The Real Estate Bloggers

Tennessee Home Burns To Ground Due To Unpaid Fee

Posted: 06 Oct 2010 06:29 AM PDT

House-on-fire This really sucks for the homeowner, but I am sure every one of his neighbors are checking to make sure that they have paid the rural fire fighting fee.

A Tennessee family lost their home when they failed to pay the $75 firefighting fee to the nearest city’s fire department. In a very logical move, the nearest city offers fire services to those homes that pay the fee as the local county does not offer fire protection services.

Like insurance, it is not something one is forced to buy, but as this family learned, it is a very smart move. What is even more interesting is that the house next door had paid their fee and the fire department came out to make sure that the neighbors house did not catch fire.

While this may sound heartless, it is good government and good business in my books. The homeowner offered to pay the fee as he called the fire department, but that is not how things work. Who would buy the protection if they could enact only when they really needed it.

As local and state governments run out of money due to their excess pension obligations, expect to see more of these situations pop up in the future.

The fire started when the Cranicks’ grandson was burning trash near the family home. As it grew out of control, the Cranicks called 911, but the fire department from the nearby city of South Fulton would not respond.
“We wasn’t on their list,” he said the operators told him.

Cranick, who lives outside the city limits, admits he “forgot” to pay the annual $75 fee. The county does not have a county-wide firefighting service, but South Fulton offers fire coverage to rural residents for a fee.
Cranick says he told the operator he would pay whatever is necessary to have the fire put out.
His offer wasn’t accepted, he said.
The fire fee policy dates back 20 or so years.
“Anybody that’s not inside the city limits of South Fulton, it’s a service we offer. Either they accept it or they don’t,” said South Fulton Mayor David Crocker. via MSNBC

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Tennessee Home Burns To Ground Due To Unpaid Fee