloat? Your business might be thriving and their's might be in the toilet. So you're saying that you should get taken care of and they should be ignored because they don't have as much money as you do?

I hope that's not what you're saying.

The formation of fire departments and other PUBLIC safety departments are called "PUBLIC", not "Public as long as you donate money to us".

I said it before and I'll say it again, if I were a fire fighter or a fire chief, there's no way in hell I could ever sit in my truck and watch someone's house burn down. That's just me. You might be able to sit there, knowing every single memory that family has is being destroyed and that you COULD stop it, but you chose not to, all over $75.

Was he wrong for not paying, absolutely. Where they wrong for watching his house burn down? Absolutely. If it wasn't their jurisdiction, then why were they at the site?

No way, no how could I drive a truck to a burning home and sit there and watch it because of some stupid tax being paid or not paid.

 

[Gino]

Are you telling me you donate more to make sure you get special treatment in case of a fire?
First, you don't know what I donate, give or do for them, so don't pretend to know something you have no clue about.
No where did I say such a thing. You're either not reading correctly or you have a problem comprehending. I said to make sure I get taken care of. They know me and my name and where I live.
What if your neighbor is on the verge of going out of business and they are fighting to keep afloat? Your business might be thriving and their's might be in the toilet. So you're saying that you should get taken care of and they should be ignored because they don't have as much money as you do?
I didn't make the same decisions they made, therefore I still have the ability to make choices... right or wrong. If they're good people, I'll personally help them. I've done this in the past with many people. I don't write about it because I think that cheapens the act.

I hope that's not what you're saying.
I'm not.

The formation of fire departments and other PUBLIC safety departments are called "PUBLIC", not "Public as long as you donate money to us".
Didn't say that either. Don't waste your time preaching to me. Tell someone who is already under the wrong conclusions.

I said it before and I'll say it again, if I were a fire fighter or a fire chief, there's no way in hell I could ever sit in my truck and watch someone's house burn down. That's just me. You might be able to sit there, knowing every single memory that family has is being destroyed and that you COULD stop it, but you chose not to, all over $75.
I'm not a fire fighter, so I personally would help them, if I could.

Was he wrong for not paying, absolutely.
Finally a correct statement.

Where they wrong for watching his house burn down?
No.
Absolutely. If it wasn't their jurisdiction, then why were they at the site?
Read or listen to the video, if you still haven't figured it out.

No way, no how could I drive a truck to a burning home and sit there and watch it because of some stupid tax being paid or not paid.
They didn't drive there to watch the house burn. They had to be there to protect the neighbors property and keep it from doing damage to the honest and innocent law-abiding people.

Read inserts above.

 

[CES020]

, you don't know what I donate, give or do for them, so don't pretend to know something you have no clue about.

See your own quote then. You're getting defensive telling me I don't know how much you donate, but you're the one that said you donate "quite a large amount". I got that from you, I didn't imply or make it up. I have no idea what you donate, nor do I care. That's your business and non of mine.

I donate quite a large amount where I live and where our shop is. I want to make sure I'm taken care of.

I'm just saying, if I were a firefighter, I couldn't watch someone's house burn to the ground because of some political B/S that some politician came up with to cover some budget shortfall while they spent money like drunken sailors on leave. If caring about someone's burning home over some politician's "rules", I'll take the caring part every time. If that makes me wrong, stupid, or an idiot, then so be it.

I stop and help people change their tires when they are on the side of the road. Most of the times, it's because they ran over something, but every so often, it's because they wore the tires out. I guess I shouldn't help people that knew their tires were worn. I should drive by them, slow down, and holler out the window "you should have gotten that fixed when you knew they were wearing".

I'm really shocked at some of the responses. So many of you, Gino at the top of the list, are people I think that go out of their way to help people. When you help people do you qualify it before you help, or do you just help because you are there, in the situation? Probably 95% of you help just to be helping, but here's someone that needed help, and you say "no way, he didn't follow the rules". Yet you don't do that when you help people in every day life. When you give someone $5 that's at a stoplight, asking for money (if you do), do you stop and ask them "Okay, now explain your situation to me. If you are homeless because you got fired, then I'm not going to give you the $5, but if you are homeless because you got ill and lost your job, then I'll pony up the $5.".

You just don't live your life like that, I don't think, but in this case, you do. I don't get it.

Oh well, different strokes for different folks.

 

[TheSnowman]

I haven't read this whole thread, cause I don't have that much time, but the whole "I live 5 miles out of town, a cop can't help thing" I don't get. Where I live, you have city police, and you have the sheriff's dept. If you live out of town, you deal with the sheriff's dept...that is your "police" so as far as your car getting stolen...no, you wouldn't call the city police, cause they aren't in your area.