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To: Catholic Examiner

Funny how people like to order Firemen to go into a Burning house - a house that is outside of their taxbase, a house where the owner decided to both drop Fire Department coverage, as well as declined to install any fire prevention system to replace the Fire Department’s protection.

I do believe we are expected to assume some personal responsibility.

But no; let’s demand that the Firemen go into this house.

At their own risk (if they fight a fire outside their assigned jurisdiction, they forfeit medical and life insurance). If the homeowner decides they didn’t put the fire out ‘fast enough’ or caused water damage to non-burned areas of his home, he can sue the individual firemen - personally.

Yep, that’s right. When you are a certified fireman, you assume certain protections. You are protected medically, and have life insurance for this dangerous profession - if and only if you are fighting in an area you have been assigned. You cannot go crusading across the nation, putting out any house fire you see - and maintain this coverage.

Now let’s look at the financial facts. This idiot homeowner took a risk. The Fire Department (FD) is not supported by tax revenue, so they must charge $75/yr to the homes in the area they can support. This idiot had previously supported the firemen, but decided that he would take a gamble this year. He lost.

If the FD had put his home out; who would pay $75 for protection next year? Why pay, if they will serve your home, at personal risk, anyway? So, the FD would go bankrupt and no one would have coverage. It’s just that simple. It takes money to run a FD, even a 100% voluntary FD.

This is a simple test ... do you want a Nanny State or are you willing to accept personal responsibility. In the USA we have the right to be as stupid as we want. It is not the Government’s job to fix stupidity - stupidity has consequences, and this is an example of stupidity in action.

I suspect that this idiot’s misery is only starting. If I were the insurance company, I wouldn’t pay - because the homeowner was probably in violation of his lending agreement in not providing adequate Fire Safety. I’ll bet that there are clauses in his Mortgage Agreement concerning maintaining minimal safeguards against fire, flood and other damage. Stupidity should be painful, perhaps other idiots will learn from this idiot and write that $75 check.


7 posted on 10/07/2010 7:16:41 AM PDT by Hodar (Who needs laws .... when this "feels" so right?)
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To: Hodar

They could at least have hosed it down, while they were standing around watching. How much could that have cost? They were already there, no one would have had to enter it.


11 posted on 10/07/2010 7:21:20 AM PDT by stuartcr (When politicians politicize issues, aren't they just doing their job?)
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To: Hodar
I don't know if it was in the story, but I'd be interested to know what the insurance/mortgage situation was.

Mortgage companies require homeowner's insurance, and I'm sure that a homeowner's policy would have required subscribing to the fire department. Usually, they check periodically to ensure that it was current.
12 posted on 10/07/2010 7:22:15 AM PDT by BikerJoe
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To: Hodar

Thank you!

It’s amazaing to see how many people here simply do not get that - and yet claim to be conservative.

My personal belief is that reliousness simply may not be compatible with conservatism, and that belief just keeps getting stronger and stronger.


28 posted on 10/07/2010 7:32:36 AM PDT by Pessimist
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To: Hodar

Thanks for saving me from typing all that. You NAILED it! 100% correct!


43 posted on 10/07/2010 7:50:37 AM PDT by piytar (There is evil. There is no such thing as moderate evil. Never forget.)
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To: Hodar

Whoa!!! Well said!!!!!Well said!!!! Dittos!!!!


45 posted on 10/07/2010 7:51:47 AM PDT by murrie (For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son..........)
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To: Hodar

Hinky post, I my older brother, father are firemen. I asked thim about this forfeiture of medical and life insurance and they said that is not true. There is nothing like that. It has nothing to do with their location they are protected anywhere they go as long as they follow their training correctly.

Too bad decency didn’t come into play in all this and the firemen just did the right thing instead of the heartless thing.


52 posted on 10/07/2010 8:02:56 AM PDT by blarney
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To: Hodar

I’ve heard the wife on the news more than once. They replay the clip where she says something close to, “If they waived the fee last year, why couldn’t they waive it this year?”

She wants a service contract without having to pay for it.

I would think that most people would see logically see that it was her responsibility to obtain the contract for the service.

This does not have trigger the “bleeding heart” response.

After all this is equal to saying that “We should get healthcare for free, because it is owed to us.” If we reject Obamacare, we should reject the pleas of this woman.


55 posted on 10/07/2010 8:07:04 AM PDT by Pan_Yans Wife (Utopia is being foisted on Americans for their own good.-- J. Robert Smith)
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To: Hodar

I stopped on the road south of Jacksonville FL 20 some years ago because the woods beside the road were on fire. Several houses were in immediate danger. A number of motorists, myself included, and neighbors were out with shovels and blankets fighting the fire. The local volunteer FD arrived and discovered that they had a wrong address and the correct addresses were not subscribed. Those of us working on the fire cussed the FD until the situation got explained then we simply pitied the homeowners who had made bad bets. But we stayed with the fire until it was out.


92 posted on 10/07/2010 9:07:28 AM PDT by arthurus (Read Hazlitt's "Economics In One Lesson.")
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To: Hodar

Funny how people like to order Firemen to go into a Burning house - a house that is outside of their taxbase, a house where the owner decided to both drop Fire Department coverage, as well as declined to install any fire prevention system to replace the Fire Department’s protection.


I suppose i will have to agree with you, but you sure like that word ( idiot ) if every one who makes a mistake is an idiot then i guess the world is swarming with idiots and i know of no one who is not an idiot unless its some one who has never done anything in their life. at any rate i did not here the man complaining.


112 posted on 10/07/2010 9:42:02 AM PDT by ravenwolf (Just a bit of the long list of proofs)
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To: Hodar

Well put.


126 posted on 10/07/2010 10:12:14 AM PDT by listenhillary (A very simple fix to our dilemma - We need to reward the makers instead of the takers)
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To: Hodar

The facts, reason and thought put into your comments is much appreciated.


135 posted on 10/07/2010 10:22:12 AM PDT by JustaDumbBlonde (Don't wish doom on your enemies. Plan it.)
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To: Hodar
I have to say I agree with you. My husband was a firefighter for over twenty years and every day I did not know if I would see him again. It is one of the most dangerous jobs and is why they can usually retire after 20 years and collect a pension without waiting until they reach a certain age. These men and women risk their lives and even have life threatening health risks even after they stop working. Heart and lung problems are rampant as are some mentle problems, drug and alcohol abuse and depression. They see more horror in one day that we may go our entire life and never see. It has a cost.

I don't doubt for a moment that if a person was inside that home, someone would not have hesitated to go in and attempt a rescue. But the cold reality now, is they provide a very necessary service and cities are in constant battle with them over wages and benefits. Compared with what they must learn, know, practice and endure they do not make that much. Many are also part of volunteers and they must usually pay for all their own equipment. Paying a fee for that service should be considered an honor, as it doesn't nearly take care of the true cost to help.

It's sad to see your house destroyed, but what is more dear, your stuff or a fire fighter’s life? There is always a risk.

219 posted on 10/07/2010 10:11:22 PM PDT by boatbums (God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to him.)
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