Reply #91: the problem is, the FD had the hoses, the water, the manpower, and [View All]

[Bluerthanblue]

the opportunity to help, and they made a choice to stand by and do NOTHING.

That goes against everything they stand for- and goes against what binds us together as a society. If you check out the story, I believe the person who lived next door, the one who HAD paid the fee, asked the FD to help the neighbor, and even said that they'd pay any extra fees- It's all too easy to distance ourselves from this person who didn't pay and who lost everything. Maybe some people have to hate and vilify him, because it's too scary to think that we live in a society where people will put the dollar ahead of simple, basic human compassion.
Firefighters TRAIN to protect and serve the public, Volunteer, and "Professional" alike- They don't take into account who the victims might be, - their 'calling' is to FIGHT FIRES- and to safeguard lives and property, not to pick and choose who is deserving of their training and effort.
This dept. belongs to a "Mutual Aid" compact from what their site says, and that relationship requires that they respond to other towns/cities who don't financially support them. What if one town has lots of aid calls and another doesn't?

The argument that is bantered around saying that if people were helped even if they didn't pay the fee then what's to stop everyone from paying, is a hypothetical one. The reality was, that they had the resources, manpower, and opportunity to DO the right thing, and they didn't.

I can't defend that- no one honestly can.

:hi: