I thought that the fire department was paid for with taxes. When you are in need, they are there-just like the cops & ambulance service. But it seems in one Tennessee town (actually in a few of them), that is not the case. There is another added fee. The argument is that it is supposed to be like auto insurance. If you don't buy insurance and you have an accident, then you are S.O.L. and in this case, if you don't pay that extra fee and your house catches fire, well, you are just S.O.L. And if your pets, family, or whatever happens to be in that burning building-well, that is just your own fault for not paying that fee.  >:( It looks like the fire department is now a for profit and reminds me of being a thug you have to pay "protection money" to. So much for serving the community and doing what is right.


http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978573523



Cat

I thought that the fire department was paid for with taxes. When you are in need, they are there-just like the cops & ambulance service. But it seems in one Tennessee town (actually in a few of them), that is not the case. There is another added fee. The argument is that it is supposed to be like auto insurance. If you don't buy insurance and you have an accident, then you are S.O.L. and in this case, if you don't pay that extra fee and your house catches fire, well, you are just S.O.L. And if your pets, family, or whatever happens to be in that burning building-well, that is just your own fault for not paying that fee.  >:( It looks like the fire department is now a for profit and reminds me of being a thug you have to pay "protection money" to. So much for serving the community and doing what is right.

Cat

From what I can tell from the story, the house that burned down was outside the city limits and as such, that dude's taxes did not go towards fire protection, thus the $75 out-of-city-limits fee.

All that said, I do not know how those firefighters can sleep at night just sitting there and watching this guy's trailer burn down.  >:(

They just racked up some heavy duty karma payback in the future...

Wow, just wow....

::)

that's horrible...the least they could've done was saved the house and then billed him $75 plus a fine or late fee... or something...  >:(

I don't understand how such callous indifference to life and property could be morally palatable to firefighters.  Idealogues, politicians, policy wonks, and teabaggers, perhaps -- but not firefighters.  I rank them higher on the character scale.
>:(

I never thought things would get so whacky in my country.

I thought that the fire department was paid for with taxes.


In some places, yes.  As you've gathered, this wasn't one of those places. 

In some (mostly rural) counties or other unincorporated land, there isn't any tax-collecting infrastructure, and fire departments are run largely on a volunteer basis, You don't pay your $75 to fund the fire department in a place in which the fire department's not funded by your property taxes, then you don't get protection from the fire department.  (If they're putting out a fire at your non-paying house, that means they're not available to put out a fire that might start at the house of a paying customer.)

Don't want a service, don't pay for it.  But don't expect to receive that service until you've paid up.  The firemen might have volunteered to show up just to ensure that no lives were lost (so they could sleep at night, and so that any structures downwind that happened to be owned by paying customers weren't ignited by embers from this guy's fire), but they were under no obligation to save the property of a customer who hadn't paid for their services.

Funny, I'm usually the guy railing against taxes.  And y'all are sayin' that taxes are the price of civilization and that if I didn't wanna pay someone else's salary, I should just move to Somalia or something.  $75 is cheap for fire protection services.  You either pay up or don't expect 'em to put your fires out.  Nobody said freedom was easy or pretty.

That's horrible!

In Pittsburgh, the garbage men, fire department (I think) but not the ambulance service is all paid by taxes, although the ambulance will come and take you to the hospital (if they get to you barring any blizzard conditions (but that's another story.)  My insurance doesn't pay for ambulance transportation apparently, so it's $800 for a one-way trip.  :o ::) )

I don't understand how such callous indifference to life and property could be morally palatable to firefighters.  Idealogues, politicians, policy wonks, and teabaggers, perhaps -- but not firefighters.  I rank them higher on the character scale.
>:(

I never thought things would get so whacky in my country.


Welcome to the United States of Glennbeckistan.
The firefighters showed they were good, real Americans; not Commies.
The folks complainin' bout their homes are pink as unicorns, yes siree.
Too bad them Red loving, America hating Commies weren't in their house went it burned 'urn down.
God bless the US of GBS. Land of the truly free!

When we had the fires in my area- the first time I was evacuated (when I was at the hotel)

We had Montecito fire, sb city and sb county all working together. Ultimately other agencies from across the state pitched in too.

