Saturday, October 08, 2005

Firefighters let mans mobile home burn to the ground because he hadn't paid them $25 "fire protection" money.

There is no excuse for this sort of behavior by supposed firefighters. I was in the fire service for about a decade. I didn't care if someone was paid up on PAC money or their extortion fees as to whether I helped them. That is why I really hate "subscription services" for fire and EMS. At least around here we do pay the tax dollars for services and should expect them to be rendered. I don't want to ever see this sort of thing happen in Selma with either fire or EMS. We do have issues with the fire department that will need to be worked out. Thankfully, I don't forsee this sort of unconscionable act or mentality happening here.

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INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn. There's outrage in northern Minnesota after firefighters allowed a man's mobile home to burn. Carl Berg had failed to pay the 25-dollar annual fee required for fire protection for homes outside International Falls city limits.

Berg says he couldn't afford the fee or fire insurance. He says he lost everything in last month's fire.

The Fire Department poured enough water to put the fire out temporarily and make sure everyone was safe. But when the blaze rekindled later, firefighters let the flames destroy what was left.

Fire Chief Jerry Jensen says he doesn't want to see that happen again. He says a firefighter's job is to "put out fires, not to watch them burn."

Local officials have been haggling for two years over how to pay for fire protection.

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