"Paying that fee is up to them. So, the fools who chose to live in this "cheaper" neighborhood and then also chose to not pay the $75 received exactly that for which they bargained....nothing." Pretty cold........pretty foolish. Is that how much you value a human life?
And don't turn it around on the homeowners who don't pay.....YOU, the firefighter, are the one making a decision not to take action.
Could YOU stand by and watch the house burn? Could YOU stand by and watch a potential death due to inaction by a fire department for want of a $75.00 fee?
In my opinion, a fire company that responds to a fire and doesn't attempt to put it out might as well turn in their hats and boots.
Here is one solution (I believe Deral also posed this scenario above.)
Communities such as this one continue charging the fee, and those who pay get regular fire services. Those who do not pay are held liable for the full cost of the response.
Now, maybe the community is letting itself in for collection problems at the back end, but at least no one will have death or injury on their hands for want of a lousy $75.00.
I have a simple rule for situations like this: "Do what you need to do to get the job done and deal with the bull**** later"
They should have put the fire out and let the city/municipality/fire dept deal with the aftermath. That may have included sending a bill for time and expenses, etc.
That is EXACTLY how it's done in Comanche County Oklahoma. They do not tie the hands of those that can help in an emergency.
Can you imagine what you would feel is someone lost a life while you watched? I shudder to imagine it.
Angleo
The report I read said that when he called 911, he stated that he would pay any and ALL costs associated with this fire. The fire department still did nothing.
It's not about money, it's about some BS council and stupid rules.
The department only has a responsibility to their home district. They owe no allegiance to anyone else.
I thought it was almost a national practice of having "mutual assistance agreements" between districts-it is in Maine, and it includes full insurance coverage for the fire fighters.
That system just doesn't work. What if someone lost their life in that fire. Would the firemen be guilty of manslaughter? I would have to say yes IMHO.
Sorry, but I have to ask the question: what kind of people would just stand by and watch the home burn?
"I fully understand why the fire crew did not go on the property where the fee had not been paid."
Pardon me for being blunt, but if thats how you really think you are a worthless excuse for a human being, and so were your parents for not teaching you basic morals.
Kris
Pardon me for being blunt, but if thats how you really think you are a worthless excuse for a human being, and so were your parents for not teaching you basic morals.
Wow. That leaves me speechless. That is horrible and incomprehensible.
OK. I appear to be heartless. Really, I'm not.
Yes. I would have been there to protect the adjoining property...only.
As Earl Pitts sez....WAKE UP AMERICA! The world owes each of us as individuals nothing. When we do our part, others may do theirs. Then, again, maybe they won't. That is how the world works. There is no such thing as a guarantee.
These people made a choice to live in a community that did nothing to assure basic fire protection services to inhabitants. They were given the option to purchase an insurance plan of a sorts by paying a nominal fee to a nearby fire department. They chose to not utilize this service. Therefore, they had no inalienable right to expect it to be provided. The fire department only showed up because the neighbor had acted responsibly to protect himself and his property. Otherwise, they would not have assembled and arrived NEAR the house fire. You didn't see fire trucks from a dozen other communities onsite either. They also had no obligation to be there. Blame all of them at the same time as you badmouth the ones who arrived to provide a service to someone who actually cared about their family and property.
If I were driving down the road near my home and saw a house on fire, I would take whatever actions possible to assist. That is me, acting as an individual. If I were 100 miles from home and saw a house on fire, I would call 911. I would not run into a burning house under any circumstances short of being able to hear someone in peril crying out. This is similar to all the cases of a non-swimmer drowning while trying to save someone else. The emergency crew then has two stupid people to try to save instead of just one. If I get caught inside the burning house with the first victim, who is now dead, the emergency crew now must endanger themselves in an effort to get me out.
If I were a trained first responder attached to some local service, I would jump from my car, contact 911, etc. and provide any lifesaving support that I could. If I am onscene because I arrived with the rest of the crew, I would provide service only as allowed.
"The world owes each of us as individuals nothing."?
But, what do we owe each other?
Do you live in this world ALONE?
I hope you never need help and your only recourse is someone who thinks as you do.
Jim
Are you talking to me or Holy Cow? I'd put the goddamn fire out and have on many occasions and I wouldn't stand by. I have morals and don't appreciate you insinuating that my parents didn't do a good job, at all!
I am wondering how they could be certain a person was not trapped inside? I assume they asked the owner, and maybe the owner said no one was inside, but how can you be sure? I know I have thought sometimes the wife had left for the store or something, only to walk into a room and there she was.
I understand the argument that if they broke the rules for one person, then no one would send in their $75 beforehand, but this just seems inhuman, the kind of things that shouldn't happen in a civilized society.
"Later that day, Cranick's son Timothy went to the fire station to complain, and punched the fire chief in the face.
"He just cold-cocked him," Police Chief Andy Crocker told the Union City Daily Messenger. The younger Cranick was arrested and charged with felony aggravated assault, and South Fulton Fire Chief David Wilds was treated and released from a hospital, Crocker said.
Firefighters in South Fulton city are under orders to respond only to fire calls within their city limits, as well as to surrounding Obion County, but only to homes there where people have signed up for a fire subscription service."
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Based on the above quote, those employeed by the City were doing precisely what they were hired to do. Doing otherwise would have cost them their jobs. Sure, the Union dude is complaining...that's his job. But, think about it. Would you risk your livelihood for providing a service that would quite likely result in no substantial benefit to anyone? That's the bottom line in this particular case. Obviously, there is a very strong reason for the City to enforce a policy that is counter to what most view as common decency. There may well be some history indicating why this policy is deemed essential. If you have a problem, take it up with the city commission, not the firefighter.
I hope the son gets the maximum sentence for his stupidity. The fire chief did his job as he was supposed to do it. Maybe we need to have some disgruntled adjoiners come along and give us black eyes because they did not like the way we provided a service to their neighbor.
Jim
I'm pretty sure it was squarely aimed at Holy. He used it as another reply to him also.
Based on the above quote, those employeed by the City were doing precisely what they were hired to do. Doing otherwise would have cost them their jobs.
Hmmm........What should come first, acting ethically and morally or fear of losing your job?
Holy
I have to be able to sleep at night. I'm sure some of those men lost sleep over doing nothing.
I was looking for a job when I found this one.
Holy
I'll agree to disagree on this point. Rules are made to be broken.
The rub is they responded to the neighbor. It's not that they didn't respond at all, that MAY be one thing, but standing by idle because of seventy five bucks, nah, someone's head will roll over this and the policy will change. I'm serious about if the fire commission gets a hold of this, some of those firefighters may lose their license as well for failure to render aid.
Kris
Kris - not you! I am speaking to Holy.
You can't be serious!
"those employeed by the City were doing precisely what they were hired to do. Doing otherwise would have cost them their jobs."
You have got to be kidding! If this is truly the state of things there is no hope for us as a civilized people.
