What services should you have to pay for?

[Becky2005]

To those saying that the firefighters were in the wrong, does your fire department respond to fires in the nearby cities? Would you want your taxes going towards your fire department fighting fires in surrounding cities where they don't pay for fire protection? Or would you rather have your city's firefighters available to protect you and your neighbors (as your taxes are paying them to do)?

Actually, yes, ours does. It usually is an assist to the the other cities but I know there are at least 5 city fire departments that will assist each other for fires. Maybe we are just backwards around here. I don't know how it's paid for & if I recall sometimes it's more of a "you have this type of equipment that we don't have the capability of" and vice versa.

 

[Kae]

I am surprised that the Homeowners insurance company didn't make sure it was paid you would think that if you lived somewhere were you had to pay for the service you have to show proof to the insurance company like you do for auto insurance.

The sad thing is Towns, County, States, & citys don't have the funds like they used to provide some services. We also have Volnuteer Fire Dept in are County areas.

Kae

 

[allison443]

This isn't insurance, it's a fee. Look at it like the fees that you pay every year to renew your car's registration. My car's renewal is due in July. If I forget to renew it until September, it doesn't get extended until the following September, I merely paid two months in arrears and it still expires the following July.

Yes but if you were stopped by the police in August, you would get a ticket for an expired registration for not having paid the fee. Would they let you pay the fee right there, or the next day, and you wouldn't have to suffer the consequences of a ticket? I don't think so.

(I don't like the system they have, just addressing your comparison)

 

[mhsjax]

Actually, yes, ours does. It usually is an assist to the the other cities but I know there are at least 5 city fire departments that will assist each other for fires. Maybe we are just backwards around here. I don't know how it's paid for & if I recall sometimes it's more of a "you have this type of equipment that we don't have the capability of" and vice versa.

Same thing as when we here in Florida or in other states such as Georgia and South and North Carolina send their resources such as Duke power to us when a major hurricane hits.

Last time I checked, I didn't pay one red cent to "duke power, yet when we were going up north a few years ago, I saw a convoy of these trucks coming down to Florida to help us. I have also seen our power trucks going up in massive convoys to help up north after major storms.

I fail to see how them pointing a hose on the house would have killed them. They were already there. Then just send the guy a bill.

 

[mhsjax]

Yes but if you were stopped by the police in August, you would get a ticket for an expired registration for not having paid the fee. Would they let you pay the fee right there, or the next day, and you wouldn't have to suffer the consequences of a ticket? I don't think so.

(I don't like the system they have, just addressing your comparison)

Well then on that note, send the guy an inflated bill. YOur logic, if you get stopped, and they give you a ticket you pay, if they take your car, you can pay to get it out. They don't set it on fire, never to be seen again. Sure there is a consequence, but you don't lose everything because of it.

 

[allison443]

Well then on that note, send the guy an inflated bill. YOur logic, if you get stopped, and they give you a ticket you pay, if they take your car, you can pay to get it out. They don't set it on fire, never to be seen again. Sure there is a consequence, but you don't lose everything because of it.

So the seriousness of the consequences a mitigating factor in failing to pay the fee? Shouldn't the seriousness of the consequences make his failure to pay even more reckless?

It's really just semantics....they need a better system there.

 

[arminnie]

For all of you city slickers:
It is very common for rural areas not to have fire protection. Any comparison to what your town or cities provides is meaningless when you are talking about rural areas. There is NO fire department responsible in many, many areas of the U.S.

My best friend's father (a long-time fireman) was FURIOUS with her when she bought property just outside the city limits. Her choice. But is is a FACT that many people do not live in areas with fire protection.

This man is the very epitome of ENTITLEMENT. Someone said that he didn't appear to be overly intelligent in his interivews; people with entitlement syndrome usually aren't the brightest bulbs.

