Firefighters let a home burn down because $75 fee wasn't paid!

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BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
64,137
12,457
136
Then the city needs to just make it a tax rather than voluntary. Making it voluntary sets them up for scenerios that could fall into grey areas.

The city can't levy a tax on residents who don't live in the city...and the county doesn't provide fire protection, so they can't levy a tax for a service they don't provide. YES, I suspect the county COULD enter into an agreement with the city to provide fire services for county residents, but how far do they go? Do they provide services to the folks who live at the far reaches of the county, or perhaps live closer to a town in a neighboring county?

Is this a fucked up situation? Yes. Unfortunately, it COULD have been avoided if the homeowner would have simply paid the $75 fee when it was due.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
The city can't levy a tax on residents who don't live in the city...and the county doesn't provide fire protection, so they can't levy a tax for a service they don't provide. YES, I suspect the county COULD enter into an agreement with the city to provide fire services for county residents, but how far do they go? Do they provide services to the folks who live at the far reaches of the county, or perhaps live closer to a town in a neighboring county?

Is this a fucked up situation? Yes. Unfortunately, it COULD have been avoided if the homeowner would have simply paid the $75 fee when it was due.

Yep. That really is the end of the discussion. This was not a decision of life or death where life should be preserved no matter what. This was a decision of property and property owner taking a gamble, and he lost.

My neighbor is a volunteer fireman and he sees it exactly the same. I believe his words were "if you don't care of your shit why would you expect us to take care of it for you for free?"
 

mmntech

Lifer
Sep 20, 2007
17,501
12
0
This is what hapens when desk dictators, aka bureaucrats, are given too much power. I don't know about the US but its not unusual for fire departments to call in reinforcements from other regions here. Taxes are paid to the county as well as the city.

While its true the family should have paid, its still gross negligence by the fire department. They could easily have charged them for the service later. They instead chose to neglect their duty. Firefighting is considered an essential service.

This family should sue the fire department for the full value of their destroyed property. I think they definitely they have a case.
 

gypsyman

Senior member
Jan 14, 2001
674
9
81
I wonder if this is the first year he forgot to pay or if he stiffed the county fire department for years.
 

tatteredpotato

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2006
3,934
0
76
Sucks to be that dude, however the FD isn't responsible.

Now if they (the FD) were smart, they would provide the service at a cost that is grossly higher than the one time fee (say $5k-$10k) so they make some money when these people "forget" to pay for the service.
 

qliveur

Diamond Member
Mar 25, 2007
4,086
70
91
"Save my house!"

"Nope. We'll just stand here and watch it burn, cheapass."

LOL
 

MegaVovaN

Diamond Member
May 20, 2005
4,131
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Sucks to be that dude, however the FD isn't responsible.

Now if they (the FD) were smart, they would provide the service at a cost that is grossly higher than the one time fee (say $5k-$10k) so they make some money when these people "forget" to pay for the service.

Don't you read the thread? County residents can tell FD to pound sand with bill cuz FD is in the city, not in county jurisdiction!

Besides not many fires.... more $$$ if 100 people pay $75 every year. IF there's 3 fires and they charge $5k each, not gonna be profitable at all.
 

kevman

Diamond Member
Apr 20, 2001
3,548
1
81
those firefighters are assholes. They should have done their fucking job and put out the fire. Do the cops in this town watch people get robbed and not help ? What the fuck?
 

rockyct

Diamond Member
Jun 23, 2001
6,656
32
91
This is stupid. Would you assholes be saying the same thing if a child was in the burning house? This is nothing like car insurance. This is a basic government service. They should sue. The law is dumb. If the county really wanted the $75, just tax them.
That's socialist speak. Go back to Russia.
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
81
those firefighters are assholes. They should have done their fucking job and put out the fire. Do the cops in this town watch people get robbed and not help ? What the fuck?

It was not their job. Do you do your job without being paid? Are you learning impaired?
 

MrX8503

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2005
4,529
0
0
You don't pay for insurance after you've already had an accident. He should of paid the $75 originally, not after or during the fire accident.
 

Lash444

Golden Member
Sep 17, 2002
1,708
63
91
I'm sure the people of that area could pay for coverage from somewhere, they probably chose not to because of the price, so the city offers a service for a fee.
How many people would pay their $75 fee if they knew that the fire department would still put out the fire after the fact?
If they price gouge over their cost, there will be public outrage.
If they put out his fire, what incentive do others have to pay for the service?
If they don't put out the fire, do you think other people might realize that THEY SHOULD GET THIS SERVICE IN CASE THEIR HOUSE CATCHES FIRE?

