Mo. firefighters refuse to help non-member

modbee ^ | 2-16-06

[LouAvul]

MONETT, Mo. (AP) - Rural firefighters stood by and watched a fire destroy a garage and a vehicle because the property owner had not paid membership dues.

Bibaldo Rueda - who was injured battling the flames Monday - offered to pay the dues as the fire blazed away, but the Monett Rural Fire Department does not have a policy for on-the-spot billing, Sheriff's Detective Robert Evenson said.

[sgtbono2002]

You can bet your butt If I were on the Jury this fire company would pay big time. Still it seems the Show me State means Show me the Money.

[sgtbono2002]

I think its you on the wrong web site Hillary, Most of us are "Compassionate Conservatives" Compassionate doesnt mean standing around watching someones property burn.

Maybe you should look up the word.

[sgtbono2002]

Another "Compassionate" Conservative.

[sgtbono2002]

No one said Rural Fire Departments shouldnt band together to help each other. We are saying just the opposite, They should band together and help everyone. Not just those who pay.

[sgtbono2002]

So I guess the Ambulance goes to the accident and if there is gas leaking and it starts burning, Then they call the Fire department. I dont think you really know how the Fire Service works . At accidents, Electric wires go down, Gasoline leaks, Sparks come off Batteries, Sometimes gasoline tanks are ruptured. Sometimes people are trapped and heavy duty equipment not carried on ambulances is needed, Sometimes more than one ambulance is needed Fire service personnel lend their manpower while waiting for this second unit.

Unless specifically given information to the contrary a Fire Unit should be dispatched to every accident scene.

[AlexW]

"We are saying just the opposite, They should band together and help everyone. Not just those who pay."

I was a volunteer fireman in rural west Tennessee. We would never think of watching something burn because of non payment.

It may be a tough call if you live in an area that requires
dues for fire protection, but the sensible thing would be to put the fire out, then have the county bill the property owner for payment. If he does not pay, then the county can take legal action to take his property.

[sgtbono2002]

Dont base your judgement of Volunteer Firefighters on this bunch. They wouldnt make a pimple on a Firefighters ass.

Most Volunteers in the rest of the country dont work like this. Thank God.

[sgtbono2002]

I hate to tell you this , but Firebugs may live anywhere. Who do you think sets those fires in California when the weathers dry. Not city boys. It happens everywhere, A kid who grows up playing with matches likes the excitement of a lot of people running around putting out fires. It isnt just a city thing.

[sgtbono2002]

The way it works in most Communities without a fire tax the people who start a Fire Department seek donations. They work hard to get these donations. They have bake sale and a mail out and they work carnivals Dinners, anything to make a buck, Casino night or Bingo used to be big here till the State outlawed it and then they went to the Fire Tax.

Now this outfit saw an easy way, They just make you pay or they dont put your Fire out. The citizens turned down the Fire tax and now they pay a tax anyway only they think they are donating. Its not called a Fire tax , but thats exactly what it is. You dont pay you dont get service.

[SampleMan]

If those hypothetical alternatives were feasible in the real world, they'd exist in this case.

So your's is a world without the possibility of improvement? I seriously doubt you really believe that, or you wouldn't be posting on FreeRepublic.

I think people often create bad systems that don't get fixed until the flaw is brought out.

The problem with their current system is that it is guaranteed to create a lot of rancor in their community. The good thing is that it provideds those that really want it with a fire department. Either way, I think I'm in agreement with you, that it is THEIR busniness.

[SampleMan]

To your 188. Yea, I agree.

[sgtbono2002]

Hey Joe, If you fell like getting really PO'ed this morning go over to the website

http://www.cityofmonett.com/city_departments/fire_department_index.htm

Smart Alec posted it ,Post# 229 If this is the town how come they dont mention their policy on their web site. Look at the equipment, This isnt some bunch running junk in Podunk.They look like they are doing right well off their $20.00

[Smokin' Joe]

I rummaged around the site, and you are right, not even here: helpful info page, nor on the tax rates page, did I find any reference to an Emergency services or Fire service fee. I guess you need to be a clairvoyant...