Interestingly enough- apparently- insurance companies have or hire a branch of fire fighters (either "volunteer" or retired) anyway these guys were independent fire fighters. They were hired to protect the interest of the insurance company who hired them. They would pass houses on fire and go to the address of someone who had a policy with the insurance company so  If the firefighters were working for state farm and you had farmers and your house was next to a state farm client  They would put out your neighbors fire but not yours.

I've got one question for those collectivists down there in Tennessay!

Why do you still have a municipal water system?  You want water?  Go drill a well on your own initiative, like I did!  That way you won't have some commie fire dept. running around like I owe something to you because you let the wiring in your house fall out of code.  Code  what code?  It's not the government's job to tell you how to structure the wiring in your own home!
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/14/nono.gif

This is horrible!  I don't know how the firefighters could just stand by and watch it burn.  I wonder what these men would have done if they were not "on the clock"?  Would they have helped him then?  I just don't get it, they were there and had all the equipment, screw the $75. 

How could these guys sleep at night? 



The Fireman's Creed

When I'm called to duty God,
Wherever flames may rage,
Give me strength to save a life,
Whatever be it's age.
Help me to embrace a little child,
Before it is too late.
Or save an older person from,
The horror of that fate.
Enable me to be alert,
To hear the weakest shout,
And quickly and efficiently,
To put the fire out.
I want to fill my calling and,
To give the best in me,
To guard my neighbor and,
Protect his property.
And if according to your will,
I have to lose my life,
Bless with your protecting hand,
My children and my wife.

In some places, yes.  As you've gathered, this wasn't one of those places. 

In some (mostly rural) counties or other unincorporated land, there isn't any tax-collecting infrastructure, and fire departments are run largely on a volunteer basis, You don't pay your $75 to fund the fire department in a place in which the fire department's not funded by your property taxes, then you don't get protection from the fire department.  (If they're putting out a fire at your non-paying house, that means they're not available to put out a fire that might start at the house of a paying customer.)

Don't want a service, don't pay for it.  But don't expect to receive that service until you've paid up.  The firemen might have volunteered to show up just to ensure that no lives were lost (so they could sleep at night, and so that any structures downwind that happened to be owned by paying customers weren't ignited by embers from this guy's fire), but they were under no obligation to save the property of a customer who hadn't paid for their services.

Funny, I'm usually the guy railing against taxes.  And y'all are sayin' that taxes are the price of civilization and that if I didn't wanna pay someone else's salary, I should just move to Somalia or something.  $75 is cheap for fire protection services.  You either pay up or don't expect 'em to put your fires out.  Nobody said freedom was easy or pretty.



The thing is the guy just FORGOT to pay and said that he told them that he would pay-but so much for compassion. It is just appalling of what this country has come to. The "I got mine" mentality in this country is just sickening. And what really gets me is many of these people with that attitude are so-called Christians. I was always under the impression that Christianity believed in "Do unto others." I guess not. 



Cat

Next you'll have to pre-pay the ambulance crew.  Cash or credit card.  No personal checks honored.

In other words, you'll have to cough up the dough before they'll help you cough up the chicken bone.  Don't have the money?  We'll just stand around and watch you die, then bill your family for the ambulance and the paramedics' time. 

This is the kind of country the Rand Pauls of America want.  It's Ronald Reagan's wet dream!

::)

I've got one question for those collectivists down there in Tennessay!

Why do you still have a municipal water system?  You want water?  Go drill a well on your own initiative, like I did!  That way you won't have some commie fire dept. running around like I owe something to you because you let the wiring in your house fall out of code.  Code  what code?  It's not the government's job to tell you how to structure the wiring in your own home!
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/14/nono.gif


funny because the first thing an electrical fire will most likely do is knock off the power and the ability to pump water from your well.  They used to require a sprinkler with oil burners in Mass. until they realized the first thing the fire dept does is cut the power to the house.  If you have town water no problem, it doesn't the electricity.

This type of system of paying separate for your firemen in rural areas has been around a long time, I remember hearing about it twenty years ago.

