Posted on 10/03/2010 5:28:40 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Gene and Paulette Cranick, of South Fulton, Tennessee, US, lost their home after officers were ordered by bosses not to extinguish it.
Fire fighters only arrived when the flames spread to the property of a neighbour, who had paid the fee. However, they continued to refuse to help the Cranicks.
Later the same day, the couple's 44-year-old son was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, after allegedly punching the local fire chief.
Jeff Vowell, the city manager of South Fulton, said: "It's a regrettable situation any time something like this happens." Mr Vowell explained that there was no county-wide fire service and it was too expensive for the city's officers to serve surrounding rural areas like the Cranicks' as well.
Rural residents can gain access to the service by paying the annual fee. But "if they choose not to," Mr Vowell said, "we can't make them".
Mr Cranick said: "I thought they'd come out and put it out, even if you hadn't paid your $75, but I was wrong." His wife said the couple had offered to pay the fire fighters whatever was necessary for them to extinguish the flames, but the officers refused.
However they do not blame the officers themselves, she said. "They're doing what they are told to do. It's not their fault." The Mayor of South Fulton, David Crocker, told local reporters: "We're very sorry their house burned."
However he too stood by the subscription policy, arguing that offering a pay-as-you-go service would mean upfront costs could not be met.
About three hours after the fire began, Mr Cranick's son Timothy allegedly arrived at the South Fulton fire station.
It is alleged that when Mr Wilds came forward and asked if he could help, Mr Cranick punched him. "He just cold-cocked him," Mr Crocker
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
tanstaafl
..guess the local taxes don’t cover fire protection?
WTF are taxes for?
COMING SOON.
Not only will you have to pay a ‘subscription fee’, but you will also have to ‘bribe’ the firemen once they get there.
This is the way it is done in THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES, and that is what these COMMUNISTS and SOCIALISTS want for YOU and ME.
Gotta make sure to grease the palms of the good ‘ol boys.
Increasingly, we seen to living in a fantasy appropriate to a
college freshman with Mon’s charge card, a full bong, and a
copy of Atlas Shrugged.
And if you could hold off on a fire dept subscription until the flames actually start licking at your roof ... no one would pay for a fire dept subscription up front.
C'mon people. It's not that hard to understand.
I’ll tell ya who should be madder than anyone. The guy next door who’s house caught fire because a stupidass fire department wouldn’t put out the fire.
As a Firefighter myself I say these guys aren’t Firefighters/, they are not even morally good people.
To stand by while someone’s home burns is act of low life’s.
The people who didnt pay the subscription were wrong in not paying it , but two wrongs do not make a right.
I don’t blame the kid for punching the Fire Chief, too bad his men didnt do it when he ordered them not to go.
\If this is what a subscription Fire Dept. does , Thank God we don’t have it where I ive.
As a Firefighter myself I say these guys aren’t Firefighters/, they are not even morally good people.
To stand by while someone’s home burns is act of low life’s.
The people who didnt pay the subscription were wrong in not paying it , but two wrongs do not make a right.
I don’t blame the kid for punching the Fire Chief, too bad his men didnt do it when he ordered them not to go.
\If this is what a subscription Fire Dept. does , Thank God we don’t have it where I live.
$75/year—payable in advance only.
Insult to injury: wonder if the homeowner’s insurance will refuse to pay, based on his obvious negligence?
Its the new tactic to raise taxes. People will no longer stand by and see taxes raised so local governments simply start charging “fees” for what taxes used to cover. Soon “fees” will be charged to fix roads, use the police, send your kids to school, etc etc. When people ask what then are their taxes used for, a rep from the SEIU will simply be smiling.
>> were ordered by bosses not to extinguish it.
Unionized fire dept?
What kind of person could stand there with fire fighting equipment and watch someone’s house burn?...That includes the dimwits calling themselves firemen...F*** the chief! Do your job!
They should have put the fire out, after the homeowner signed a contract to pay the full cost.
What? This is just life in Liebertopia.
>> I don’t blame the kid for punching the Fire Chief, too bad his men didnt do it when he ordered them not to go.
You gotta wonder if the Chief’s decision was illegal. What if someone were trapped inside? Could have been manslaughter?
I smell serious negligence.
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