In my 20’s I bought my first home. Kind of outside the suburban sprawl. I was a little taken aback when my insurance guy notes I was only a hundred yards from a pond they could use to put out a fire. And that was a good thing. I was also 1/4 a mile from the line where the fire department was “obligated” to go. Beyond that, it was volunteers.
I grew up a lot in that home.
I can relate to your pond story. About a mile from our current home is a lake with a 6” pipe coming up from the lake with a fire engine hose connector to refill a fire engine.
I see this, as well as numerous other things, worthwhile trade offs for having the freedoms associated with country life.
How many city people, with all their tax paid comforts, can open a window and shoot a varmint without being hauled off to jail?