I do have to question whether they notified the person that their payment was never received back when he missed the payment though.

funny because the first thing an electrical fire will most likely do is knock off the power and the ability to pump water from your well.  They used to require a sprinkler with oil burners in Mass. until they realized the first thing the fire dept does is cut the power to the house.  If you have town water no problem, it doesn't the electricity.

This type of system of paying separate for your firemen in rural areas has been around a long time, I remember hearing about it twenty years ago.

I do have to question whether they notified the person that their payment was never received back when he missed the payment though.


In the old days they did indeed have private "fire companies."  Pay to play.  That was when the best they could do was form a bucket brigade and by the time they got the bucket brigade ready, your home or business was usually a pile of smoking timbers!
::)

Well I guess I'm the a-hole of the site, because even though I feel bad for the people whose house burned down, I just have to wonder where we are supposed to draw the line.

I am all for helping people and saving lives when you can.  Of course.  But I just get so sick of the "give it to me for free" mentality.  I think that part of it is probably working in the school system - there are so many parents that don't pay fees and then complain and complain when their students don't get certain things, but my hell.  If you know that you have to pay a fee in order to have the firemen come and you don't pay the fee then what do you expect?

It's not like these people didn't know they had to pay.

It's really sad they forgot, but it's a pretty serious thing to forget.

I'm irritated at the outrage.

Maybe I'm just in a bad mood.  Normally I am a much nicer person than this.  But if I knew that I needed to pay $75 to make sure my house didn't burn down, I'd damn sure pay it! 

Well I guess I'm the a-hole of the site, because even though I feel bad for the people whose house burned down, I just have to wonder where we are supposed to draw the line.

I am all for helping people and saving lives when you can.  Of course.  But I just get so sick of the "give it to me for free" mentality.  I think that part of it is probably working in the school system - there are so many parents that don't pay fees and then complain and complain when their students don't get certain things, but my hell.  If you know that you have to pay a fee in order to have the firemen come and you don't pay the fee then what do you expect?

It's not like these people didn't know they had to pay.

It's really sad they forgot, but it's a pretty serious thing to forget.

I'm irritated at the outrage.

Maybe I'm just in a bad mood.  Normally I am a much nicer person than this.  But if I knew that I needed to pay $75 to make sure my house didn't burn down, I'd damn sure pay it! 



I think it's one of those those things you just don't think will ever happen to you.... he found out the hard way he was wrong...

Do I believe he forgot to pay?  Nope, I don't think so.  In his interview he said there once was a fire at his son's place and he was allowed to pay the fee the next day after they put out the fire.  What I think needs to be done so that people don't "forget" to pay is to add it to the county tax or personal property tax.

I still can't understand how the firefighters could just let his home burn.  The county could have fined him $100 or $500 for the firemen putting out the fire. 

I know it's policy but how could a human being stand back and watch this man loose everything?  Especially those who are trained to fight fires. 

Do I believe he forgot to pay?  Nope, I don't think so.  In his interview he said there once was a fire at his son's place and he was allowed to pay the fee the next day after they put out the fire.  What I think needs to be done so that people don't "forget" to pay is to add it to the county tax or personal property tax.

I still can't understand how the firefighters could just let his home burn.  The county could have fined him $100 or $500 for the firemen putting out the fire. 

I know it's policy but how could a human being stand back and watch this man loose everything?  Especially those who are trained to fight fires. 


It said in the article that the firefighters weren't allowed to put it out.  I'm sure they wanted to but maybe they were threatened with losing their jobs?

It said in the article that the firefighters weren't allowed to put it out.  I'm sure they wanted to but maybe they were threatened with losing their jobs?


I know and that's probably the reason but if it had been me I know I would take that risk. 

The thing is the guy just FORGOT to pay and said that he told them that he would pay-but so much for compassion


Uh, yeah, I forgot to pay my health insurance premiums.  Tell ya what, you give me the quadruple bypass surgery, and I'm sure the insurance company will pay you back for the $100K when I send in my check for $600.

