Posted on 02/16/2006 3:52:53 PM PST by LouAvul
Edited on 02/16/2006 6:43:01 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
Funny, but be careful about posting Onion articles. They used to be quite popular here, but I think FR got a cease and desist letter or something.
Wrong. They are volunteers who organized on the principal of serving a select group and everyone knew the rules. Perhaps not the system I would prefer, but a system none the less. Is the banks security across the street responsible for protecting your store, "because the could if they wanted to?" The person who's property burned had the opportunity to join with his community in a voluntary tax. He chose not to and was deprived of the service. What part of this don't you get?
That's like calling your agent to buy auto insurance after you have already had the wreck.
If they make it a policy to let people pay the membership fee when their house is burning, everybody will wait until their house is burning, but by then the fire department will have gone bankrupt.
If that's the case, then the realtor who sold him the property may be liable for the damages here -- under some kind of "full disclosure" law.
Might have something to do with it. Language barrier and/or those that are not fond of the invasion of America. A large amount of Freepers seem to fit this category.
They said they have a policy to intercede when life is elieved to be in danger, other than that they are a member's only organization. Why is this a problem?
There are consequences to our decision - I guess this guy learned a valuable lesson.
Wrong, firefighters in these areas are volunteers. The information is given that if you don't voluntarily pay your dues, you suffer the consequences, then all the people scream when they actually have consequences. You don't understand, it's not like a big city where everyone pays taxes.
That's how it's done in rural areas, where there is no taxing authority to provide the funds.
It's called a volunteer fire department. If you want the fire department to come when your house is on fire, you pay the memberhsip fee every year. Without money for fire trucks and hoses provided by the membership fees, there is no equipment for the volunteers to use.
You'd think. But this sounds like a first class trailer park kind of community. I wouldn't wager the farm that there was a lot of formality in the sale. LOL
You California people don't understand, this is not a paid position, it's volunteer. That's the way we do things out here in the sticks. If you want paid protection, go to the city or California.
We even did a stellar job of putting out one structure, loaded with antiques, with very little damage to anything, (Items of value, and there were many, were being evacuated as the hose lines were going in) knowing full well the owner was hostile to many of the membership, whom he considered. 'young hooligans'. Nothing missing, one lamp damaged. Smoke and water damage at an absolute minimum. Fire out. 250+ year old house. We made a convert that day.
(Donations were definitely appreciated, and no, we did not get any of that money ourselves, it went to equipment and training.)
I remember my parents scraping up the money to pay their fire dues. We've since changed to property tax funded FD's.
Firemen are well reputed pricks. Anybody who gets as much easy sex as those guys doesn't deserve my support! Every man for himself! :-)
We have a similar thing in our property taxes. We have the option to be in or out of a yearly fee that protects us with our fire and 911 issues.
If we pay and something happens, no bill.
If something happens and you opted out, you get large bill.
My point is you still get the service either way.
We maybe have homes closer to each other than by you and we have gas or oil lines we don't want to go boom.
Where do you think the money for the fire trucks and hoses comes from?
Do you think that the term "volunteer" means that the volunteer pays for the privilege of putting out other peoples' fires by buying his/her own equipment?
Do you know how much a fire truck costs?
By that line of reasoning, you don't need to buy car insurance until after you have the wreck, then you can sue the agent if he won't sell it to you.
Where do you think the money comes from to buy the firefighting equipment used by "volunteer" firefighters?
Do you have any idea how much a fire truck costs?
There was a story posted here the other day about a town or property owners' association that was shutting off the water to any residence that was in arrears on their taxes. If you lived next door to one of these people who had their water shut off, would you go out and give him a sponge bath every day?
They get gum't funds, I will betcha. In addition, they can access surplus equipment and other goodies. IMHO, they are swine!
They should be lined up and shot!
Who said there was a realtor involved. I have a hunch this is the styx for all intents and purposes. Check out where it is.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.