Tennessee family home burns while firefighters watch

Originally posted by brokedown
reply to post by SoulDarkness

 

You still don’t get it.

These are NOT firefighters, they are farmers, cattlemen, construction workers, factory workers, the kid that works the counter at the general store.

It is just a group of people who have gotten together and have pledge their assistance to each other, no one else.

Shame on them. Then why did they respond in the first place? So they put up the money for the equipment - what good is it if you don't use it. It is a selfish and pig headed reaction to stan there and do nothing.

reply to post by brokedown


Well Im sorry I guess I would be thrown out of that community because I would help my fellow neighbor, I guess thats just the human in me. Our ambulance service where I am at is considered rural and the majority of our funding comes from a subsidy that is tacked on to the peoples property tax. Not once have we ever stopped to verify if our patient is up to date on thier taxes.

Originally posted by DickGozinya
You don't pay your bill, you don't get fire assistance. What's the problem with that scenario? No one burned to death they just lost their stuff. Next time they'll pay the bill and maybe not lose their trailer.

The problem is that you are taxed already at a State and Local level for these emergency services. WHat do you think your State Taxes pay?

reply to post by brokedown


Read my post - I too live in a rural setting - the fire fighters are all employed and wear beepers - even the fire chief. If the siren went off and the fire fighters drove the truck to the fire and stood there and let the property burn because of $75 ...

All I can say is those fire fighters would probably need to start looking for somewhere else to live. You do not stop caring for your fellow human beings and animals...when you stop caring you cease to be a human - more so when it is over something as petty as less than a hundred bucks.

Much Peace...particularly for those who now have no home...

In my Volunteer Fire Department we have one pumper truck, that’s all.

There are no fire hydrants anywhere in my area.

So, if we show up and the fire is already huge we can’t do anything about it anyway. So our S.O.P. is to not allow the fire to spread to neighboring homes.

I am not saying that that is what occurred in Obion county, but it is a very real possibility.

Originally posted by brokedown
reply to post by fworkman

 

You are exactly correct.

This is the attitude this family chose, of their own free will.

Now when they fall victim to their own lack of caring for their neighbors they want to complain.

Sorry, I hate your bad luck, let this be a lesson for each of us. We MUST take an active role in the life of our community, we must hold out a helping hand to our neighbors.

However, if you chose not to do so, don’t complain about it latter.

Do two wrongs make a right? You didn't help me so I won't help you? Why would they just stand by and not help someone in need of emergency help. It is a selfish attitude on the part of the Firefighters on scene.

Originally posted by Amanda5
reply to post by brokedown

 

All I can say is those fire fighters would probably need to start looking for somewhere else to live. You do not stop caring for your fellow human beings and animals...when you stop caring you cease to be a human - more so when it is over something as petty as less than a hundred bucks.

Much Peace...particularly for those who now have no home...

I'm not sure how it will work for that community but the rare time someone in the rural areas here has a fire where they didn't pay and it burns, no one has a whole lot of sympathy for it. Now I have never seen or heard of anyone gloating or joking or feeling anything but rather sad it happened. No question it's a tragedy..but such is life in rural America where the services are volunteer based.

One person on this thread said it better than I've heard it put in a long while.. 'You have to be a friend to have a friend'. What a great way to say it. I also rather favor the saying that if someone isn't part of their community's solutions, no one is going to get hurt helping them with their problems.....not unless lives are directly at risk. No lives were at risk here and perhaps they pay their bill next time.

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000

Originally posted by Amanda5
reply to post by brokedown

 

All I can say is those fire fighters would probably need to start looking for somewhere else to live. You do not stop caring for your fellow human beings and animals...when you stop caring you cease to be a human - more so when it is over something as petty as less than a hundred bucks.

Much Peace...particularly for those who now have no home...

I'm not sure how it will work for that community but the rare time someone in the rural areas here has a fire where they didn't pay and it burns, no one has a whole lot of sympathy for it. Now I have never seen or heard of anyone gloating or joking or feeling anything but rather sad it happened. No question it's a tragedy..but such is life in rural America where the services are volunteer based.

One person on this thread said it better than I've heard it put in a long while.. 'You have to be a friend to have a friend'. What a great way to say it. I also rather favor the saying that if someone isn't part of their community's solutions, no one is going to get hurt helping them with their problems.....not unless lives are directly at risk. No lives were at risk here and perhaps they pay their bill next time.

You quoted "You have to be a friend to have a friend". Who makes the first move to be the friend?

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


That was me who said that.

Thanks !

It is very hard for those who don’t live rural in America to comprehend the life style we share.

We don’t pay taxes for these services because we are able to come together as a community and provide these services privately.

No one is forced to participate, un-like being taxed, but here in lies the part of Personal Responsibility one must take on for themselves.

Life in rural America is full of Personal Responsibility task that each of us must do on our own, this is the way we want it , this is the way we like it.

