Firefighters let home burn over $75 fee -- again

[one...two...tree 2,762]

SOUTH FULTON, Tenn. -- Firefighters stood by and watched a Tennessee house burn to the ground earlier this week because the homeowners didn't pay the annual subscription fee for fire service.

"You could look out my mom's trailer and see the trucks sitting at a distance," Vicky Bell, the homeowner, said.

For Bell, that sight was almost as disturbing as the fire itself."We just wished we could've gotten more out," she said.

It's the second time in two years firefighters in the area have watched a house burn because of unpaid fees. Last year, Gene Cranick of Obion County and his family lost all of their possessions in a house fire, along with three dogs and a cat, because the fire fee wasn't paid.

Related: No pay, no spray: Firefighters watch home burn

People in the city of South Fulton have fire protection, but those in the surrounding county do not unless they pay a $75 annual fee.

The city makes no exceptions.

"There's no way to go to every fire and be able to keep up the manpower, the equipment, and just the funding for the fire department," said South Fulton Mayor David Crocker.

Crocker said that by now, everyone should know about the city's fire policy.

"After the last situation, I would hope that everybody would be well aware of the rural fire fees, this time," he said.

In a nearby county, rural homeowners can purchase a $110 subscription to cover fires, but they can also pay on the spot for fire protection: $2,200 for the first two hours firefighters are on the scene and $1,100 for each additional hour, according to dailytimes.com.

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

The city has received a lot of criticism over its policy, but has refused to change it.

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

[luckytxn 2,265]

Should have paid the fee.

[Danno 1,228]

They no doubt thought the $75 was excessive.

Average household earnings is like 27,000 a year.

Different communities organize these services in different ways, I respect that.

Expecting the fire Dept to "act" though no payment has been made is not much different than calling the local insurance company "Cold" for not insuring this same family.. though no policy was taken out.

[maning 36]

They probably voted for that policy and thought he would never need firefighter services so he refused to pay the fee also. So good for them, lesson learned.

[^_^ 5,021]

A healthy young man of means can decide to be irresponsible and forgo purchasing catastrophic health cover and when catastrophe does hit all this young man need do is show up at the ER and he'll get treated until his condition is no longer acute (not complete treatment, but it's something).

I guess if they wanted the house saved, they should have stayed (or gone) inside.

[slim 1,533]

This is how every fire company in the country should operate.

[Danno 1,228]

This is how every fire company in the country should operate.

It's certainly one model and one in which people decide for themselves .... and accept the consequences.

I bet a ton of people saved 75 bucks when they didn't pay and had no fire.

In life these are the risks free people should be allowed to take.

Government screws up by stepping in to catch people when they fall which always leads to a loss of freedom for others.

For instance, if the local gov were to pay to put out this poor guys fire.... who else would pay?

What would be the result... Gov would take away the freedom to choose to pay the fee or not and everyone would be mandated to pay.

Once a mandate is in place, market forces evaporate and the $75 fee rapidly climbs and the whole of the community is worse off

just because Gov wanted to preserve one mans house (which was most likely insured anyway).

[Darnell 8,479]

I likes it ! Beats buying raffle tickets or showing up at a bbq.

Happy to pay for services on a yearly fee.

[slim 1,533]

It's certainly one model and one in which people decide for themselves .... and accept the consequences.

I bet a ton of people saved 75 bucks when they didn't pay and had no fire.

In life these are the risks free people should be allowed to take.

Government screws up by stepping in to catch people when they fall which always leads to a loss of freedom for others.

For instance, if the local gov were to pay to put out this poor guys fire.... who else would pay?

What would be the result... Gov would take away the freedom to choose to pay the fee or not and everyone would be mandated to pay.

Once a mandate is in place, market forces evaporate and the $75 fee rapidly climbs and the whole of the community is worse off

just because Gov wanted to preserve one mans house (which was most likely insured anyway).

Just summed up the whole problem.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I am going to stick my neck way out here and guess they also do no thave insurance for their stuff. Just a wild guess.

Why don't we choose an insurance company that MUST pay for their stuff even though they did not choose to buy insurance.

They have a trailer, it means it can be easily moved. I suggest the next trailer they buy be in a trailer park with fire protection they do not have to give thought to, or pay extra for, as they clearly are not able to make such decisions themselves. Or move it to one.

Education reduces mistakes. Mistakes provide education. Education is expensive. But cheaper than being stupid.

They are fortunate that so far their profound stupidity has not killed them and they will live to buy more stuff.

[Bobby+Umit 161]

I am going to stick my neck way out here and guess they also do no thave insurance for their stuff. Just a wild guess.

Why don't we choose an insurance company that MUST pay for their stuff even though they did not choose to buy insurance.

They have a trailer, it means it can be easily moved. I suggest the next trailer they buy be in a trailer park with fire protection they do not have to give thought to, or pay extra for, as they clearly are not able to make such decisions themselves. Or move it to one.

Education reduces mistakes. Mistakes provide education. Education is expensive. But cheaper than being stupid.

They are fortunate that so far their profound stupidity has not killed them and they will live to buy more stuff.

They didn't.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

(which was most likely insured anyway).

Otherwise a good post. Maybe we will force some insurance company that was not paid to replace their stuff.