The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Tennessee Council Plans Vote On Fire Protection Plan
JASON HIBBS
WPSD
Reprinted with Permission
OBION COUNTY, Tenn. - "It was a great plan, but it never took off."
FireEMSBlogs Updates
South Fulton Fire Dilemma
Related
That's what the creator of a comprehensive, countywide fire protection plan said about a resolution that could have prevented the controversy surrounding last week's Obion County fire.
Richard Chestean designed the detailed plan in 1987. It would have given everyone in the county fire protection. County commissioners liked it and voted yes.
And then nothing happened for 23 years.
About two years ago, county leaders voted to scrap the whole thing and start over. The creator of the plan said county leaders ignored because no one could agree on how to fund it.
So, the debate on whether to tax or offer subscription service has gone on for decades, while houses in the county continue to burn to the ground.
Chestean is a humble man but admitted the resolution he created is pretty good.
"We felt really confident we were going to be able to pull this off," he said.
So confident that back in 1987, he and other Obion County commissioners voted yes. They separated the county into districts and even appointed a fire chief but one thing divided the leaders, halting the resolution.
"It just stalled because of the funding," he said.
Obion County Commissioners wouldn't raise taxes to pay for a service that many were getting for free from nearby cities.
"Before, they never had to have a subscription. They came out anyway," said Chestean of the area fire departments.
But now times have changed. After the fire that destroyed Gene Cranick's home, the heat is on.
A new plan is in the works. Dean Jowers, Obion County's fire commission chairperson, will bring it before the commission in a few weeks.
Jowers said it's similar to Chestean's plan, but doesn't raise taxes and is a subscription service.
"No way to enforce that they pay it, if you charge everybody," Jowers said. "So, a number of people will not pay it."
But Chestean is against this newest proposal because of the effect it will have on stations like Hornbeak. They now respond to all fires in the area and didn't ask for a dime. Under countywide subscription service, all of Obion County will be just like South Fulton.
"You may only have 40 percent of people within Hornbeak's five mile radius that signed up," Chestean said. "Those 60 percent of other people, if they call Hornbeak, they're gonna say, 'Sorry, you're not on subscription."
He's afraid under that system, you'll see homes like Gene Cranick's throughout Obion County go up in flames, and firefighters forced to watch them burn.
Chestean said that something is better than nothing. That's because under the current system, those departments that don't charge to go out to the county are not obligated to respond at all.
Some are afraid that with all this bad publicity, the departments will decide to no longer cover the county at all.
If something is put into place, it would guarantee some form of protection to those who are willing to pay.
County leaders will vote on that proposal Oct. 18.
WPSD
Reprinted with Permission
OBION COUNTY, Tenn. - "It was a great plan, but it never took off."
FireEMSBlogs Updates
South Fulton Fire Dilemma
Related
- Fire Plan Could Have Prevented Controversy
- Tennessee Firefighters Let Home Burn Over Subscription Issue
- Firefighter Netcast: Firefighters Watch as Home Burns
That's what the creator of a comprehensive, countywide fire protection plan said about a resolution that could have prevented the controversy surrounding last week's Obion County fire.
Richard Chestean designed the detailed plan in 1987. It would have given everyone in the county fire protection. County commissioners liked it and voted yes.
And then nothing happened for 23 years.
About two years ago, county leaders voted to scrap the whole thing and start over. The creator of the plan said county leaders ignored because no one could agree on how to fund it.
So, the debate on whether to tax or offer subscription service has gone on for decades, while houses in the county continue to burn to the ground.
Chestean is a humble man but admitted the resolution he created is pretty good.
"We felt really confident we were going to be able to pull this off," he said.
So confident that back in 1987, he and other Obion County commissioners voted yes. They separated the county into districts and even appointed a fire chief but one thing divided the leaders, halting the resolution.
"It just stalled because of the funding," he said.
Obion County Commissioners wouldn't raise taxes to pay for a service that many were getting for free from nearby cities.
"Before, they never had to have a subscription. They came out anyway," said Chestean of the area fire departments.
But now times have changed. After the fire that destroyed Gene Cranick's home, the heat is on.
A new plan is in the works. Dean Jowers, Obion County's fire commission chairperson, will bring it before the commission in a few weeks.
Jowers said it's similar to Chestean's plan, but doesn't raise taxes and is a subscription service.
"No way to enforce that they pay it, if you charge everybody," Jowers said. "So, a number of people will not pay it."
But Chestean is against this newest proposal because of the effect it will have on stations like Hornbeak. They now respond to all fires in the area and didn't ask for a dime. Under countywide subscription service, all of Obion County will be just like South Fulton.
"You may only have 40 percent of people within Hornbeak's five mile radius that signed up," Chestean said. "Those 60 percent of other people, if they call Hornbeak, they're gonna say, 'Sorry, you're not on subscription."
He's afraid under that system, you'll see homes like Gene Cranick's throughout Obion County go up in flames, and firefighters forced to watch them burn.
Chestean said that something is better than nothing. That's because under the current system, those departments that don't charge to go out to the county are not obligated to respond at all.