No one is forced to participate, but if you chose to do so the rewards are great.

reply to post by liejunkie01


The Romans Fire Fighting service was somewhat of a mafia.

reply to post by fworkman


I would think that would be a TIME issue.

Who had the opportunity to be the friend first.

The family did in this event.

Originally posted by fworkman
You quoted "You have to be a friend to have a friend". Who makes the first move to be the friend?

Actually, I believe the neighbors who volunteer and put their butts on the line without all the benefits and pensions of a formal city Fire Department are the ones who have already made the first move by simply being there. Pay or No Pay, they will do whatever it takes to save a life. It's the one who didn't contribute to the welfare of the community in funding the fire protection who slapped down that hand of friendship. Just my thinking on it.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Maybe the people - who have been painted as not wanting to be a part of the community - were that way for a reason.

When people reach out and attempt to make friends it usually makes a difference. When some people have had a hard life - they can become introverted. This is when they decide to live their own life and can appear to be outsiders.

You've got to be a friend - spare me the details - what kind of friend are you to let another persons house burn down?! No wonder the world is so messed up. Everybody wants to take and no one wants to give. Even if the people were not my friends and were never going to be my friends - I would have shoved $75 into the fire fighters hands because I will never turn my back on a human being or an animal in a critical situation.

No matter what this world has dished out to me and how hard my life may be - I never want to be as cold hearted as some of the people commenting in this thread.

Much Peace...for all those people who need some kindness...

Originally posted by brokedown
reply to post by fworkman

 

I would think that would be a TIME issue.

Who had the opportunity to be the friend first.

The family did in this event.

I agree that the homeowner should have paid the fee in order to help support the costs for equipment but is it morally right to not help even though they did not pay when the firefighters are at the scene and could have helped?

None of us really knows what actually occurred the day this family lost there home.

The men who Volunteered for Obion County Volunteer Fire Department have already PROVEN that they are compassionate, social conscious individuals by their actions of willing to place their lives on the line for their community.

It is very hard for me to take seriously a news report that attempts to promote a negative emotional response from the reader when the people on the scene that have the full story, as the county Mayor, finds No- Fault in their actions.

I am not manipulated with these type of stories, I understand that the story is not complete and is “sensationalized” to trigger an emotional response.

Text is it morally right to not help even though they did not pay when the firefighters are at the scene and could have helped?

reply to post by fworkman


I agree. If I were those guys I would find a more human volunteer group to join.

13,182 Households in Obion County

If Everyone were to pay the fee that would be $988,650

It looks to me like the county has 1 fire department and 5 volunteer fire departments.

164,775 per department.

most of the firefighters are volunteer and therefor do not get paid. the trucks and station have already been built and since they are government buildings are tax write off for the city.

So the few firefighters are either getting paid more than any other firefighters in the united states, or somebody would be pocketing or using the money for other purchases.

Yes not everyone paid, and yes the fire departments have other expenses, but $988,650 worth?

So if only 75% of the households pay, that's still $747,487.

That's a huge budget for a county of only 32,450 people.

reply to post by brokedown


...they are compassionate, social conscious individuals by their actions of willing to place their lives on the line for their community.

Are you serious? Where was their compassion when another human being was watching their home burn?
Are you serious? Where was their conscience while they watched the house of a fellow human being burn?
Are you serious? Their actions - to place their lives on the line - for their community - what community?

There was no compassion shown and no actions from conscientious people willing to put their lives on the line.
There were however robots who are controlled by money and indoctrinated thinking - watching the home of a human being burn without using their fully functioning equipment to - at the very least - assist.

You may think they are compassionate - you may think whatever you like. If the article at the heart of this thread is based on truth I know why the world is so sad and full of anger and depression and violence.

Much Peace...

reply to post by tw0330

Fair enough on the fact their equipment would seem to be present and in working order at the moment. I also sincerely hope they are being good fiscal managers with what is left from training expenses, specialized equipment like communications, thermal imagers and that sort of thing that may save lives. They better be saving all the pennies alright.

I did a bit of checking and it seems modern firetrucks and rescue equipment run anywhere from $150,000 to $750,000 each. I'm sure they can get used stuff cheaper...but if I were one of the residents in that county, I'd consider the $75 well spent if I saw them rolling up to my house fire with shiny new equipment due to that 'large' fund.

reply to post by tw0330


I know that your mathematics may seem logical but it does not work that way.

First: Not everyone in the county is requested to contribute. The residents within the city limits of Union City fall under tax base paid professional fire fighters. Union City will account for the majority of the households in Obion County.

Second: each Volunteer Fire Department is a separate organization and must raise funds in their sphere of influence, the money is NOT collected by the County, it is raised by each separate department.

Third: I would be quite shocked to learn that the county provides buildings for these departments, For my Department , we provide the land and building privately, out of our own pockets. We do get a break on property taxes at a reduced rate, but we still have a tax bill.

Each of these separate department operate on very little money and will need to raise addition funds through fund raiser like bake sales, turkey shoots and the like.