[mylife]

Im from this area, I'll bet a buck that these guys are union.

[RightWhale]

This happens all the time. Sometimes people are shocked to learn in this way that they are not inside city limits, although when it came time to pay property taxes they were highly cognizant of the slightest detail on their tax statement.

[Drango]

These firefighters are an insult to the brave NY 9/11 firefighters.

[shotgun]

How many went to volunteer in NY after 9-11, but they wouldn't drive 200 yards outside the city limits? I'll bet they sure like that hero label and the extra attention they get with it as well....

[LasVegasMac]

Ciminero said his department was not obligated to fight the fire.

If they feel this way, I question their "dedication".

Not my job, man.

Yep, sounds like union mentality.

I feel for the ex-home owner / renter.

LVM

[bedolido]

I saw this happen when I lived in Las Vegas. The house burned down completely and the LV city fire dept just watched. The owner borrow a shotgun from a neighbor and blew severals holes (about 3 separate shots)in the side of the fire truck then pointed it at the chief. They started to put it out when the county truck arrived. The man was charged but not convicted by a jury. This was in about 1961 or so. The house was a total loss and

[bert]

I guess maybe it would haave been a good thing to be in the city and pay the taxes.

Life is a bout choices and responsibility for those choices.

[backtobasics]

I can just picture it......A big shiny fire truck, and a crew of firefighters just sitting idly by while someones house is burning down. Just dont make much sense.

"When you are dealing with people, you will find that it is a whole lot better to go..not so much by the book.......but by the heart"

Sheriff Andy Taylor

[Porterville]

It is much more complicated then that... it depends on what kind of agreement they have with the local community; And never ever under estimate the power of lawyers to keep firefighters from taking any unnecessary actions.

Besides, in general, sawdust plywood houses are just left to burn.

[scooter2]

Im from this area, I'll bet a buck that these guys are union.

This probab;y is not a union issue. It's probably because of a lack of a mutual aid agreement between the two fire departments. In Washington State, these agreements provide such broad-ranging coverage that this type of incident could never happen. Fire fighters would respond and take action even if the call came from two cities away.

[yarddog]

I know somewhere I lived (can't recall exactly where) they had a policy that they would put out the fire but would bill the owner for the service if it was outside their area.

[Sci Fi Guy]

''You don't just sit there and watch someone's livelihood burn,'' Radcliff said.

Actually firefighters often sit there and watch someone's livelihood burn. When it's too dangerous, or as in this case outside their jurisdiction.

Radcliff wants these guys to risk their lives to protect his property. But he does not want to pay for the fire department. He decided to live where they have a volunteer fire department. And I'm sure he was happy to pay less in taxes for it. Well he got what he paid for.

[Damagro]

A classic case of, "you get what you pay for". There are advantages to living in an unincorporated area. This is one of the disadvantages

[TheOtherOne]

Also in the fire news today:

Firefighters in California Town Resign to Protest Colleague's Porn Career
The Associated Press
Published: Jan 16, 2004

KEYES, Calif. (AP) - Seventeen firefighters in a small volunteer department resigned this week to protest the pornography career of a colleague who allegedly discussed her work at the firehouse.

Firefighters in Keyes, a town of 4,500 south of Modesto, walked off the job to protest Alexa Jones' pornography career, which they said she discussed while on the job with her husband, Assistant Fire Chief Roger Jones.

"We feel pretty strongly that there needs to be a separation between the pornography and the fire service," said Capt. Herb Collier, who was among those who resigned.

Alexa Jones has a Web site that promotes her pornographic material but does not mention her job as a firefighter. She stars in videos under a pseudonym.

"If they're going to be out there, I might as well be making money off them," she said. Her husband added: "It's called freedom of expression, and speech also. It's not illegal."

The resignations leave Keyes with eight firefighters. Nearby stations have pledged to help the department respond to emergencies.

AP-ES-01-16-04 1920EST

Copyright 2003 Associated Press

[Cannon6]

Your are right about that. There should be "Mutual Aid" agreements with all surrounding departments. In my area, for sturcture fires, two outside departments always respond regardless of where the fire is.

[Freedom of Speech Wins]

I agree with the firefighter's argument.

Why should they risk death to protect the material items of someone outside their jurisdiction.

Seems some Republicans these days feel people should work without being paid, ala Bush and his immigration policy.

If the homeowner is scared to rush in to protect his material items why should the firefighters from another jurisdiction.

The homeowner should shut up and collect insurance proceeds.

[flutters]

This reminds me of another incident that happened a while back. A man's apartment was on fire and his dog was trapped on the 2nd floor. The fireman wouldn't rescue his dog. After pleading and begging the man broke away, jumped on the balcony, broke the sliding glass door, and rescued his dog. The man was arrested for something (can't remember what). I would have done the same thing. Fireman or not, sometimes one has to act even when you're not supposed to.

[Consort]

Now illegal firefighters are going to cross the border to do the jobs that American firefighter refuse to do.