Tennessee Home Burns as Firefighters Watch -- Again.
The Associated Press has a blurb this afternoon about the type of story which shocked and appalled many last year but is probably becoming or about to become the norm in more rural areas of the country.
SOUTH FULTON, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee couple has lost everything after their home burned to the ground as firefighters watched and did nothing.
Vicky Bell told WPSD-TV that she called 911 when her mobile home in Obion County caught fire. Firefighters responded but did not put out the blaze because she does not subscribe to the local fire service (http://bit.ly/t639Wo ).
Bell says she could "look out my mom's trailer and see the trucks sitting at a distance."
Rural residents who want fire protection can get service from the nearby town of South Fulton, but they must pay a $75-a-year fee. South Fulton Mayor David Crocker said that if the city's firefighters responded to people who didn't pay there would be no incentive for anyone to subscribe. He said firefighters will help when people are in danger, regardless of whether they have paid.
So they brought the firetrucks and firemen to the location but refused to do anything when they got there? They had already put time and energy into getting there so how could they justify watching the trailer burn to the ground? I don't know how those firemen can sleep at night after doing something like that. Had I been one of those firemen, I would have put the fire out and to hell with the consequences that were most surely coming my way later. At least I would have a clear conscience and be able to live with myself.
Since they are at least responding to all fires and if they need money that badly, how about charging the owner of the burning building $75 after the fact? Sort of like when someone needs an ambulance, they pay when it's needed, not every year in case it's needed.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
the $75 is 'insurance' essentially, and if they said, "Oh OK, you can pay afterwards," no one would pay beforehand.
What if these tiny-minded asshats do this to their police service? Then you'd have cops showing up somewhere and not stopping a crime because the owner hadn't paid 'insurance.'
me-oww!
"So little kristie.....you say that you were raped? Aha....very interesting....Unfortunally, your parents did not pay the insurance fee, so you are out of luck pumpkin"
I guess its going to be something like this.
One of the biggest scams going. Don't get me started on how much I loathe the group as a whole...
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
"Nice trailer. Be a shame if something terrible happened to it."
me-oww!
well they should have put out the fire and billed them 75$ x how many years the never paid.
Or you know, force the payments with you know, taxes.
"Who is setting all these fires?" Better yet, ask, "Who has an incentive to set fires?"
...is nothing but a thinly-veiled method of sadists getting their rocks off watching the unfortunate suffer.
Of course, half of America is pro-torture & liked what they saw @ Abu Ghraib, so it stands to reason this country is going to have at least one town full of sick fuckers who are willing to idly stand by while somebody's home burns.
When Fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in excess body fat & carrying a misspelled sign.
These are the things that make us europeans shake our heads in total disbelief.....
South Fulton apparently gets enough public funding not only to protect the citizens who don't have to pay an extra $75 a year for protection to run tours of the station , sponsor Boy Scouts and do public speaking at day care centres and schools.
Obion County, which South Fulton is in, does their best to make it easy to pay your county taxes on line. I'm going out on a limb here and assume that even if you live in the City of South Fulton you still pay Obion County tax.
Taxes aren't enough in Obion County that Mayor Crocker - a Republican - forces anyone outside his city to pay into his protection racket? So if country taxes aren't enough, why don't people living in the city of South Fulton pay the %75 annual excess charge for 'insurance'. So nice to see those good old-fashioned conservative values are still making life miserable for anyone who doesn't bend to the will of the free market. The real question is, why do the citizens of South Fulton keep voting this heartless bastard into office?
I'm sure it's a volunteer fire department. Who can say how much money the local government gives a volunteer fire company? And if the county used to give money to the fire company - If the county cuts taxes, and they signed that pledge of Grover Norquist not to raise taxes on anyone, then they have to cut costs. Apparently, the fire department is the first thing to go.
It would really suck if you just sent off the check, and that night your house burned down. Or what if there was a problem in the fire department's database? The database might say you didn't pay, when you actually did pay. What will they say the day after their trucks sat a block away watching your house burn down? Ooops! After 911 everyone thought firefighters and police were heroes. Looks like some aren't.
What's happened to America? What's happened to our moral compass in this country? Because of money, we turn our backs on people in need ? Is this what we are now? Is this the America the GOp want?
This is not the America I know. This is not the America that I believe in.
I know America is not perfect. I know we have a long way to go to get where we should be as a nation.
But this? I refuse to accept the America the GOp and the Norquist's want for us all.
Because, This, Is Not America.
over a measly 50-75 bucks, they let this happen. sad.
Just wait, the GOp have a lot more in store for all of us.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
http://www.nwtntoday.com/news.php?viewStory=4...
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/vote-and-comm...
They weren’t people in need, they were people who tried to scam the system and got caught. For 20 years the city has been offering to provide protection to those not in the outlaying county if they WANTED it. These idiots didn't want it. Same as the other 200 who don’t want any fire protection.
I don’t want car insurance so I’ll just wait until I have an accident and offer to pay that month’s premium ok?
20 years time $75 = $1,500. How much did they lose in the fire?
It’s not the America I served or what the GOP wants it’s what B Bop and the 3 B’s want. The perfect nanny state where you always blame someone else, no one is responsible for anything and everything is provided without you having to do anything to deserve it.
In mine people take responsibility for their decisions, don’t try to make others pay for their mistakes, provide help where it’s needed and deserved but not to people who feel entitled to it simply because they want it. I guess in your opinion that makes me a fool.
Funny how Berry’s people always seem to forget the little things like facts that don’t fit how they want them to.
