Tennessee House Fire....

Postby snobound » Wed Oct 27, 2010 3:15 pm

I just read about this story, and found it to be quite shocking. The house of a family in Obion County, TN caught fire. The owner called the fire department. End of story, right? Nope. The family had failed to pay the FD's annual $75 "fire protection fee". The FD showed up, but merely watched as the house burned to the ground, killing two dogs and a cat trapped inside. The fire fighters refused to put out the fire, even when the homeowner frantically offered to pay. The only reason for the FD's presence was to prevent the properties of paying "customers" from catching fire.

Yet another contribution to the collapse of civilization and common decency, in my opinion.

What do you folks think? Should fire protection be reserved for only those who can afford to pay? Will we soon do the same with police? Schools?

Here's a link to the story...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39516346/ns/us_news-life/
Try out the TUGs chat! http://chat.mibbit.com/#tugsnet

Re: Tennessee House Fire....

Postby xtc » Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:40 am

That's unbelievable!
Are US fire depaertments not publicly funded bodies?
Boxer shorts are cool,
but little speedos rule!

More by the same author: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=22729

Re: Tennessee House Fire....

Postby snobound » Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:44 pm

They are- generally supported by property taxes. In Vermont, more often than not, they are staffed solely by volunteers. From what I understand, the town in question couldn't afford it's own FD, and contracted out services to a neighboring community. Somehow, each homeowner was given an individual bill to cover the costs.

Why the hell wouldn't the town have paid the fee, then adjust property taxes accordingly?
Try out the TUGs chat! http://chat.mibbit.com/#tugsnet

Re: Tennessee House Fire....

Postby Kyle » Thu Oct 28, 2010 2:21 pm

I live in a fairly populated area which has its own fire department, but from what I've been able to figure out from other stories, it's fairly common for fire departments to be run like this in rural areas. Typically if someone doesn't pay the annual fee their house will be saved, but they will be assessed a very heavy fine.

Now I don't agree with simply letting the house burn down, but I do wonder why you wouldn't pay it. Nothing comes for free. My bet is this is probably a fee commonly skipped by many people, and as soon as this occurred the fire department took this as an opportunity to send a message to those who don't pay it. I bet it gets paid by everyone next year.

Re: Tennessee House Fire....

Postby snobound » Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:31 pm

I believe the FD is going to be found criminally negligent.
Try out the TUGs chat! http://chat.mibbit.com/#tugsnet

Re: Tennessee House Fire....

Postby Kyle » Thu Oct 28, 2010 10:58 pm

They'll almost certainly be successfully sued, at the very least, which they should be. Criminal negligence will be harder to prove, especially if no one was in any danger, which by all accounts, it wasn't even close.

Re: Tennessee House Fire....

Postby Jason Toddman » Sat Oct 30, 2010 12:05 am

Sounds like a damned Protection racket to me. I can understand having to defray the costs somehow, but this wasn't the answer!
The homeowner's son was even arrested for assualting the fire chief - if I'd been the son, I'd have assaulted the bastard too.

The policy should be to put out the fire but then to charge the homeowner for services rendered if they MUST have their pound of flesh; not let the place burn! That was just plain heartless and stupid!

All that was missing was the Bloodhound Gang singing their song:

The roof the roof the roof is on fire
The roof the roof the roof is on fire
The roof the roof the roof is on fire
We don't need no water let the motherfucker burn
Burn motherfucker burn

Bet some firefighter there was singing that song too! Bastards.
Dare to be different... and make a difference.
To boldly go where no one in their right mind has gone before...

Re: Tennessee House Fire....

Postby snobound » Sat Oct 30, 2010 9:11 am

Jason Toddman wrote:Sounds like a damned Protection racket to me. I can understand having to defray the costs somehow, but this wasn't the answer!
The homeowner's son was even arrested for assualting the fire chief - if I'd been the son, I'd have assaulted the bastard too.

