Firefighters watch home burn; Owners didn't pay

SOUTH FULTON, Tenn. - 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 emergency dispatchers when her mobile home caught fire. Firefighters responded but did not put out the blaze because she does not subscribe to the local fire service. Bell doesn't qualify for home owner's insurance, which is a requirement according to the city ordinance, according to CBS Radio News.

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.

Bell said she wasn't angry with the city. "Like I said, I'm just happy they came out and watched out for my neighbors," she said to CBS Radio News. She believes no amount of help from firefights would have prevented her trailer from burning to the ground. She added the city has offered to help in any way they can.

[tricia114]

NYC firefighters would never watch a fire and refuse to put it out.PAID OR NOT !!!!!! That's why we have the BRAVEST, not the greediest. Can you imagine these idiots at the trade centers 9/11??? The county is a disgrace, the mayor,the Governor,and so on.Shame on the firemen !!!!!

[msay3]

If that worthless commission did anything, perhaps they should have allowed firefighters to do their job, sent the homeowner a bill of $75 for services rendered; and then take them to court if they refuse to pay. Let the courts decide....

[bigyaz]

Sure. And how about you refuse to buy auto insurance, and then when you have an accident you go to Allstate and say, "OK, I'll pay my premium now, so just go ahead and pay my claim."

See how that works for you.

[HelpPeopleHelpPeople]

On another site, a comment said, "Ok, so we know the air is thinner in TN and that might account for some of it; and its a known fact that overexposure to sunlight that affects most places in the South; none of this begins to explain the outrageous policy of your town. Psychosis is the only logical conclusion. Rational, sane, mentally competent people don't condone the unnecessary destruction of life and property that is exhibited by this policy. In most every place on this earth, standing by and watching a fire that you could prevent is a crime. It's time for you people to join the human race. Stop displaying the neanderthal behavior that this fire policy suggests. If you don't want to be viewed as deranged, then stop acting that way."

As a Christian mental health counselor, I agree that mass psychosis is a strong possibility. Another possibility is illustrated by one of my favorite jokes.

Q: What is the difference between ignorance and apathy?

A: I don't know and I don't care.

Education is a solution to a wide variety of social problems. The extreme ignorance and moral weakness of South Fulton, TN could well be a result of something in the air or water, or a mass hypnosis similar to Nazi Germany in the 1930s. I suspect that the extrinsic religiosity (do a wiki search for Gordon Allport) of the area creates serious mental illness on a mass scale, along with the extreme amoral political climate. I suspect the false prophets, the modern-day-Pharisees, and the spiritually abusive ministers of the area have created an anti-Christian social and political view that supports Social Darwinism cloaked as "individual responsibility"; i.e. "if you don't work, you don't eat", and thus if you don't work, and can't pay or forget to pay, your pseudo-Christian neighbors will watch your house burn down. These people probably believe that if they pay taxes to the local/state/federal government to support firefighting, that they or others will go to hell.

It's almost impossible for ignorant people to resolve the apparent conflict between Biblical directions (e.g. 2 Thes 3:10 "if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either." and Acts 20:35 "by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive."). It would be like asking a Neanderthal or your dog to discuss nuclear physics. It's not actually within their capacity to do in the state they are in. In my experience, a huge number of people in America or under a religious dark cloud of ignorance similar to what the human race was under during the Roman Catholic oppression of the Dark Ages. Many of today's ministers who claim to be Christian have replaced the Pope and the well known atrocities of that age.

Easy solution: raise the County property tax $75 for each house (dah) not already paying fire department tax and pass it on to the South Fulton FD. $6.25 a month. Two packs of Tennessee cigarettes, a latte with and extra shot, a super-sized McD meal #1. Seems simple, but if people think they are offending God or going to hell for making that decision, they wont do it.

[almz25x]

So I wonder how much it costs to drive city equipment to a location watch a fire, and then drive city equipment back to the station. What next, police cars pull up to a home burglary and hold the door for the thieves, because the homeowners didn't give Guido their extortion u hum, protection, um, security check?

[cbd2400]

Wow...just wow. Do they have to pay $100 too if they are getting robbed or the police just stand outside the house and watch while it happens?

[CoryInTexas]

I"m shocked at how many people on this venue are not understanding why this couple couldn't pay. DID YOU NOT READ THE STORY? it wasn't just the 75 dollars. it also required proof of home insurance. and to ride there and watch it burn even though they already got there makes it worse.

OH I forgot. Republicans don't read. If they all read they'd stop voting against their own self interests.

[sharky77]

Sorry, if it is too hard for you to pay $75, which is 20 cents /day for 365 day fire coverage why should you get services? You have 2 homes, one that paid, one that did not. Both are on fire, both are opposite each. Guess what house will be saved, the one that paid. Not all firehouses are Government entities, some are volunteer houses and they depend on the local population for donations and funding to keep services going. You cannot expect free services and then expect upkeep from those services you want to help you. Life does not work that way. I am sure people would freak out and protest heavily if the services were actually included in utility bills. It actually would help, given people want their utilities and if the services were included in those bills, well it is all automatically paid so no one forgets, unless they do not pay their electric bill.

[CoryInTexas]

Did you not read the whole story? it required proof of homeowners insurance, which is out of reach to many people. That's the nice version of what I wanted to say to you that you frankly seem pretty heartless.

[philabias]

temps have flatlined or droped over the last 10 years but our co2s have doubled. there is no conection between co2 and global warming. we produce less than .002% of the so called green house gases. even if we stopped all carbon expenitures it would have no effect on our climate. BUT that does not mean i am in favor of polluting the planet that i will leaVE TO MY GRANDKIDS But the chicken little lies need to stop.
ManMade Global Warming= biggest lie ever taxed

[philabias]

This worthless mayor should have a nike enima. folks you need to elect better people

[sharky77]

Why not simply pay the $75 fee. Nothing in life is free.

[rockychance]

Fire fighters in large cities have dangerous jobs going up high rises, but and a big but, most firefighters in America have nice little jobs going on. They work one day, are off two and spend a great deal of the time sleeping. All the while they demand glorified pensions for essentially being brush fire fighters.

[netadmin2010]

77% of all fire fighters in America are volunteers - they answer calls all hours of the day and night on their own time - most don't have side jobs - and they sure don't get rich fighting fires -