If he left his pets in the house then their death is in his hands. The condo a few feet from me in CA caught on fire. The owner left a candle unattended in the middle of the afternoon. She ran out and slammed the door shut (and locked with no key) and left her pet inside. The fire department is about 1/2 mile away and was there in an instant - but the pet still died. Totally her fault not the fire department's. The condo also was totally destroyed.

When I lived in Dallas an ex roommate (really stupid) was furious when she stopped by the police station late one night and was refused an escort home. It was NOT the Dallas police - it was the next town over. Would it have been their fault if she had been mugged going home? If you live in Dallas you can't expect the Richardson police to come help you out just because you want them to.

The sorry *&&^%&( and son did not die and were not injured. It was not a case of saving lives.

He better hope that he did not lie on his insurance policy and claim that he had fire protection or they may not pay either.

 

[dodukes]

I am surprised that the Homeowners insurance company didn't make sure it was paid you would think that if you lived somewhere were you had to pay for the service you have to show proof to the insurance company like you do for auto insurance.

The sad thing is Towns, County, States, & citys don't have the funds like they used to provide some services. We also have Volnuteer Fire Dept in are County areas.

Kae

Yes I too am surprised that homeowners would even pay considering he didnt pay but maybe its not a requirement to have fire services in order to get homeowners where he lives. Like I said, its a given here.

 

[shortbun]

Around here if you don't pay the fee, they save your house and you pay about 4X as much in a penalty for not paying the fee to begin with. I think these people-the firefighters and their bosses-should be ashamed of themselves. Having protection from firefighters and police should not be fee paid. What if someone was simply late or running short....it's a bad, immoral system.

 

[tlbwriter]

I didn't say it was ok, I said it wasn't any more violent than that.
Both violent acts as far as I am concerned.

The death of the animals was a tragic accident. The homeowner could have rescued them himself. Why didn't he? If it was because it was too dangerous for him to go into the house, then the firefighters wouldn't have been able to rescue them either. They do not (or should not) risk their lives for nonhumans.

Punching the fire chief, on the other hand, was a deliberate, violent act of revenge. Not cool, and NOT the same thing at all.

I've already said I see both sides of the issues, and I think the best solution would have been for the fire department to respond to the call and then charge the homeowner a hefty fee. I'm simply disagreeing with people who believe he was entitled to that protection (legally or morally). He was not. They would have been doing him a big favor.

Also, I have to say I'm suspicious that his later interviews indicate he "forgot" to pay the fee this year. I wonder if he paid in other years.

 

[sbell111]

So you're advocating violence? Nice.

Violence, meted out in proper quantities, is not always a bad thing.

 

[Tinkermommy]

Can someone point out the article/video where it said he had animals that died? I have read several and this one

http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/local/More-fallout-following-house-fire-104113489.html

quotes Mr. Cranick as saying ""Well, I don't mind the home. I know it can be replaced, but other things I got in there can't be," Gene Cranick said. "Other than that, we're doing fine, nobody got hurt that's a good thing, everybody is okay. We're going to live over this."

The fire department also said that they would have gone in if there was a person in the house, but since no one was in danger they did not provide the service since he didn't pay for it.

I hope they take a look at the policy and maybe institute a high fee for services if they don't pay the fee.

I bet you lots of people are sending in their $75 after this.

 

[Hannathy]

For all of you city slickers:
It is very common for rural areas not to have fire protection. Any comparison to what your town or cities provides is meaningless when you are talking about rural areas. There is NO fire department responsible in many, many areas of the U.S.

My best friend's father (a long-time fireman) was FURIOUS with her when she bought property just outside the city limits. Her choice. But is is a FACT that many people do not live in areas with fire protection.

This man is the very epitome of ENTITLEMENT. Someone said that he didn't appear to be overly intelligent in his interivews; people with entitlement syndrome usually aren't the brightest bulbs.

If he left his pets in the house then their death is in his hands. The condo a few feet from me in CA caught on fire. The owner left a candle unattended in the middle of the afternoon. She ran out and slammed the door shut (and locked with no key) and left her pet inside. The fire department is about 1/2 mile away and was there in an instant - but the pet still died. Totally her fault not the fire department's. The condo also was totally destroyed.