Its great that its a firefighters duty is to put out a fire. The guy was too cheap to pay $75 to cover his house. You now expect that he will accept the costs of putting out a house fire? Others quoted "$1000." I have a feeling that is a significant low ball range. If they were called and showed up to a clothes hamper on fire, and let it burn down a mansion, i could understand the outrage.

Its disgusting that this should happen to anyone, I agree. If everyone either a.) paid for the service, or b.) paid the total cost after-the-fact, this would never be an issue. Unfortunately it is.

Does their insurance company cover everything if they fight fires for people outside of the city who don't pay the fees? What if one of the firefighters gets seriously injured helping this guy? Who is paying for that?

Why is anyone paying for any type of insurance? Lets all just play russian roulette and hope that nothing happens. We are all good for it when the bill rolls in.
 

Capt Caveman

Lifer
Jan 30, 2005
34,543
651
126
those firefighters are assholes. They should have done their fucking job and put out the fire. Do the cops in this town watch people get robbed and not help ? What the fuck?

Except this house wasn't in their town/jurisdiction. Going to this fire would jeopardize the safety of the citizens of their town if a fire would happen while trying to put out this fire. Plus, the increased possibility of injury to the firefighters for a non-life threatening situation.
 

Zorkorist

Diamond Member
Apr 17, 2007
6,861
3
76
They went to the fire, they stood by and let the house burn down.

It's inhuman. And therefore it is Government.

-John
 

MrX8503

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2005
4,529
0
0
$75 fee would come out to $6.25/month. The homeowner was a cheapass and didn't want to pay the fee.

You can't pay after an accident because that is not how it works. The county as a collective group with everyone paying $75 covers everyone. If people paid individually case by case, the costs would be much much higher than $75 for the individual.

Thus which is why you MUST pay the fee beforehand so that you can cover such accidents.


They went to the fire, they stood by and let the house burn down.

It's inhuman. And therefore it is Government.

-John

They went to the fire to protect the house nearby of which the homeowner "remembered" to pay the fee. They didn't go to the fire to watch his house burn down for shits and giggles.

Inhuman? There wasn't a baby trapped inside.
 
Oct 27, 2007
17,009
1
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This is a libertarian's wet dream. Unfortunately I live in an evil socialist country where the firefighters (with their evil red trucks) will put out any fire. Fucking commies.
 

Zorkorist

Diamond Member
Apr 17, 2007
6,861
3
76
Why should I pay the Government to pave my roads, when I can do it better, or cheaper, if not to pay them to put this guys house fire out?

You want to be Government? You want to have these flashy blue-lights?

Put the fire out.

-John
 

Zorkorist

Diamond Member
Apr 17, 2007
6,861
3
76
$75 fee would come out to $6.25/month. The homeowner was a cheapass and didn't want to pay the fee.

You can't pay after an accident because that is not how it works. The county as a collective group with everyone paying $75 covers everyone. If people paid individually case by case, the costs would be much much higher than $75 for the individual.

Thus which is why you MUST pay the fee beforehand so that you can cover such accidents.




They went to the fire to protect the house nearby of which the homeowner "remembered" to pay the fee. They didn't go to the fire to watch his house burn down for shits and giggles.

Inhuman? There wasn't a baby trapped inside.
There could have been.

I'm pretty sure that they shit and giggled as they watched his house burn.

-John
 

Zorkorist

Diamond Member
Apr 17, 2007
6,861
3
76
Yes, it's inhuman of the county government to not provide their citizens with fire protection service.
It's inhuman for humans to stand there while a home burns down.

If the fire department isn't going to act, then citizens should have the right to kill fire department people that are preventing them to act.

Same with police.

If Government isn't going to be responsible, then get the fuck out of the way.

-John
 
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Capt Caveman

Lifer
Jan 30, 2005
34,543
651
126

Capt Caveman

Lifer
Jan 30, 2005
34,543
651
126
It's inhuman for humans to stand their while a home burns down.

if the fire department isn't going to act, then citizens should have the right to kill fire department people that are preventing them to act.

Same with police.

If Government isn't going to be resposible, then get the fuck out of the way.

-John

LOL. Over property? Was anyone's life threatened? Maybe this dumbass should have paid for the insurance. Maybe this dumbass should have moved to a place that had fire service. Maybe this dumbass should have pushed for his county to provide fire protection services. Maybe this dumbass should have build his own pond to use for fire emergencies.

Instead he admits to not paying for the service, expecting the FD to put it's firemen in harm's way.
 
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