Friday, May 30, 2014
Firefighters in Tennessee let a home burn to the ground because the owners did not pay a $75 fire subscription fee.
WPSD-TV's Jason Hibbs reports.
By msnbc.com staff and WSMV-TV
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.
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.
Question:
Should firefighters let houses burn if the owners have not paid their annual fee for fire service? Answer in at least fifty words.
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The firefighters should not stand by and watch the houses burn down just because the owners did not paid their annual fee for fire protection. What if there's someone in the house? The firefighters just let them die? I think they should save the houses first, and then charge for the fire service fee.
ReplyDeleteHospitals are reimbused through the federal government for uninsured patients that come in, fire stations don't have that same luxury. Although, the number of hospitals that are refusing uninsured patients care other than immediate triage continues to rise every year so your field isn't above the fray on that matter even with extremely high profit margins and federal reimbursements. Apples and oranges there. As for the question about if someone was inside, did you even bother to read the story? They specifically stated that they respond to ensure the safety of people and the neighboring properties that have paid their fee. They don't ensure the safety of the properties that are not paying the yearly fee. However, the family also had a choice of paying the actual costs of putting out the fire and they declined that option as well. It's not about making money for the fire department, it's about having funding to ensure they can continue to operate. They are funded by tax dollars from the city they operate from, rural Obion County doesn't provide them a penny in tax support. The people there have a choice to pay the fire insurance fee or not to, most make the responsible choice.
ReplyDeleteHospitals are reimbused through the federal government for uninsured patients that come in, fire stations don't have that same luxury. Although, the number of hospitals that are refusing uninsured patients care other than immediate triage continues to rise every year so your field isn't above the fray on that matter even with extremely high profit margins and federal reimbursements. Apples and oranges there. As for the question about if someone was inside, did you even bother to read the story? They specifically stated that they respond to ensure the safety of people and the neighboring properties that have paid their fee. They don't ensure the safety of the properties that are not paying the yearly fee. However, the family also had a choice of paying the actual costs of putting out the fire and they declined that option as well. It's not about making money for the fire department, it's about having funding to ensure they can continue to operate. They are funded by tax dollars from the city they operate from, rural Obion County doesn't provide them a penny in tax support. The people there have a choice to pay the fire insurance fee or not to, most make the responsible choice.
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