craig Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 to tell the truth i really dont care this is a tosser hose monkey thing,....not an EMS one
romneyfor2012 Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 This is how all fire/ems departments should be, the users should pay for the system. In this type of system, you have a choice, pay a modest annual subscription (usually under $100/year) or choose to have no protection. My county taxes for my home run a little under $2,000.00 per year to provide me with public safety services and schools that I do not use. It is not like it is a surprise to anyone, they knew what the deal was in the county when they moved there. Why pay millions of dollars in taxes to pay hose monkeys to sit around the station and watch TV and sleep. Why respond at all ? In this type system, the hose monkeys respond to non-subscribers to protect next-door subscriber's homes from catching fire; they contain it to the non-subscriber's property.
Just Plain Ruff Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 And if the homeowner knows about the fee and refuses to pay for it or forgets to pay it then well too bad so sad. For something as important as the fire department and if there is a certain fee in my area (there isn't) then I make the conscious decision to do one of two things. 1. pay for the fee - my property is covered 2. don't pay the fee thus my property is not covered. I feel sorry for them because they lost their house but to blame the fire department as the article seemed to do is wrong. It's the homeowner's fault. Besides, in the county I used to work at, by the time the fire guys got out of their comfy home beds, got to the fire house, then started the truck and drove to the scene that trailer would have been the newest inground swimming pool in Henry county. Average response time into the county is about 15 minutes on a good day. By the time they get there it most likely for a trailer would be a exercise in futility.
DwayneEMTP Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 I watched some show once about health insurance... People had gone their whole lives without it, then been diagnosed with AIDS, Cancer or some other catastrophically expensive issue and then wanted to buy it..."I can't afford these medical bills, and the insurance companies won't sell me insurance!! I'm a victim of the economy!" though it's no longer insurance at that point of course. The yearly payment for the hosemonkeys was insurance. Does it suck that you have to pay your whole life for something that may not happen? Sure. But I think the options suck worse... I'm sorry for their home, but, assuming that they were given the subscription option, then there are no victims here... Dwayne
Just Plain Ruff Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 I'm sorry for their home, but, assuming that they were given the subscription option, then there are no victims here... Dwayne Dwayne, if that county is anything like my county, you get the notice in your property taxes and also your utility bills on a once a year basis. The Volunteer fire department also sends out periodic mailings as well as when they know of a new person moving in, they go out to their house and tell them about the "insurance". If the family chooses to buy it, then all is good. If they don't then that their risk to take and their problem. Simple as that.
tcripp Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 1. pay for the fee - my property is covered 2. don't pay the fee thus my property is not covered. While I am certain the correlation is not the same, the thought of the "Mafia and protection" came to mind. If they choose to pay, then all is good... Now, next question for those in the field. For whatever reason, you didn't get my check...and I live out in the country...and it's my house that is on fire. You've shown up to protect my neighbors. Will you not accept payment for services rendered (or about to be) if I request you to save my house? This is just a curious question...where is the line? Just to level set, I do agree that everyone should take responsibility for their own actions and this includes insurance for health, auto, home and life. Just can't, for the life of me, imagine what I believe to be the lack of humanitarianism in this. Not even the old fashioned "bucket brigade" any longer? Neighbors helping neighbors? That's the part that I'm having a hard time swallowing. Toni
Just Plain Ruff Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 While I am certain the correlation is not the same, the thought of the "Mafia and protection" came to mind. If they choose to pay, then all is good... Now, next question for those in the field. For whatever reason, you didn't get my check...and I live out in the country...and it's my house that is on fire. You've shown up to protect my neighbors. Will you not accept payment for services rendered (or about to be) if I request you to save my house? This is just a curious question...where is the line? Just to level set, I do agree that everyone should take responsibility for their own actions and this includes insurance for health, auto, home and life. Just can't, for the life of me, imagine what I believe to be the lack of humanitarianism in this. Not even the old fashioned "bucket brigade" any longer? Neighbors helping neighbors? That's the part that I'm having a hard time swallowing. Toni NO the fire department won't take payment at the time of the fire because that would possibly prompt a number of people to stop paying the membership and just take their chances and then when catastrophy happens, they just pay up at the time of the fire. That takes money out of the fire department's hands that they should be able to use on a yearly basis. Think of it this way, the fire department starts to take payments on occurrence of the fire. People stop paying yearly dues which decreases the revenue the fire department has to buy equipment. So they have a decrease in revenue so they have to put off buying that extra equipment because people now just pay at time of fire. If you drive down the county roads in my county you see hundreds of red square signs with numbers on them. Those are the fire department member signs. About 90% of the county home owners and business owners pay dues. Those who don't, don't get protection. On the road my mother in law lives on every house mailbox post has a sign. The odd naked post is very visible and stands out like a sore thumb. Why should the fire department be forced to save someone's home if that homeowner didn't care enough to pay the membership fee. The fire department didn't make that choice for the homeowner, that decision responsibility lies strictly on the homeowner. Plus, having the homeowner foot the cost of the entire response, that's an option but most homeowners I know who are on a budget don't have an emergency fund for that type of situation. Plus the fire departments would want the fee up front. A truly suckage situation if you ask me. rolling it into your taxes is a viable choice but I'm not sure it that's the answer. But my town I live in has it in our property taxes so it wouldn't be that hard to do I guess. I haven't needed the fire department or ambulance yet this year so that 249.00 that I pay each year(I think that's the number) is it wasted money? I don't think so when any time I need the ambulance it's covered and I don't pay anything above what my insurance doesn't pay. So if I suffer a heart attack, and have a 10K ambulance bill, my insurance will not cover all of it but my taxes pay for the ambulance service to provide service so I don't see a bill. My wife didn't see a bill when she needed the ambulance.
Kaisu Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 , and have a 10K ambulance bill 10K for an ambulance ride? Holy cow... maybe I need to start a service in you neighborhood
spenac Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 Raise my taxes? I don't think so. I have never needed fire so why should I have to pay more taxes for something I don't use? I can imagine that was some of the publics thought process. Fire department made an acceptable alternative making the tax optional by becoming a subscription service. Now those that want insurance against the possible bad day can get it, those that don't can suffer for their bad choice. Toni if you wrote a check you should have noticed it didn't get cashed so you should have followed up about it. If it was cashed by them and they did not try and fight the fire sue them. Trying to pay while house is on fire to late sorry no deal. Not sure if could be done but make it where if you choose not to be in subscription service you are billed $XXX per truck, crew member, per hour for fighting fire and failure to pay it leads to forfeiture of your property. Property then could be sold at auction to cover expenses.
tcripp Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 Well, I'm stumped. Just put me in to the category of I get it...but I just don't get it.
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