Reply #47: No one who has compassion.

[TexasObserver]

The key word in this dialog is EMERGENCY.

If there's an emergency, we react first and worry about payment later. That should be true for police assistance, fire assistance, and medical emergencies. When the accident happens just outside the city limits, the police should not refuse to respond upon learning the accident is outside the jurisdiction. They should respond until the county sheriff's personnel can take over. If it's a fire, the city department should respond, particularly where it does respond to those who have subscribed to city service by paying a fee. If the home didn't pay the fee, they can still be charged for the city fire department making a run to put out a fire.

We put out home fires because failing to do so threatens more homes, and it fouls the air badly.