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For once I agree with Beck, even though I still think he is an idiot. They homeowner did not pay the fee so he was not covered. If you forget to pay your car insurance and then get into an accident, guess what, you are not covered. Same situation.
It's moments like this, when I ask myself, how sick has our country become? We let houses burn down, because people didn't pay a certain fee, we let people die of cancer, because they didn't pay their insurance, and then call it self responsibility. We don't want to live in a nanny state that protects our properties and takes care of our sick and poor, I mean how horrible would that be?
Shouldn't it be normal, that firefighters extinguish fires without asking if a person paid for them, for doctors to help sick people, for policemen to arrest criminals, etc.? Is the next step, that the police doesn't arrest the guy who stole your purse if you didn't pay 75 dollars police fee? I don't care who is responsible for things like that, but it's wrong and sick.
What happened to compassion and solidarity? Is the freedom this country offers really to watch my house burn down with a fire truck standing next to it?
Although I agree with you, firefighters do not take an oath to put out fires.
Actually, we do. The day I was hired I was sworn into the position, and anytime we are promoted into a higher rank, that rank also has an oath of office.. The oath consists of supporting and defending the constitution and laws of the Nation, state and municipality, along with the preservation of life and property.
This is why there are often differentiations in departments when comparing sworn personnel versus civilian employees.
Keith O is a complete retard, the homeowner paid NO TAXES to cover any fire protection services because there are NO TAXES to be paid based on the home's address. The $75 fee isn't on top of any tax, there is no tax and the homeowner is lucky that the small city fire department even offers them the option of paying $75 for fire services.
The guy didn't forget to pay he refused to pay as he has always done in years past.
I live in the unincorporated town of Sawbank, Alabama which, being unincorporated and small, doesn't have a fire department.
According to those that think this is a shame, that it shows no compassion, I should be able to call the Los Angeles fire department in the event of a fire and they should come a running.
The refusal of the Los Angeles fire department to come and fight my fire should be viewed as non-compassion on their part. Why are the citizens of Los Angles so uncaring?
Ok, Los Angles is a ways away but what about Mobile which is in the next county over?
Sweet. According to the brain trust here I can get into a car accident THEN get insurance which should cover it, right?
no it's NOT the same. Driving is a privilege. Having a domicile or place to live is a necessity. Do you know anything about Maslov's hierarchy of needs? The fact of the matter is where yes he should have paid the $75 fee, but just as he should have paid, the fire department should have done the right thing. People putting profit before their sense of decency and integrity just amazes me. God what is wrong with people and their cutthroat selfish attitudes.
I just wonder how much of this is really true....and I'm wondering if the home was totally engulphed as mobile homes go up really quick, and maybe by the time the fire fighters got there, the house was totally engulphed, I heard they then proceeded to protect the neighbors home, well, if they wouldn't have, this fire may have sparked a chain reaction of homes burning as welll.....I'm just wondering if this is another irresponsible report on the basis of sensationalisum?
Actually, we do. The day I was hired I was sworn into the position, and anytime we are promoted into a higher rank, that rank also has an oath of office.. The oath consists of supporting and defending the constitution and laws of the Nation, state and municipality, along with the preservation of life and property.
This is why there are often differentiations in departments when comparing sworn personnel versus civilian employees.
If that is the case in this town then these firefighters should be fired immediately.
Actually, I think you may have a point. They could have put out the fire and then sent the homeowner the bill. I think that would have been the best outcome in this situation. Perhaps this town/municipality should change their procedures. However, under their current procedures, the FF did not do anything wrong.
If he won't pay $75 he sure as hell won't pay a much higher bill they send him later.
And I don't think this situation compares to a doctor in an emergency room. You can't compare a human life to a possession, even something as large as a house. Considering what is provided in an emergency by the fire department 75$ is cheap!! I think this guy is living with a bad decision he made.
The fire department of a small town has very limited resources. When they respond to rural fire, they are leaving the city with less protection while they are gone. That is why they will not leave for people not on the list. For all you liberal city dwellers, there is not a fire station every 2-5 miles out in rural America.
The man forgot to pay. He also left his pets inside to die because the story states it took 2 hours for the fire to reach the home. Not the firefighters fault. But I guess if he can't remember his fee, he probably can't remember there are animals inside either.
Really sucks for the guy and I feel bad for him, but the city is required to put the interests of the city first. If their budget is extremely tight, they cannot afford to jump in the truck for people who refuse to pay for their service outside of their coverage area.
Notice the guy didn't take any personal responsibility for:
1. Not paying the fee.
2. Letting his grandkid burn things unsupervised near the house.
3. Letting the pets burn rather than getting all living things out of the house FIRST.
But of course, that is why Keith Olbermann has him on. Olby loves people who refuse to accept personal responsibility and who rely on government to be our babysitters in life.
If that is the case in this town then these firefighters should be fired immediately.
Except that by letting the house burn, they were upholding the laws of their municipality, which apparently they were sworn to do. So either way they violate their oath, provided they swore an oath similar to TommyGavin's. I hardly blame the firefighters; they were stuck in a lousy situation. And they were put in that situation because the municipality they work for decided to offer services beyond their borders but weren't willing to do it for free. So for the firefighters to not be put in this situation again, one of two things will need to happen: the city of South Fulton will have to tell the rest of Obion County "screwit, you're on your own from now on" or the county citizens are going to have to pony up a tax to ensure that everyone is covered. Until then, folks outside the city limits had better pay up their $75. And I bet there will be a lot less people skipping out on it now.
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