Good thing I didn't get into an accident on the way here.  I mean, I forgot to pay $300 for my auto insurance (unless I sideswipe someone's Porsche, in which case I'd have just asked the guy to pretend that the accident happened next week so I could get my auto insurance renewed before hitting them with the claim), but even the $300 I saved wouldn't cover the $800 ambulance ride.

$75 for fire services, $300 for auto insurance, $600 for health insurance... damn, I'm so forgetful, but a penny saved is a penny earned!

I know and that's probably the reason but if it had been me I know I would take that risk. 



Same here.



Uh, yeah, I forgot to pay my health insurance premiums.  Tell ya what, you give me the quadruple bypass surgery, and I'm sure the insurance company will pay you back for the $100K when I send in my check for $600.

Good thing I didn't get into an accident on the way here.  I mean, I forgot to pay $300 for my auto insurance (unless I sideswipe someone's Porsche, in which case I'd have just asked the guy to pretend that the accident happened next week so I could get my auto insurance renewed before hitting them with the claim), but even the $300 I saved wouldn't cover the $800 ambulance ride.

$75 for fire services, $300 for auto insurance, $600 for health insurance... damn, I'm so forgetful, but a penny saved is a penny earned!



If you didn't pay your health insurance and needed triple by-pass surgery-you would get it and then be slapped with the bill that will bankrupted you but you will get the surgery you need. What they SHOULD have done was put out the fire and then slapped him with not only the $75 bill but a fine for not paying BEFORE. That would have been the humane thing to do but I guess in this country the humane thing to do doesn't matter anymore. That is what makes me so sad for my country.



Cat

What they SHOULD have done was put out the fire and then slapped him with not only the $75 bill but a fine for not paying BEFORE. That would have been the humane thing to do but I guess in this country the humane thing to do doesn't matter anymore. That is what makes me so sad for my country.


What my insurance company SHOULD have done was cover the cost of my triple bypass and then slap me with not only the $600 in insurance premiums but a $10.00 late fee for not paying BEFORE!

You fundamentally misunderstand the way fire departments that don't have access to tax dollars are required to fund themselves.  They aren't like insurance companies, they are insurance companies.  Your $75 doesn't cover the cost of putting out the fire.  Your $75, pooled with $75 from everyone else in town, funds the fire department's considerable capital expenses.  If it were optional (that is, if you could pay $75 and a few hundred bucks in fines) to save your $100K house, nobody would pay the $75 upfront - they'd all "forget" with the intention of paying the "on-the-spot" fee in the event that their house burned down - a side effect of which would be that there'd be no money to fund any fire department.

It's precisely why (once single-payer was thrown under the bus like the election promise it was) an individual mandate was required in the health care "reform" programme in exchange for a workaround for the "pre-existing conditions" issue.  You don't get to go 20 years without paying insurance premiums, and then (when you can't walk up the stairs because your breath is short, your pee smells funny, and your skin is turning yellow) sign up for health insurance so you can get your insurance-paid-for statins, insulin, and liver transplant. 

$75 is the price of civilization.  The only difference between $75 for the fire department's services in an unincorporated area of some county, vs. the portion of your property taxes that goes to a municipality's fire department is that there's nobody to put a lien on your house for not paying it.  Every $75 someone "saves" comes with a 1-in-1000 chance that the fire department will toast marshmallows over their house. If their house is worth less than $75000, maybe that's a good bet to make. 

What my insurance company SHOULD have done was cover the cost of my triple bypass and then slap me with not only the $600 in insurance premiums but a $10.00 late fee for not paying BEFORE!

You fundamentally misunderstand the way fire departments that don't have access to tax dollars are required to fund themselves.  They aren't like insurance companies, they are insurance companies.  Your $75 doesn't cover the cost of putting out the fire.  Your $75, pooled with $75 from everyone else in town, funds the fire department's considerable capital expenses.  If it were optional (that is, if you could pay $75 and a few hundred bucks in fines) to save your $100K house, nobody would pay the $75 upfront - they'd all "forget" with the intention of paying the "on-the-spot" fee in the event that their house burned down - a side effect of which would be that there'd be no money to fund any fire department.

