City To Charge Fees For Firefighter Help (fires, car wrecks)

[The Straight Story]

City To Charge Fees For Firefighter Help


MINNEOLA, Fla. -- A controversial ordinance in Minneola that charges residents in need of help from firefighters or other emergency workers was passed Tuesday night.

If firefighters are called and put out a fire at a home, the owners will be billed $500 under the ordinance.

And motorists who crash and are injured could be charged as much at $1,800 for receiving emergency help. Ambulance fees are not included, the Local 6 report said.

The emergency-response fees will be sent to insurance companies.

The plan was proposed to offset rising costs of sending firefighters to fires and crashes, according an Orlando Sentinel report.

http://www.local6.com/news/14358403/detail.html

[Mojorabbit]

1. Nothing

like kicking someone when they are down...

[tritsofme]

2. Fees like that should be covered by your homeowner's policy

IIRC

[Xithras]

5. Which is nice if you're a homeowner.

I am, but the question has to come up: Who gets the bill when a renter sets his kitchen on fire?

[kestrel91316]

16. No need to ask. The renter, silly.

Actually, when the crackhead in the next unit sets the place on fire and the innocent renter calls the fire dept, the one who calls will be the one to pay. You watch.

[tritsofme]

40. You'd be a fool as a renter

not to have an HO-3 policy.

[hobbit709]

3. Then they should cut the property taxes that used to pay for this.

Are they going to charge you if you call the police too?

[KansDem]

4. Firefighting should be covered by taxes...It's a public service.

I don't understand this mad rush to tack fees on what are public services. A few years ago I got a notice that my wastewater removal will be fee-based. It used to be covered by county taxes, but I suppose the ritzy homeowners complained they wanted "equity." True to its function, local government answered the call that benefits the wealthy. Now our waste-water removal is determined by our water consumption. I suppose the wealthy's shit and piss is worth a whole lot more while their bladders and bowels are full, but suddenly "equity" is the name of the game when it's time to remove this stuff.

Oh, and before you ask what's wrong with this, consider (if I recall correctly) that the water consumption used to determine fees is based on what's used during the month of February. So, how much water is used by large estates to water their lawns during February? And how much water is used to maintain swimming pools during this month? (Hint: I live in the Kansas City area).

The wealthy made out like bandits on this one...

[gateley]

10. I agree - where the hell are our taxes going if not to support fire and police? nt

[n2doc]

19. Health care costs

Munis are getting killed by health care costs- the premiums go up like 25% a year. Most increases in revinues end up feeding that beast. Yet another reason to go to a universal single payer system, or whatever.

[gateley]

21. The universal single payer system seems to make the most sense, and I'm

trying to learn why the majority of the candidates (mine included) aren't proposing it. The response I've gotten is "insurance company money" but my candidate has received about the least amount of Insurance contributions.

Any input?

[kestrel91316]

18. Public = communist = satanic. Didnt you get the memo?

[jmowreader]

37. I can kinda understand the February thing

When a large estate adds a thousand gallons of water to its swimming pool, all of it either evaporates or stays in the pool. Same deal with watering lawns--that water stays on the lawn, it doesn't go into the sanitary sewer.

Why the hell would you levy sewage fees on water that isn't going into the sewer?

They ARE going to get charged for the water, which makes sense, but why pay sewage fees to not dump it into the sewer?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. This is pure Libertarianism

The Libertarians believe that all services should be privatized except the military and the criminal justice system (i.e. the potentially repressive ones).

[shanti]

7. hmm?

they already do this in many areas..

[raccoon]

9. Such as? nt

[shanti]

36. many parts of california

in fact, when i was in a car acccident in '74, i was billed for the ambulance ride. anytime emergency services are called, fire, paramedics, etc. you WILL be billed here!

[raccoon]

8. I thought that was what people paid taxes for. K&R. nt

[sinkingfeeling]

11. Alright, the privatization of America continues on! Wow, I wonder if you have to write the check

before they begin to extract your mangled body from the wreckage. Only the rich are entitled to emergency services! The motto should be, "If you have to ask the cost, you can't afford it!"

[RB TexLa]

12. I always thought they did bill you

[progressoid]

13. Hmm...maybe they should charge mileage to and from the fire too.

Keeerist, what's happening to the country.

[ThomCat]

14. So, will poor people be excluded from getting help?

Will poor people hesitate to call for help because they're poor?