Some are afraid that with all this bad publicity, the departments will decide to no longer cover the county at all.
If something is put into place, it would guarantee some form of protection to those who are willing to pay.
County leaders will vote on that proposal Oct. 18.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Will Crowden on
-
Why do a subscription service, when you can incorporate a county-wide fire tax, so everyone gets fire protection? If the county-wide fire service will be a "County Government Service", people shouldn't have to pay a subscription, they should pay for it through taxes. If your subscription service is $100 per residence, and there are 10,000 residents, the annual service would only be $1,000,000. Then would you charge more for business or industry? As large as Obion County is, I'm thinking it would need atleast 7 fire stations to adequately protect the county. My thoughts would be to incorporate a county-wide fire tax, and work the fire department through the Obion County Rescue Squad. Since they only have one station in Union City, which already is not the geographic center of the County. This way, you would have adequate fire and rescue protection for the community, as well as a medical first responder program, with quicker response times for all citizens. What good is a piece of fire apparatus and its personnel, when they have to sit on a wreck scene with someone trapped in the vehicle, and wait 10 minutes or greater on the proper equipment? Does anyone have a Obion County Comissioners email address, I would love to forward this to them.
-
Permalink Reply by Oldman on
-
Q. "Why do a subscription service, when you can incorporate a county-wide fire tax"
A. Obion County Commissioners wouldn't raise taxes to pay for a service that many were getting for free from nearby cities. Apparently the citizens of Obion County are content to let the commissioners make the decisions for them.
-
Permalink Reply by FETC on
-
Nobody wants to pay... Therefore you get what you pay for.
And if they decide to expand the subscription service to all of the county.... this will happen again. Tired of debating the actions of some really ignorant commissioners.
You see, this article alone pretty spells out that South Fulton, is only trying to exist on a $8,000 budget
-
-
Well they should look at the fact that the cities have a higher property tax. The city residents are paying for fire service, it is just incorporated in the property tax. The county charges $1.95 fir property tax, whereas Union City for example, charges $3.61.
-
-
Well if they do a subscription service, it is for county residents only. What if South Fulton is already on a fire, and they request the county fire department for mutual aid? Is the county gonna give the city resident fire services for free?
-
-
The way I understand it, the subscriptions will be paid to the 8 municipal fire departments already covering those areas. There won't be a separate "County Fire Service" in addition to those already in place.
-
Permalink Reply by Michael Shane Freeman on
-
I think they should set up a special service district and cover the county with a fire system made up of the minimum number of departments they can afford. The SSD should also work with the city FDs and create some agreements to provide support in the event the county FD needs addiotional resources (and visa versa).
-
Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
-
This plan won't fix the problem. It will just move the responsibility for the worst parts of the problem from the cities to the county.
-
-
Will,
It's because the citizens of Obion County have indicated over and over that they don't want to pay higher taxes in return for a county fire department.
Your solution won't make it past the ballot box in Obion County.
-
-
Will,
Get with the story.... there is no fire department in the area for which the are selling subscriptions. Mutual aid is non-existant in Obion, because people have chosen to not fund a fire department AT ALL. They refuse to cough up ANY tax money to start a volunteer fire department.
That is why they are now pushing mandatory subscription service. Why because someone has figured it costs more to fund there own fire department with an impact tax.
Do you guys understand the city "volunteer" fire department that was run through the mud over this call operates on $8,000 per year? Heck my payroll is more than that per week and we protect less people than the Obion County has on the books.
-
Permalink Reply by GARY HANSON on
-
A bunch County commissioners that are fearful of pi$$ing off a few free loaders ought to resign and let some people who understand there's "NO FREE LUNCH FOLKS", run the show. I am sure there are several ways to "fund" a standing VFD for the rural residents of the county. Did any of these nay sayers ask the residents whether they had a preferred method of funding a fire protection service? Did they explore a millage extracted from the property tax or a mil or two added to the sales tax? Probably not. According to statistics this county isn't really hurting for funds and could, if they chose, put a priority on fire service for it't residents.
Emotions have run very high from the mis-statements of what actually happened at the fire in Olbion county. Subscriptions do have a way of putting VFDs in some untenable situations as seen in this incident. Some touted that the city dwellers were getting the fire protection for "free". That was BS. They pay for that through their city taxes. That FD, with a call to the mayor or city manager, been given an exception. But, what about all those who did pay their fee, then see a free loader get what they have shelled out their money for. The FD responded to protect the property of a paid up subscriber and were forbidden by their charter to - the family who chose not to pay had to wish they had.
It seems unfair that the taxpaying residents of the cities are giong to have to shoulder the responsibility for rural fire coverage. Subscriptions, unless mandated 100% won't cover the costs. Rural firefighting is much different that the city. Water supply, wild-land fire actions and road conditions are much different. I doubt that the city fire department wants to have that burden.
-
-
OH trust me, I'm all clear on it. 2 years ago, I went from a Combination department that had an $8 million dollar budget, to a department that had a $2,500 budget. Well the county will have to do something, since they are responsible for providing fire protection.
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
