[tilmprarnerit]

Using the logic of insurance and jurisdiction would prevent an awful lot of good Samaritans such as off-duty police officers, doctors, nurses and even firemen from springing into action and saving lives in desperate situations. That's not the American way, and that's not the human way.

What if a child was trapped inside this fire and died? Would it have been the child's fault that the adults in the house failed to pay the $75 and deserved the punishment of death by fire? As it is several pets were lost over this incident.

[riverakathy]

I'm with Miles.

[igs00r]

Using the logic of insurance and jurisdiction would prevent an awful lot of good Samaritans such as off-duty police officers, doctors, nurses and even firemen from springing into action and saving lives in desperate situations. That's not the American way, and that's not the human way.

What if a child was trapped inside this fire and died? Would it have been the child's fault that the adults in the house failed to pay the $75 and deserved the punishment of death by fire? As it is several pets were lost over this incident.

These firemen weren't off-duty and there wasn't a child in the house. I'm debating this particular incident not a hypothetical one.

::

By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
South Fulton’s fire chief was assaulted Wednesday in the aftermath of a fire where firefighters were unable to respond because the property owner had not paid a rural fire subscription fee.
South Fulton Fire Chief David Wilds was treated at an area hospital after being assaulted about 5:45 p.m. at the city’s fire station, located in the South Fulton Municipal Building.
Timothy A. Cranick, 44, a resident of Buddy Jones Road near South Fulton, was arrested and charged with felony aggravated assault, according to South Fulton Police Chief Andy Crocker.
Crocker said the assault stemmed from a fire that occurred earlier in the day and he identified Cranick as a family member of the person whose property burned.
He said Cranick allegedly came to the fire station looking for Wilds, according to witnesses. When the fire chief identified himself and asked if he could help him, Cranick allegedly struck Wilds.
“He just cold-cocked him,” Crocker said, based on witness statements.
Crocker said Wilds was knocked down, rendering him virtually defenseless. He said Cranick was pulled off the fire chief by other firefighters who restrained him until additional help arrived.
Cranick was taken to the Obion County Law Enforcement Complex and was later taken to the hospital in Union City for treatment of a hand injury sustained in the incident.
South Fulton city manager Jeff Vowell told The Messenger that Wilds is “doing OK” today and is actually back at the fire station — despite what he characterized as a very emotional and trying day on the job Wednesday, made even more stressful by a local television news crew’s presence and then the assault incident.

http://www.nwtntoday.com/news.php?viewStory=46801

[riverakathy]

These firemen weren't off-duty and there wasn't a child in the house. I'm debating this particular incident not a hypothetical one.

So, save the house and give him a citation for 10 times the $75.00 and make him sign that a lien can be put on the property if not paid.

[tilmprarnerit]

So, save the house and give him a citation for 10 times the $75.00 and make him sign that a lien can be put on the property if not paid.

Great idea. Or bill them for the actual cost for putting out the fire + a penalty with the threat of a lien.

[Zhgpavye]

You don't wait for your house to flood and then try to buy flood insurance.

A lot of people do just that.

This is a great reminder that you all should review all your insurance policies AT LEAST once every two years! (I'm happy to research any questions if you need help. )

Great idea. Or bill them for the actual cost for putting out the fire + a penalty with the threat of a lien.

That's what I was wondering about. The law should be "Pay the $75 to have access to the service, otherwise if you call us you will be billed the full amount." My guess is that there isn't a law in place and there's no way the fire dept would have been able to collect.

[Zhgpavye]

What I would most like to know is if this guy had been paying the $75 for years and years. It would make his "I forgot" excuse much more viable. If he's never paid it, then it would be harder to feel sorry for him.

Honestly, though, I think they should have put it out. I wonder if animal cruelty laws come into play here. Also, the resident thought there were no people in the house. What if he was wrong?

[JOR4qxYH]

But if every home owner outside the city didn't pay until their house was on fire, the city wouldn't collect the revenue they probably need to insure they have the ability to respond when necessary.

It costs a hell of lot more than $75 to respond to a fire. It's the collective fees from all of those who pay in that allow the city to maintain the equipment and man power needed for the few fires that they do respond to.

You don't wait for your house to flood and then try to buy flood insurance.

Read my post again. I said he didn't offer to just pay the $75, he offered to pay the full cost of the rescue. This is very different than trying to buy insurance after an accident. The opposite, in fact. It's more like opting out of health coverage, then breaking your arm and asking a doctor to fix it for $5k (or whatever the insurance company would pay him). Should the doctor turn this person away because he's offering cash instead of insurance? I don't get that.

[igs00r]

So, save the house and give him a citation for 10 times the $75.00 and make him sign that a lien can be put on the property if not paid.

Great idea. Or bill them for the actual cost for putting out the fire + a penalty with the threat of a lien.

I totally get your argument. And I suspect there was a time when I'd have agreed with it.

But it sounds to me like in order for this agreement between the city of South Fulton and the neighboring homeowners to work, the rules have to apply to everyone and be enforced, otherwise none of the neighboring homeowners has any protection against fire. I could be totally wrong about how it's set up. I'm just working off of what would be an obvious agreement.

I'd also like to believe that if someone was in the house and they were able to, the firemen would have said screw the agreement we're going in.

That's what I was wondering about. The law should be "Pay the $75 to have access to the service, otherwise if you call us you will be billed the full amount." My guess is that there isn't a law in place and there's no way the fire dept would have been able to collect.

I'll bet there's a new law/agreement in place following this incident.

[Zhgpavye]

Read my post again. I said he didn't offer to just pay the $75, he offered to pay the full cost of the rescue. This is very different than trying to buy insurance after an accident. The opposite, in fact. It's more like opting out of health coverage, then breaking your arm and asking a doctor to fix it for $5k (or whatever the insurance company would pay him). Should the doctor turn this person away because he's offering cash instead of insurance? I don't get that.

The only thing is that I don't know if the fire dept could actually charge him the full amount. Plus offering to "pay anything" in a crisis is different from actually doing it.