“He said firefighters will help when people are in danger, regardless of whether they have paid.” “It’s been there for 20 years”
Only those who’ve had the courage to insure the freedom of strangers can truly comprehend its meaning and appreciate its valve. Education and intelligence are not mutually inclusive.
On everything from payroll, to a loaf of bread. Food, cloths, gas, income, property,just like everyone else.
And since(I'm pretty sure) that they have paid taxes, then they should have put out that fire.
It's inexcusable to go out to the fire, and let it burn down to the ground. To just sit and watch it burn down to the ground, is immoral. So, even if they are in the unincorporated part of the county or outside the city limits, to let that structure just burn, was just wrong. They shouldn't have to pay an additional 75$.
They pay taxes one way or another. The system is designed that way, so that no one gets out of paying taxes. Just look at the receipt from your grocery run next time, and look at how much you pay in taxes. Then multiply it, as many times as you go to the store. Add in you gas. Do the math.... What they are doing is extortion. I can't believe someone actually tried to defend this.
I can see where your moral compass points. a bit too close to the magnet there fella. sheesh........
And who the f is Berry? geeezz, at least get his name right..........
And don't go off on a tangent about how the rich pay more in taxes.
They pay people to get every loophole that's available.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
Mudshark - I did. Berry was an alias he uses.
Will try one more time for the grasshoppers.
They DON'T pay taxes to city for fire protection. They voted against doing so. They didn’t want it. Will repeat this several times in post, maybe it will sink in.
Please at least try reading linked info. It would be helpful if you knew what you were talking about. A little research would save you from being embarrassed.
South Fulton allows them to take advantage of their fire department if they want to. City doesn’t have to do this. They went out to there to protect people who could be in danger.
“They pay taxes one way or another. The system is designed that way, so that no one gets out of paying taxes. Just look at the receipt from your grocery run next time, and look at how much you pay in taxes. Then multiply it, as many times as you go to the store. Add in you gas. Do the math.... What they are doing is extortion. I can't believe someone actually tried to defend this.”
The sales tax maintains the city, its streets, schools, police, fire department, sewage, trash collection, dog catcher, etc. Again, county collects its own taxes for the services it WANTS to provide. Doesn’t want to provide fire protection.
So according to you, if I shop in any city, anywhere in the US, the sales tax should go where, in that city, to my state or county? Or should I insist that they provide fire and police?
She wasn’t denied fire protection, she didn’t want it. This is the 2nd time this has happened.
She said she didn’t pay, not because she couldn’t afford it, because she didn’t think it would happen to her. She took the risk.
No pay = accept risk. Risk = knowing that fire department will try to save you but not home. What is so hard to understand? Maybe she should never walk near a busy street. Might not understand risk of jaywalking?
So, no matter what stupid choices people make and however much they try to scam others, they should always be bailed out? Nobody’s responsible for anything?
I pay for roadside assistance, can also buy auto repair protection but don’t. When car needs repairs I pay for them.
I carry auto insurance in case some jerk who doesn’t have any and won’t take responsibility causes an accident. Also covers me if I’m at fault. Do you? Why?
Better yet and more to the point. Why don’t you not pay for auto insurance, have accident, your fault, $150,000 in damages / medical, say to insurance company, “let me pay $600 and you take care of the rest”. What’s the difference with no fire protection?
How much have you sent to South Fulton to insure everyone has fire protection, including those who don’t want it? Oh, that’s right you want others to pay.
I live out in county, not a city. My county collects taxes to pay city for fire protection. If it didn’t I’d pay fee. We voted for it. Not water, sewage, garbage collection, or library. We pay separately for those services.
Library is $180 a year if you want it. I don’t, because I don’t want their services. What a novel concept!
Live near another city, closer, pay to belong to their library system.
Only those who’ve had the courage to insure the freedom of strangers can truly comprehend its meaning and appreciate its valve. Education and intelligence are not mutually inclusive.
Bullshit.
"Barry" was his childhood nickname. By using it, you're infantilizing him.
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
Also used it in high school and college, and when he traveled to Pakistan.
I do apologize. Didn’t mean to be infantilizing, meant to be disrespectful.
Only those who’ve had the courage to insure the freedom of strangers can truly comprehend its meaning and appreciate its valve. Education and intelligence are not mutually inclusive.
Do these people not pay taxes?
Just wondering.... your compassion is overwhelming.
Yeah, they certainly SEEMED to be living in splendor! I'll bet they're stocked with a fridge full of beer, probably have the premiere service on cable, probably even had hot and cold running water...low lifes can't find $75 for fire service?
Firefighters are as guilty as the law. It's called compassion. They should have ignored the law and saved this family's house. What a country we live in.
is intended to be a factual statement
I have the perfect solution. Would satisfy those who don’t want to pay, those who want them to have it for free, and those of us who are responsible adults.
You who are oh so concerned that these poor, poor people have no fire protection, even though they didn’t want any, should call South Fulton, find out exactly how many haven’t paid and pay it for them. What you don’t want to but want others to? Why didn’t I see that coming?
By the way it’s approximately 200 out of the 900 living in the rural county area. That’s only $15,000. So, when can they expect your check?
Be careful how you respond. I live in a rural county and pay to have the city provide fire protection. Why? Because I’m not stupid that’s why.
Only those who’ve had the courage to insure the freedom of strangers can truly comprehend its meaning and appreciate its valve. Education and intelligence are not mutually inclusive.
How about
a fire tax!
WHAT A CONCEPT
A little socialized fire protection seems to be the obvious solution that has worked for what, a century?
Life in the 18th century. A return to practices and customs of same.
me-oww!
What more should one expect from those family values, bible thumping, conservative Sons & Daughters of The Confederacy?
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