cva66snipe, thank you. I wrote some strong words but it’s about personal responsibility. No volly fire fighter wants to watch a fire, we want to put it out. In the case of a entrapment, I’m certain a rescue would be attempted regardless of the financial agreeent or lack thereof.
You mention mutual aid. These are actual agreements between fire districts or local governments. The purpose is to leagally cover the fire company in case of accident or loss. Without a mutual aid agreement there is no legal responsibility on the part of the homeowner if a fire fighter gets killed or a truck damaged.
In the fire service there is a rule of thumb, it goes: Risk Much to Save Much, Risk Little to Save Little. In EMS, it is: The Most Important Person on an Ambulance Call is Me. When I broke my foot, I was of no further use to the patient and a liability to the rest of my crew. As a general statement, a trailer fire out of district falls into the risk little catagory. A fully involved structure fire has temperatures of approx 2000 degrees. No living thing is alive in that environment. I reciently participated in a demo, a gas fed kitchen simulator that had a temperature of 1350 degrees. With full bunkers and on air I thought I was going to die, no kidding.
I cannot tell you how many times I have been to dwelling fires where the renter had no homeowners insurance. They cry to us asking what can we do for them to replace their stuff. Renters insurance is like $100.00 per year.
One other thing, a city fire dept generally relies on hydrants for a water supply. Out in the country where I live, no hydrants. We have 1000 gallons in engine 411, 500 gallons in engine 451 (with CAFS system) and 2100 gallons in tanker 431. Rural fire compnies have to always think about water, how much they have and where they can get some more. The nearest pond or hydrant may be 5 miles away.
Mobile homes are bad too burn down but not for the reasons many think. The wiring is usually not up too par. Civilian work I was a maintenance mechanic with electrical back ground. When I wire an outlet I make loops and use the screws on terminals. Older mobile homes they simply stuck skinned wires into the back of the outlet and relied on a spring loaded clamp. Loose wiring will burn a house down and never trips breaker. It's more dangerous than a solid short usually. I live in a early 1990's double wide. The first thing I did was check all factory wiring and updated it too my standards.
I do have two hydrants and a large creek within a mile of me so they can get the water here fast. For one of the fundraisers in my area they fill swimming pools in the spring. Everybody wins.