[ozarkgirl]

Rural firefighters stood by and watched a fire destroy a garage

Everyone here keeps slamming the City Fire Department, I don't believe this is the City of Monett fire department. It says rural fire department so could be county, I believe it's Stone County. Have to go to work, I'll see if I can get anything on the rural fire department

[NCLaw441]

I guess you'd say the same thing if I had to spank my kids for some reason. This was not the guy's house that burned, it was a garage and a vehicle. No one was in danger of getting hurt, except the guy who was trying to put out his own fire. I would be ok with the concept of a fire tax (like I have to pay) or some other form of mandatory fee, but that is not what this town decided to do. The made it voluntary, and $20 per year. No one is forced to live in that town. No one is forced to pay the $20. But you guys want to force a volunteer fire department to provide services despite all of this. If that is the case, why should ANYONE pay (although most people would do so)? Where does the equipment come from if no one pays?

If this topic dealt with other aspects of personal responsibility, there would be little disagreement among Freepers. The homeless guy may not work or have money, but would you require people to "volunteer" to take him in? Most of us would say no. We jump into these arguments well after the facts are established.

The arguments I am hearing sound like death penalty opponents who argue: the victim is already dead, executing the killer won't bring him back; the killer had a rough childhood, so we should cut him some slack; the government should not "murder" in response to the killer's murder, etc. etc. We soundly reject those arguments (at least most of us do).

The volunteer fire department didn't set this fire (I am assuming). How far do you want to extend the obligation to provide free services? Total control of this situation was vested in the property owner, who refused to pay a mere $20 per year. Some have said, put out the fire and bill the guy for the cost of the services or even some outrageous amount. What is he said, before the fire was put out, that he would NOT pay (which is what he said for 1 1/2 years before the fire)? The fire is still blazing. Should they put it out, despite his refusal to pay? Your argument seems to say they should. It's a rough lesson to learn, but sometimes one must learn difficult lessons.

I am a compassionate person. If I came upon someone in need, I would help if I could, and would not request or accept pay for it. But in this situation it is not compassionate to reward the irresponsibility of refusing to pay the minimal costs of protection.

I want you for my insurance agent.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Any fire now is a danger and the Fire Chief should of known not to chance it.

That's why they were there with their equipment, to make sure it did not spread.

Why don't you cancel your auto insurance? If you have an accident you can just go out and buy some real quick.

[ozarkgirl]

It's not Stone County, it's Barry by the way. I'll have to check more later but I bet the City fire department is a paid by tax deal, it's the county that isn't covered.

And if you want an idea of the area we live in here, read this:

http://www.monett-times.com/NF/omf/monett/news_story.html?[rkey=0021266+[cr=gdn

The part time police officers get a raise to $10 an hour! Woohoo! I'll check more on Barry County fire department later. Got to run!

[verity]

This is a forceful reminder to all that actions/inactions have their consequences.

[NCLaw441]

I went to website for the fire department, and I didn't see anything about the annual fee either. If newcomers are not advised by mail, or otherwise, about the required fee, my opinion on this changes completely. But if this guy was sent notices to pay the fee if he wanted the service, I stand by my prior comments.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

But, one of the functions of government....one of the very few legitimate functions of government in the Constitution...is TO PROTECT us, not just those who can afford a membership fee.

THIS AIN'T THE GOVERNMENT!!!! IT'S VOLUNTEERS!!!!!

ONLY A SOCIALIST THINKS "THE GOVERNMENT" SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THEM FOR FREE!!!!

This is how a VOLUNTEER fire department gets formed:

1. You live in a rural area with no fire department and no taxing authority to create one.
2. You would like to have a fire department available in case your house catches on fire.
3. You talk to neighbors and peope in surrounding towns to see if they would like to create a fire department.
4. You form a group of VOLUNTEER firefighters.
5. Your group doesn't have $400,000 to buy a fire truck and another $300,000 to build a station house.
6. You offer fire protection to anybody who pays your group $100 per year for a tag to put on their mailbox proving they paid for fire protection.
7. You use the $100 per year from all the people who paid it to buy a fire truck, build a station house and train the VOLUNTEER firefighters to minimize the possibility of their dying while fighting a fire.
8. Since it costs you thousands of dollars in wear and tear on your fire truck and equipment to put out a fire, not to mention the danger to the lives of the firefighters, you don't put out the fires of people who didn't help pay for the equipment and training of the firefighters.

Exactly which part of the above do you not understand?