It's precisely why (once single-payer was thrown under the bus like the election promise it was) an individual mandate was required in the health care "reform" programme in exchange for a workaround for the "pre-existing conditions" issue.  You don't get to go 20 years without paying insurance premiums, and then (when you can't walk up the stairs because your breath is short, your pee smells funny, and your skin is turning yellow) sign up for health insurance so you can get your insurance-paid-for statins, insulin, and liver transplant. 

$75 is the price of civilization.  The only difference between $75 for the fire department's services in an unincorporated area of some county, vs. the portion of your property taxes that goes to a municipality's fire department is that there's nobody to put a lien on your house for not paying it.  Every $75 someone "saves" comes with a 1-in-1000 chance that the fire department will toast marshmallows over their house. If their house is worth less than $75000, maybe that's a good bet to make. 


You're making the lawyer's argument and the number-cruncher's argument. 

What about the Golden Rule?
???

You're making the lawyer's argument and the number-cruncher's argument. 

What about the Golden Rule?
???


Do unto others as thou wouldst have them do unto you?  If I'd have the firemen put out the fire in my house, I'd pay them $75.  (And if I'd risk my life to put out the fire in someone else's house, I'd damn well expect them to pay me at least $75 when their house wasn't on fire.)

Hey, you want to be part of the shared risk pool - be it in the form of an individual mandate for health insurance, or a pyramid scheme like Social Security - you pay upfront.  This guy had the right not to pay for fire protection, he exercised it, and he lost.

I'll lay odds that if his life had been at risk, the firemen woulda rolled the dice and saved his butt.  Not because they'd been paid, but just because they were paid to make sure the fire didn't spread to adjacent structures, but as long as that wasn't a problem and they were in the neighborhood, they felt like it.  But risking your life for a dude's property when he can't even be arsed to pay you $75 until the flames are licking at his feet?  Nope, aint' happenin'.

The only difference between fire protection in rural areas and most of the other things statists take for granted as "things everyone's entitled to if they pay their taxes" is that this guy had the right to say "nope, ain't no law sayin' I gotta pay, and I don't think I'm gonna need your services".  He bet wrong. 

I'm really surprised by this.  This issue is the one sort of case upon which an "How 'bout I stop giving money to Social Security and relinquish any claim I have on the SS so that I can have an extra $6K/year to invest for my own retirement" anarchocapitalist and the rest of you "taxes are the price we pay for civilization" sorta people ought to be able to agree - and here we are disagreeing.

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/5126/letemcrash.jpg

He knew what he was getting into, let him crash!

You're bringing in this extraneous stuff about insurance regulations and social security.  I'm saying, we've firetrucks and hoses, there's a home burning.  What do we do?

If you can get to such a base level of morality you can say, "I'll tell you what we can do, we can some marshmallows," well, you've then become capable of startlingly atrocious behavior.

Trespassers will be shot.
Survivors will be shot twice.

I've seen that sign out the country.  Why would you want to post such a sign?  To show passersby your big swingin' d*ck?  To bare your fangs at predatory citizens?  What?  Is just a joke?  I don't know, but it sure is nasty.  And the truck nutsacks.  What's with that, huh?  Every time I see them, I hear in my head (to the the exposition of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony) "I'm insecure! I'm insecure!"
::)

Forget it Max, Atlas shrugged

You're making the lawyer's argument and the number-cruncher's argument. 

What about the Golden Rule?
???



Unfortunately, the Golden Rule was in play here: He who has the gold makes the rules.  >:(



Cat

I don't think that the firemen shouldn't have put out the fire.

I don't know that anybody thinks that.

It's just the whole concept of "have it now, pay for it later" that has taken over American society that I think sucks.

It's the underlying theme of the whole thing.

It says right in the article that the man was offering the firefighters any amount of money to put the fire out.  After the fact.  And I just think that sucks.  He obviously HAD THE MONEY.  He CHOSE NOT TO PAY IT.  This isn't a poor person who wasn't able to pay and got screwed scenario.  This is an irresponsible person who, like so many people around him, thought the rules just didn't apply to him.  It happens every single damn day.  And it's bullsh!t. 

What happened to personal responsibility?   

The fireman aren't monsters.  They don't have a ball sack hanging from their fire truck.  The man should have paid his fee. 

IMO, the only ethical thing the fire department could have done was put out the fire and deal with the cheapskate later.  It's the same principle as mandatory emergency room treatment. 

IMO, the only ethical thing the fire department co
uld have done was put out the fire and deal with the cheapskate later.  It's the same principle as mandatory emergency room treatment. 


Except the man wasn't dying.

I don't think that the firemen shouldn't have put out the fire.

I don't know that anybody thinks that.

It's just the whole concept of "have it now, pay for it later" that has taken over American society that I think sucks.

It's the underlying theme of the whole thing.

It says right in the article that the man was offering the firefighters any amount of money to put the fire out.  After the fact.  And I just think that sucks.  He obviously HAD THE MONEY.  He CHOSE NOT TO PAY IT.  This isn't a poor person who wasn't able to pay and got screwed scenario.  This is an irresponsible person who, like so many people around him, thought the rules just didn't apply to him.  It happens every single damn day.  And it's bullsh!t. 

What happened to personal responsibility?   

The fireman aren't monsters.  They don't have a ball sack hanging from their fire truck.  The man should have paid his fee. 


What happened to the social contract...to society..one in which the care and concern for one and all takes precedence over gelt.  I gave a smirk over the fact that the guy could have afforded it, but didn't pay it, and probably was the kind of guy who railed against paying taxes not seeing the hidden advantages he receives every day, harsh lesson learned.  As a society we seem to reverting.

What happened to the social contract...to society..one in which the care and concern for one and all takes precedence over gelt.  I gave a smirk over the fact that the guy could have afforded it, but didn't pay it, and probably was the kind of guy who railed against paying taxes not seeing the hidden advantages he receives every day, harsh lesson learned.  As a society we seem to reverting.


Well actually I have little sympathy for the guy whose house burned down.  In all likelihood he is a leech...

However I certainly do not look favorably on those firemen either.  I don't know if firemen take any sort of "professional oath", but I cannot imagine being in the position to not stop said fire.  Even if that meant getting fired from the department.

Well actually I have little sympathy for the guy whose house burned down.  In all likelihood he is a leech...

However I certainly do not look favorably on those firemen either.  I don't know if firemen take any sort of "professional oath", but I cannot imagine being in the position to not stop said fire.  Even if that meant getting fired from the department.


I've talked about this with the firefighters I know and they are all disgusted...

Except the man wasn't dying.



No, but his pets did.



Cat

No, but his pets did.



Cat


I know.
:\'(

Firefighters used to rescue frightened cats trapped in high branches.  Whatever happened to those days?  Short-sighted people might see this as a waste of taxpayer dollars, but it's a long-term civic benefit.  If you're a six-year-old girl and firefighters hand your precious kitty back to you after he's been crying on a treetop for two days, you'll feel good about firefighters for the rest of your life.

I know.
:\'(

Firefighters used to rescue frightened cats trapped in high branches.  Whatever happened to those days?  Short-sighted people might see this as a waste of taxpayer dollars, but it's a long-term civic benefit.  If you're a six-year-old girl and firefighters hand your precious kitty back to you after he's been crying on a treetop for two days, you'll feel good about firefighters for the rest of your life.



I have seen firefighters rescue a cat from a tree. I used to think it was something they only did the movies but it actually happened. This was in the '90s-before the "I got mine" mentality really took hold.




Cat

I have seen firefighters rescue a cat from a tree. I used to think it was something they only did the movies but it actually happened. This was in the '90s-before the "I got mine" mentality really took hold.




Cat


in dispatch we have a response to that old "saving a cat from a tree" adage.... when was the last time you saw a cat skeleton in a tree?  ;D

in dispatch we have a response to that old "saving a cat from a tree" adage.... when was the last time you saw a cat skeleton in a tree?  ;D


This problem has been "tackled" before...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ak0ASg_6FA

;D

From what I can tell from the story, the house that burned down was outside the city limits and as such, that dude's taxes did not go towards fire protection, thus the $75 out-of-city-limits fee.

All that said, I do not know how those firefighters can sleep at night just sitting there and watching this guy's trailer burn down.  >:(

They just racked up some heavy duty karma payback in the future...

