[Terriergal]

Now some local residents are outraged, and authorities are defensive about a decision by police to charge Martin.

Oh my word. They should leave the poor guy alone. There's no reason to punish the guy for what he did. He did nothing wrong except try to save his pet. Unbelievable.

[Texas Eagle]

The idiot should be charged with reckless endangerment. He (the dog owner) could've been overcome by smoke which would have meant a firefighter would've had to risk his life to go in there and get him.

A firefighter's job is risky enough.

[briant]

Firefighters had not entered the building when Martin rushed in, officials said. Lawson said the situation was too dangerous for anyone to enter the burning building at that time. ''The floors were collapsing, the fire was escalating and there was a lot of smoke coming from the building. I'm really sorry that this happened. We cannot have citizens or other people creating additional problems, which probably took a little bit of time. No, we do not wait to go in. We will go in and search and do the best we can with any life — human, animal, any life.

PC. Just say humans are more important. If the guy goes in and gets the dog, good for him. If he gets stuck and dies, he gets Darwin nomination. Not that hard.

And based on the bs response by these people it just sounds like the government teaching this guy who the boss is.

[Illbay]

Don't know what to say about this.

I love my dog dearly. But is it worth it to put firefighters' lives potentially at risk?

These rules exist for a reason. Tough call, but in the end sometimes you have to go with the letter of the law.

[briant]

Lawson said it's the Fire Department's responsibility, not that of citizens, to rescue animals and people from burning buildings.

So if your kids are dying and the fire department thinks it's too dangerous, tough!

[Lockbar]

The police, in this case, are truly idiots.

[JHrules]

I ffirefighters were not in the building then there was no endangerment. I have seen many many news footages of citizens saving people and animals from burning buildings either because firefighters had not arrived yet, or were "too busy" fighting the fire and helping others that needed care. This is bogus beyond beleif. This man would be awarded 30, 20, and even 10 years ago.

I guess that it is ok to send volunteers, residents, and criminals from prisons to fight forest fires, but it is frowned on to have a man go safely rescue his pet when firefighters tell him, "Sorry ya gotta watch the dog cook at yer window cause its just too hot for us to go do it right now...hey could ya pass the marshmellows over there."

[sinkspur]

Lawson was asked what fire officials would have done if Martin had run to save his child from a burning building. ''That would be something that would be a split-second decision depending on the circumstances,'' she said. Lawson said it's the Fire Department's responsibility, not that of citizens, to rescue animals and people from burning buildings.

First, I doubt if "Kim" has ever entered a burning building, a burning storage shed, or a burning car to rescue anything.

Second, Martin waited for the fire department to rescue his dog. When it became apparent that they weren't going to, he took matters into his own hands.

The bottom line is this: Martin showed up the macho Nashville Fire Department, who was sitting on its hands while his dog's life was in danger.

It ain't nice to show up the Studlies.

[Fraulein]

I would have done the exact same thing to save my tabby cat of 5 years.

And I would much rather pay a fine than for him to be dead.

[tuna_battle_slight_return]

"Someone, please -- two Excedrin".

[Sir Gawain]

At least they didn't shoot the dog after he rescued it. Hey, it is Tennessee after all.

[CindyDawg]

Well, I'm just glad the police didn't shoot the dog when he came over the balcony. The guy should challenge this and ask for a jury trial.

[NormsRevenge]

He said he had waited 30 minutes for firefighters to rescue his dog

I have a number of house pets I would die to rescue. Get the hell out of my way is all I can say.

[Slings and Arrows]

(My dog's life) > (Some bumf-shuffler's pride)

[Drammach]

I've read the article, and all the posts.
Here's my take.

Firstly, he told the cops/firemen the dog was in there.
Secondly, he waited 30 Minutes for them to rescue the dog.

Here's where we get to the idiocy.
He CLIMBED UP THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING TO HIS BALCONEY.
That indicates;
#1. He never "entered" the building. No one would have had to "go in to get him". ( Several posters made this complaint.)
#2. The Nashville Fire Dept. does not know how to use a ladder, or does not have them. ( If a person can climb up there from outside, a fireman could have placed a ladder or ladder unit just as well, and retrieved the dog without "entering the building".

I would not lessen nor demean the job that police and firefighters do. It is dangerous, and they DO RISK THEIR LIVES for others.
But they also, on ocassion, act stupidly, especially when someone questions or challenges their authority.

Someone encroached upon their "personal turf", and they are using (abusing) the law to punish that person.

Just my opinion.

[TheCrusader]

The cops arrest a guy who just lost his home to a fire because he went in to resucue his beloved dog? I don't know whether to laugh or cry. These police today take themselves waaay too seriously in these type of situations. I believe in police, law and order; but I think we are living in very unusual times for America. Everyone is a "criminal" these days. The war on terror aside, the police have been given too much authority. Was a time when a cop would have to think twice about arresting a citizen without good cause. If this man was a woman they'd call her a hero for her actions even if it caused a team of firefighters to go in and rescue her, (does the name Jessica Lynch ring a bell?). This is just disgusting.

[lilylangtree]

Depends upon the situation. I would make every effort to save my animal. However, there's a point in every situation that makes it too dangerous to attempt. I don't think Martin should have been arrested.

[ihatemyalarmclock]

Truly, firefighters are better at rescuing people (and animals) than the general public. And if a firefighter had been injured or worse because of the pet owner's rash behavior, I can certainly see bringing him up on serious charges.

As things turned out, though, the finger-wagging "no-no-no's" are generating far more negative publicity than would have occurred by simply leaving the man alone.

[redeard]

Based on the article, the only things he could be charged with are: disobeying a lawfull order ( he was told not to go into the building) and disorderly conduct ( reason same as above) He cannot be charged with reckless endangerment because of the self-stated policy of the fire department. According to the department, the firefighters will enter a fire to rescue a person, pet, etc. when they have knocked the flames down to a safe(?) level. If this is the case the fact that this man entered the building should have had NO affect on the firefighter's decision of when to enter the building. If it were to make a difference then they are lying about their policy of when to enter a building. I would have done the same thing to save my dog!

[davisfh]

I predict that this whole matter will be dropped as the
heat generated by public outcry increases. These bureaucratic
a-holes don't have what it takes to withstand the withering
fire that they're going to receive. Just stay tuned.