When I lived in Dallas an ex roommate (really stupid) was furious when she stopped by the police station late one night and was refused an escort home. It was NOT the Dallas police - it was the next town over. Would it have been their fault if she had been mugged going home? If you live in Dallas you can't expect the Richardson police to come help you out just because you want them to.

The sorry *&&^%&( and son did not die and were not injured. It was not a case of saving lives.

He better hope that he did not lie on his insurance policy and claim that he had fire protection or they may not pay either.

I agree with you.

It may also surprise some people that there are a lot of areas without direct police protection. In those areas the State police will handle but they may be a long ways away when they are needed(as in an hour or more) and very few of them.

To the person who said how would you know, uhmmmm it is up to you to know what services your house has and by who. As an adult you should find that stuff out before you buy the house or rent it.

 

[sbell111]

Yes but if you were stopped by the police in August, you would get a ticket for an expired registration for not having paid the fee. Would they let you pay the fee right there, or the next day, and you wouldn't have to suffer the consequences of a ticket? I don't think so.

(I don't like the system they have, just addressing your comparison)

That's actually happened to me before. I took my proof of registration to court and the judge tossed the ticket.

 

[tlbwriter]

That's actually happened to me before. I took my proof of registration to court and the judge tossed the ticket.

And did you feel you were owed that, or did you feel like they did you a favor?

Violence, meted out in proper quantities, is not always a bad thing.

Violence, like many other things, can be used for good or evil. I fail to see the good side of punching someone in the face because you disagreed with his decision. Especially when his decision was the direct consequence of your/your father's decision.

If your judge had not tossed your ticket, would it have been good to punch him in the face, too?

 

[sbell111]

... I'm simply disagreeing with people who believe he was entitled to that protection (legally or morally). He was not...

The International Association of Fire Fighters disagrees with you.

 

[dodukes]

I agree with you.

It may also surprise some people that there are a lot of areas without direct police protection. In those areas the State police will handle but they may be a long ways away when they are needed(as in an hour or more) and very few of them.

To the person who said how would you know, uhmmmm it is up to you to know what services your house has and by who. As an adult you should find that stuff out before you buy the house or rent it.

I see your point but coming from somewhere where fire is an automatic, how are you suppposed to know that its not included? That would never be a question to ask in my mind (at least nto before this).

 

[tlbwriter]

When you buy a house, you'll know whether or not it's in the city limits. I don't know if anyone would think to point out that this means you may not be entitled to city services.

 

[sbell111]

Can someone point out the article/video where it said he had animals that died? I have read several and this one

http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/local/More-fallout-following-house-fire-104113489.html

quotes Mr. Cranick as saying ""Well, I don't mind the home. I know it can be replaced, but other things I got in there can't be," Gene Cranick said. "Other than that, we're doing fine, nobody got hurt that's a good thing, everybody is okay. We're going to live over this."

The fire department also said that they would have gone in if there was a person in the house, but since no one was in danger they did not provide the service since he didn't pay for it.

I hope they take a look at the policy and maybe institute a high fee for services if they don't pay the fee.

I bet you lots of people are sending in their $75 after this.

Both comments are speaking to whether there was any people in the home. Local TV news reported that there were animals which died. I'm fairly certain that I read it in online reporting, also.

 

[sbell111]

And did you feel you were owed that, or did you feel like they did you a favor?

Why does it matter? Allison asked teh question. I answered it.

Violence, like many other things, can be used for good or evil. I fail to see the good side of punching someone in the face because you disagreed with his decision. Especially when his decision was the direct consequence of your/your father's decision.

Lots of people see the good in the referenced 'violence'.

If your judge had not tossed your ticket, would it have been good to punch him in the face, too?

Why are you trying to bait me? Don't you know that that is a violation of forum rules?