The man's home was just outside the city limits, so the firemen showed up just to spray reterdant gel on his neighbor's house, which was on the don't-need-to-pay-extra side of the line. Then the absolutely unprofessional conduct began.
As for karma payback, it's already started. The man's son was so furious over the loss of their dog & three cats that he went right down to the fire station the next day and punched the station chief in the face! Now the department is, figuratively and literally, nursing a black eye! I can almost guarantee that won't be the only fallout from this travesty.

Your Pal,
Doc
>:(

in dispatch we have a response to that old "saving a cat from a tree" adage.... when was the last time you saw a cat skeleton in a tree?  ;D


When was the last time you saw a squirrel skeleton in your tree. 

When was the last time you saw a squirrel skeleton in your tree. 


never

The man's home was just outside the city limits, so the firemen showed up just to spray reterdant gel on his neighbor's house, which was on the don't-need-to-pay-extra side of the line. Then the absolutely unprofessional conduct began.
As for karma payback, it's already started. The man's son was so furious over the loss of their dog & three cats that he went right down to the fire station the next day and punched the station chief in the face! Now the department is, figuratively and literally, nursing a black eye! I can almost guarantee that won't be the only fallout from this travesty.

Your Pal,
Doc
>:(


Bad idea.  Two wrongs don't make a right.  The son didn't help anything by punching the fire chief in the eye.  It's terrible that family lost their home and their pets, but more violence isn't going to help.
::)

Bad idea.  Two wrongs don't make a right.  The son didn't help anything by punching the fire chief in the eye.  It's terrible that family lost their home and their pets, but more violence isn't going to help.
::)


I agree. The family could file a civil suit- they may have no case but they could try... in the mean time... if I were the fireman who was punched I would press charges.

I agree. The family could file a civil suit- they may have no case but they could try... in the mean time... if I were the fireman who was punched I would press charges.


And rightfully so.  You can't punch people even if they do rotten things.

Bad idea.  Two wrongs don't make a right.  The son didn't help anything by punching the fire chief in the eye.  It's terrible that family lost their home and their pets, but more violence isn't going to help.
::)



I agree.



Cat

Bad idea.  Two wrongs don't make a right.  The son didn't help anything by punching the fire chief in the eye.  It's terrible that family lost their home and their pets, but more violence isn't going to help.
::)

I know, I know. I just like the idea of someone in the department literally getting a black eye over their misconduct. Rather poetic justice, and that'll play nicely in the media... I hope.

Your Pal,
Doc
8)

I know, I know. I just like the idea of someone in the department literally getting a black eye over their misconduct. Rather poetic justice, and that'll play nicely in the media... I hope.

Your Pal,
Doc
8)


I imagine that it's gonna play in a courtroom...  Judges tend to look down at people (particularly from outside the jurisdiction) walking up to the fire chief and punching him out...

I imagine that it's gonna play in a courtroom...  Judges tend to look down at people (particularly from outside the jurisdiction) walking up to the fire chief and punching him out...


tend to???  :-\\

I imagine that it's gonna play in a courtroom...  Judges tend to look down at people (particularly from outside the jurisdiction) walking up to the fire chief and punching him out...


So do other firefighters.  It's not smart to start sh*t with a firefighter.  They're pretty tough.
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/11/angryfire.gif

So do other firefighters.  It's not smart to start sh*t with a firefighter.  They're pretty tough.
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/11/angryfire.gif


Yeah, I mean some of them will just let your house burn down

Yeah, I mean some of them will just let your house burn down



Karma.



Cat

I was always under the impression that Christianity believed in "Do unto others." I guess not. 

No, you're right... but not "do unto others as you would be done by", rather "do unto others, period"

All wet yeah you might need a raincoat
Shakedown thieves walking in broad daylight
Three hundred sixty five degrees
Burning down the house!

It was once upon a place sometimes I listen to myself
Gonna come in first place
People on their way to work say baby what did you expect
Gonna burst into flame!

My house is out of the ordinary
That's right Don't want to hurt nobody
Some things sure can sweep me off my feet
Burning down the house!

--Talking Heads