From Delawarefirefighter.com - Aaron Moore.

Due to a $1.6 million city budget shortfall, the city of Cambridge, MD has started billing insurance companies for responses made by Rescue Fire Company...

From WBOC.com

CAMBRIDGE, Md.- The city has begun charging fees when the Cambridge Rescue Fire Company responds to an emergency call.

It's all part of a new ordinance and resolution approved by the city council to help close a $1.6M budget gap.

Under the ordinance people's insurance companies will be charged every time the fire company is called to a house fire, car crash, water rescue or to remove hazardous material. The insurance companies will be charged anywhere from $150 to $2,100 depending on how much fire equipment and personnel respond to a call.

"It hurts some people, but if not they would have to raise the taxes and that would hurt everybody," said Jordan Rossy, a resident of Cambridge.

City leaders say insurance companies should pay the fees because of the ordinance, but some fear insurance companies will deny the claim, leaving them to pay the bill.

"I think the fire company is an essential service. I think in Cambridge they are excellent," said Cambridge resident, Marjorie Hull. "We have to respect the people that they serve and it's almost like punishment because your house burned or you're in a traffic accident," she said.

Now the interesting thing is that the town provides the fire company with ZERO dollars. None of the money is going to the fire department and all the money will go to fill the budget shortfall. Legal action is expected to occur.