Quote Originally Posted by 2ndChildhood View Post
I really have mixed feelings about this one.

My knee-jerk reaction is the same as Friday and Hitman.

Then there's the tax angle, these folks enjoy low taxes and have voted to keep them low, thus there is no government organized fire department. If people figure out that the fire department will put out fires even if they don't pay then the department's revenues will drop towards zero. Maybe the FD could put out the fire on a non-subscriber and then place a lien on the property for the bill.

Most of us dislike taxes and overpaid public employees, but at least they won't pull this kind of BS. Personally, I'd just as soon pay the taxes rather than have this happen in my town. There are no winners in a story like this.

North of Fort Collins, there's the Rist Canyon VFD which covers a large area of foothills and enjoys strong support from those who live in the area. They have an annual fundraiser and a solid force of volunteer firefighters. No subscription fee required. If a fire breaks out, they color code your driveway with tape so that fire teams bypass properties that have not cleared a "defense space" around the structures. Those properties that have good D-space will have a volunteer with radio on-site if/when a fire is nearby. It seems like a good setup and they are doing well with limited resources.
Nothing knee-jerk in my reaction at all, and I know you are not insinuating that either. I just want my stance in this to be clear. You wear a badge, you take an oath, you do NOT have the option of picking and choosing who get's your services, period. Tax, fees, bla bla bla... You swore to serve. Emergency public services are not free enterprise, they are PUBLIC. I don't care if you are volunteer or if you are county payroll. Absolutely disgusting display of lack of morality. This fucking douchebag showed up, put out the fire threatening the neighbor, and then stood there and watched another man's life burn to the ground over an unpaid $75 fee. NO! You put the fire out and let the county figure out how to deal with the fee/payment for the services. Disgusting...