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.
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.
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.
Thanks for saving me from typing all that. You NAILED it! 100% correct!
Whoa!!! Well said!!!!!Well said!!!! Dittos!!!!
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.
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.
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.
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 Departments protection.
Well put.
The facts, reason and thought put into your comments is much appreciated.
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.