The policy should be to put out the fire but then to charge the homeowner for services rendered if they MUST have their pound of flesh; not let the place burn! That was just plain heartless and stupid!All that was missing was the Bloodhound Gang singing their song:

The roof the roof the roof is on fire
The roof the roof the roof is on fire
The roof the roof the roof is on fire
We don't need no water let the motherfucker burn
Burn motherfucker burn

Bet some firefighter there was singing that song too! Bastards.



Yes, exactly. What's next? An intruder is ransacking your home, though the cops stand outside while you write a check....

BTW... I LOVE THAT SONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
Try out the TUGs chat! http://chat.mibbit.com/#tugsnet

Re: Tennessee House Fire....

Postby Jason Toddman » Sat Oct 30, 2010 9:57 pm

Me too. Only disturbing thing is that I hear it being played by the fry cooks at the restaurant where I work. :mrgreen:
They slap a burger on the grill and sing along: - burn motherfucker burn!!! :P
Dare to be different... and make a difference.
To boldly go where no one in their right mind has gone before...

Re: Tennessee House Fire....

Postby Chris12 » Sun Oct 31, 2010 1:21 am

If they get a lawsuit i bet they will just say that the fire was to big and there wa nothing they could do it would probbly work too :x

Re: Tennessee House Fire....

Postby snobound » Sun Oct 31, 2010 7:52 am

Jason Toddman wrote:Me too. Only disturbing thing is that I hear it being played by the fry cooks at the restaurant where I work. :mrgreen:
They slap a burger on the grill and sing along: - burn motherfucker burn!!! :P



:lol: It must be a super classy place!!!

The Bloodhound Gang was alwyas one of my favorite alternative bands. The "Discovery Channel" song was great too. I mostly listen to alternative, punk, and classic rock.
Try out the TUGs chat! http://chat.mibbit.com/#tugsnet

Re: Tennessee House Fire....

Postby Jay Feely » Mon Nov 01, 2010 11:31 am

Very disturbing. I would sue the fire department and had done what their son did simply because it is rude to just let a house burn to the ground due to no insurance payment.
You will have to subdue me to restrain me. I been a bad boy so make sure you torture me too with anything but pain.

Re: Tennessee House Fire....

Postby snobound » Mon Nov 01, 2010 12:04 pm

It was the fact that the FD allowed two dogs and a cat to burn to death that REALLY pissed me off. I was simply shocked by this story. This sort of thing would NEVER happen in my state.
Try out the TUGs chat! http://chat.mibbit.com/#tugsnet

Re: Tennessee House Fire....

Postby Jason Toddman » Mon Nov 01, 2010 12:13 pm

snobound wrote:It was the fact that the FD allowed two dogs and a cat to burn to death that REALLY pissed me off. I was simply shocked by this story. This sort of thing would NEVER happen in my state.


Don't too sure of that! People are basically the same anywhere. I just hope they have more enlightened policies forfires in rural areas there. It's even more important in Maine, where something like 75% of the land area (mostly away from he coast) is rural or outright wilderness. I've lived in a rural area as a teen and hate to think that could have happened to *us* had there been a fire! As far as I know though, it would NOT have.
Dare to be different... and make a difference.
To boldly go where no one in their right mind has gone before...

Re: Tennessee House Fire....

Postby snobound » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:56 pm

Yes, at their core, people are basically the same. However, prevailing attitudes toward social/municipal services, and how they're paid for and distributed, differs greatly around the country.

Off topic.... I know what you mean about the "wilderness" worry. New England's forests are a tinderbox just waiting for the spark. Forest fires are nearly nonexistant here, and so are controlled burns. Our forests are absolutely CHOKED with tinder- it's hard to even walk through them. Luckily, it's been ages since a major drought has struck the region. All it would take is one very dry summer- combined with a stiff wind- and there would be a disaster of epic proportions here.
Try out the TUGs chat! http://chat.mibbit.com/#tugsnet