Fee Not Paid; Firefighters Let Home Burn

Star Tribune ^ | October 6, 2005 | Robert Franklin

[Mr Rogers]

I pay $225/year for fire. If he didn't pay $25, he's stupid.

Around here, the fire department WILL put out a fire if you don't pay - but they will charge you $8,000 for doing so.

If I don't pay the fire fee, my insurance increases $400 / year.

[CDHart]

Engrish?

Carolyn

[kellynla]

well that's your opinion

we've already found out that municipalities can take a person's property haven't we?

[cryptical]

For example, I have health insurance because I wish to make use of hospitals, etc., and that's the way to do it. I'm not "gambling", because I'm not interested in "winnings" at all.

Just have a major event like a heart attack, and you'll feel like you won. My bills totalled over $50,000 for the angioplasty and cardiac rehab, all covered by insurance. I would have settled for just living :)

I've always carried the cheapest employer provided coverage, so my out of pocket expenses have been pretty low over the years.

[Shalom Israel]

That's amazingly thick. That seems like almost a caricature made up by leftists to mock Christians rather than being a real position an actual Christian would take.

Yeah, but I'm afraid some do. Not gambling exactly, but the idea is that if you buy insurance, you are not trusting God with your future, you're trusting man. The issue was real enough that I had to construct a cogent argument why that is not so, in order to justify such things as homeowner's insurance--not to myself, but to minimize conflicts in the church.

What is the Scriptural argument against gambling, anyway? If it's as strong as the "Scriptural" argument against drinking alcohol, I wouldn't be surprised.

That's a tough call--I can't say which is weaker. But there are actual verses used by temperence leaguers, while there are no verses specifically against gambling. The case is that gamblers attempt to get something for nothing, contrary to the command to "eat bread in the sweat of your face," and secondarily that your winnings are someone else's losings.

[LongElegantLegs]

Did you ever try to assemble something with instructions that were translated from Japanese to English by someone who didn't have a good grasp of either?

[Alex Murphy]

Carl Berg failed to pay a $25 annual fee for rural fire protection and, as a result, firefighters let his house burn to the ground last month near International Falls, Minn.

One small step towards law enforcement being handled the same way....

[AmericanMade1776]

I see by your profile you are from New Jersey, I bet there are fireman who get paid tax dollars who put out fires in homes of people who are impoverished and do not pay taxes..your argument is lame.

[CDHart]

LOL! Yes. Almost everything we've bought lately has either Japanese or Chinese directions translated to English (Engrish is a good word).

Carolyn

[capecodderathome]

In this country are the following types of fire departments:
Career(fulltime-paid)
Part time on call: (paid something, usually very little)
Volunteer (unpaid)
Subscription: The homeowner pays a fee in advance.

---

No matter which type of department exists; it's because the voters have decided that's what they want. It's only right that we respect whatever those voters have chosen, whether we believe in it or not.

Subscription departments like this were widespread in the development of our country. "Fire markers" are a valuable collectors item. These were attached to buildings to let the fire fighters know whether it was a subscriber. As communities grew, this system gradually disappeared.

While I don't approve of such departments, I completely support
their right to exist, because that's what the voters have chosen to do.

[wideawake]

I see by your profile you are from New Jersey, I bet there are fireman who get paid tax dollars who put out fires in homes of people who are impoverished and do not pay taxes..your argument is lame.

My township has several volunteer fire companies that are supported by donations from individuals like myself and from local businesses.

If my donation goes to save the home of someone who didn't give a donation, great. I'm happy to have helped.

But no adult who doesn't pay taxes is entitled to taxpayer-funded services.

Your argument - that Americans should be forced by the government to work for free - is not only lame, it's repulsive.

[verity]

"But it has happened before, and it might again because for two years the city, county and the fire association have been unable to agree on costs of replacing the voluntary fee with a property tax levy that would fund fire protection for everyone"

Culpable Community Stupidity.

[wideawake]

we've already found out that municipalities can take a person's property haven't we?

So are you arguing that since eminent domain is being abused by municipalities, we should therefore encourage municipalities to also abuse contract law?

[AmericanMade1776]

Your argument in supporrt of a Person who is standing with with a Firehose, who has the capibility to put out a fire that would save a person's home, and refuses because of $25 dollars is still LAME.

[kellynla]

not arguing anything...


a little too busy here making a living to be bothered, thank you

read my original post
and have a nice day. LOL

[wideawake]

Your argument in supporrt of a Person who is standing with with a Firehose, who has the capibility to put out a fire that would save a person's home, and refuses because of $25 dollars is still LAME.

As I pointed out before, genius, the fire department did hose down the fire.

Exit fantasy land and discuss reality.

[John D]

Everybody pays taxex.

[wideawake]

I read your original post. You said they should have done the work and billed him later.

I pointed out that you can't just do something without someone's express request and then bill them later, it's a violation of contract law.

You then said that municipalities violate the principle of eminent domain.

Either your comment about eminent domain was completely clueless and meaningless, or you meant something by it.

the only conclusion that can be drawn is that since municipalities violate eminent domain, they can also violate contract law.

What else did you mean?

[ridesthemiles]

Shame on these firefighters for not putting the fire out over $25 dollars. That is crap. Imagine if it was your house and you forgot to pay the $25 - would you want them to put it out? That's their damn job.""

Insurance companies started with FIRE insurance, in New England. People who paid for the coverage put brass shields on the front of their houses, and they got the service they paid for. If this man didn't pay, he doesn't get the service.
In small rural areas, this is not unusual.
You also have people in New Orleans and the gulf states asking to be covered for "flood" or "hurrincane" damage when they didn't take the coverage on their house insurance.

If you don't pay me for services, why should I perform for you? I won't, and you cannot make me.

I don't expect to get services or goods without paying for it. Why should this man or anyone else for that matter?

[steel_resolve]

I have a problem with people treating a life or death service as any other commodity, like a steak dinner - if you can pay it you can have it, if not then too bad. If even one red cent of taxpayer money went to purchase a single boot, hose, truck etc. for that department, then how can you argue that they are not responsible for the taxable properties in their community? Surely you don't agree that they should they let someone die because they forgot to pay their fee?