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IAFF Condemns Tennessee House Fire Policy
TODD FAULKNER
WPSD
Reprinted with Permission
PADUCAH - A local fire department's decision to let a home burn is attracting national attention and sparking national debate.
A firefighters group is lashing out against members of their own. The International Association of Fire Fighters is condemning the South Fulton Fire Department for their actions last week.
Fire crews refused to put out a house fire in Obion County, Tennessee, because the owner did not pay the $75 coverage fee. The Association's general president released a statement Tuesday on the city's policy of subscription fire service.
The IAFF statement reads, in part, "We condemn South Fulton's ill-advised, unsafe policy. Professional, career fire fighters shouldn't be forced to check a list before running out the door to see which homeowners have paid up. They get in their trucks and go."
The statement also reads, "Because of South Fulton's pay-to-play policy, fire fighters were ordered to stand and watch a family lose its home."
Todd Cranick, son of Gene Cranick, tells Local 6 that his parents have received several thousand dollars from the insurance company to cover immediate costs. Cranick went on to say that the insurance plans on covering all damage and property losses. Right now, there is no fund set up to help the Cranick family.
The IAFF is headquartered in Washington, D.C., representing nearly 300,000 full-time professional firefighters and paramedics.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Vic Silverfish on
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Gee, the IAFF takes a position on how public services should operate with no regard for how they will be paid for. What a shock. I expect the members of this department (I believe they are a union shop) to stop paying their dues.
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Permalink Reply by Karr Quintero on
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i like how they say they refused then later state they were ordered, only the media can kill ya faster then a bullet!
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Permalink Reply by David Sonnen on
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If you think this was tough, try getting sick without having $1,000 dollar a month health insurance. At $75 bucks a year, South Fulton's fire supression service is a bargan.
South Fulton gives us a hard look at what happens when the anti-tax crowd wins.
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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The City of South Fulton has no duty to act in the county. They are not the "county's" fire department, there was NO FIRE DEPRTMENT. The residents know that, I am sure they all understand the set up. The homeowner even saud on the first interview that he knew he chose to not pay but thought they would come anyway.
The county commissioners chose to contract the City of South Fulton to provide subscription service to the county residents seeing they do not want to force a fire tax on the entire county residents.
So in my opinion they did nothing wrong. They are charged to be the City FD, the taxpayers of the city expect the fire chief to secure funds if they are providing services to the county. Otherwise, you would never have a staffed firetruck in the city. The city protects 2,500 resdients and the county has 30,000.
The first time the City of Fulton, extinguishes a house fire for a non paying resident of the county, then everyone in the county will choose to not pay the annual subscription fee of 75.00. Thats like 20 cents a day. What the IAFF is saying is that the City shouldn't have to look up an address on a list before responding. I agree totally, what they are suggesting is the entire county pay afire tax like most of the world and everyone gets protection. I would also bet the fire tax assessment will be far greater than the current system.
This is all about personal responsibility, don't pay the fee, then don;t expect someone to come and supress. You can't drive up to burger king and demand a free burger can you? No customers pay at BK. You decide to not pay your mortgage, do you expect the bank to just let you have the house for free?
This isn't about mutual aid. This isn't about the county fire department refusing to extinguish the fire because the resident refused to pay the fee. This is a small city FD who responds out of their district to customers who pay a very samll fee for a service.
The homeowner got what he paid for.... nothing but it was his choice. The sad part about this is the City FD actually did what they are charged to do. Protect the city's interest.
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Permalink Reply by Herb Genelly III on
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They've already allowed homeowners to pay AFTER the fact big shooter. He thought they would come because they've done it before...............Hummmm.
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Permalink Reply by ff/emt 2155 on
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i can understand the point about paying for the service but i do have a question for a career paid ff due to the fact i work for a volunteer dept.
when the city hires you do you raise your right hand and take an oath to protect and serve ? i'am not being a moron or wanting to piss anyone off just asking because i dont know,
2nd if the f.d. did expect repercussions from this teriable event why even show up. i'am sure they knew befor hand their would be backlash about the whole thing.and if they would've said we were worried about the neighbors property well wait for the 911 call or stage down the road very grey area for all parties concern.
3rd mr cranick knew he did not pay he had two hours to make a fire break on the ground so as not to spread,i belive the home owner had a personal duty to act seeing it was his property and for the firefighters once on scene i belive they had a moral duty to act i would like to know what would happen if while there someone had a cardiac event and what would have taken place then.
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No, the oath to protect and serve is to your OWN community. There is no duty to act in this case. The fact that they eventually showed up was because the exposure house next door called because they were afraid the fire was spreading accross the field. This house PAID the subscription. They didn't show up right off the bat and refuse to put the fire out. The fire started in a barrell, unattended I bet, and then spread out of control, this owner has dropped the personal responsibility ball numerous times. I think most here owe the City of South Fulton an appology. They did nothing wrong but attempt to protect the assetts of the city. No pay eventually leads to layoffs, broken down equipment and poor service. Heck for the cost of the subscription they burn more fuel in the trucks than what the customer pays. People down there have a hell of a bargajn compared to a true accrurate fire tax.
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Permalink Reply by Firechief2411 on
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Look this is beyond law, this about our moral obligations to the community. How many times do we run mutual aid into another jurisdictions and not charge them for that service. There are many people at fault on this one. But let me ask this if there had been an entrapment and someone had died then this would have been negligent homicide wouldn’t it? This time there was no death but how about next time? All of us career and volunteer have an obligation to the community, all communities in need. Real firefighters do not care about race, sex, wealth or if you paid your taxes.
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My point in not mute there is always a life safety issue in dealing with a fire. When you get more then 3.5 years on the job you will know that. Again this is not about law this is about our moral obligations.
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Sorry capt you are going to have a short career if you self dispatch to every fire in the area that does not have a fire department. If you can't secure revenue then your department will not exist. This is no different than any other business. There is no duty to act, no mutual aid, no moral obligation.
People chose to live where there is no fire department. Your boss finds out you are giving away free TV's, free burgers or free fire suppression to non-paying customers then expect a pink slip.
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I wouldn't go so far as to blame the firefighters. I would bet that to a person, they would all have wished that this didn't happen. The national media attention is staggering, and the embarrassment must be pretty overwhelming (and well deserved for the officials).
Could they have all "disobeyed" the IC's orders........yes. But maybe shedding light on this crazy policy will do some good in the long run. Perhaps it will put pressure on local government to provide mutual aid services to the undeserved community.
A county I worked for paid just $100 to respond to a MRZ if the incident was closer to our station. We knew it didn't cover the actual expense (it didn't even come close), but those folks were part of our community, the county said they couldn't afford more, so we responded, in an effort to do what we could, the best that we could.
I get your passion, and do appreciate it. Put the fire out first, ask questions and engage in the conversation to change the system afterwards.
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