:wtf:

Why not raise taxes a little bit to spread the cost around equitably? Why punish people for needing help? x(

[kestrel91316]

15. EXCUUUUUSE ME, but I expect taxes paid (presumably) by the

ENTIRE COMMUNITY to pay for emergency services. Pay-for-service firefighters went out with the Gilded Age.

Oh. Nevermind.

Now watch the City of Minneola whine and cry when real estate values crash because no one wants to live there because of this, and tax receipts crash because all the businesses are fleeing.

[gratuitous]

17. They're doing this because costs are rising

And how strange! The Good People of Minneola don't want to pay the taxes necessary to support their local services. Same thing may happen in Clackamas County, Oregon (just south and east of Portland) if the residents don't pass a local measure next month.

For the folks who complain about all the taxes they have to pay, and who have no intention of funding their local service district (I can hear your eyes glaze over as I type that), the good news is that all the tax money they save will go to their insurance company, which I'm sure will be glad for the extra revenue, decline to cover any claims, and spend the money on executive compensation. Unlike those fucking firefighters, who'd probably just waste any tax revenue they get on equipment and personnel.

[n2doc]

20. But of course- it is all their fault, really

Stupid people should know better than to get into an accident!
:sarcasm:

Don't get Sick, Don't get Old, Don't get Hurt. The Republican plan for everything!

[BadGimp]

22. I can see the following taking place in a community near all of us soon...

Dial 911: Operator - 911 Emergency, please enter your major Credit card # after the tone...

NO card = hang up

[conscious evolution]

23. We already pay fees for such services

They are called taxes.

[Megahurtz]

29. Makes Ya Wonder

why we are even forced to pay Taxes anymore when we are not getting anything in return. :shrug:

[dmr]

24. Here's the story in the Orlando Sentinel & The Daily Commerical:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/community/news/winterpark/orl-minneola1607oct16,0,7638178.story

Insurance could be billed for fire-rescue

Minneola will decide today whether its department can charge fees in emergencies.

Robert Sargent | Sentinel Staff Writer
October 16, 2007

- snip -

The proposal would allow the Minneola Fire-Rescue Department to bill insurance companies for services ranging from $435 for small traffic accidents to $1,800 for more serious crashes involving extrication of motorists. Structure fires would cost $500 for homes and $1,000 for commercial buildings.

Mayor David Yeager said the idea was inspired by ambulance companies, which for years have charged insurance companies for vehicle accidents using an existing rule included in motorists' insurance policies. Winter Park's fire department implemented its own response fees in 2005, and now governments across Central Florida are following suit.

"It's already allowed in insurance policies," Yeager said. "There's no reason why they can't pay us."

Firefighters in Leesburg and Lake County also have looked at implementing fees.

- more at above link -
--------

http://www.dailycommercial.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=21675&SectionID=31&SubSectionID=&S=1

10/16/2007 8:00:00 AM
In Minneola, calling a firefighter could cost you

Roxanne Brown
Staff Writer

- snip -

"It's not like you're suing the residents, you're just going after the insurance companies who already have provisions for that," said Mayor Dave Yeager. "I don't mind having the very best (fire department), but there has be some way to recoup some of our money."

- snip -

The fee schedule includes $500 for motor vehicle fires, $435 for a response to a crash with no injuries, $650 for a response and service including patient care (i.e. light extrication where hand tools are used) and $1,800 for a response with victim extrication using hydraulic or powered rescue tools.

In addition, there would be an additional $350 fee if patients are transported by air ambulance and additional fees if transported by ground.

Also, responses for structure fires would be charged $500 for residential and $1,000 for commercial.

Yeager said he thinks the city could probably recoup anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000 per year from car crashes alone.

- more at above link -

I briefly lived in the area in the late 90s. Full of orange groves and horses (though horse country really begins north in Marion County (Ocala), but also a lot of very poor people. Will this expand to in-home medical emergencies? A lot of mobile homes in the area, many of which are retirees, especially in The Villages in Lake County where, according to the above articles, they are looking into charging the same fee structures.

Edited: Spelling
- sigh -

[Stinky The Clown]

25. Mr. Norquist. Mr. Grover Norquist. Your shrinking government is almost ready

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. Ah yes, next the service will be fully privatized

if you can afford it fine, if not... tough shit next case

[The Backlash Cometh]

27. Is Minneola a red city in a red county?

If so, I bet the property right organizations in Florida are testing the waters to privatize fire stations.

[Megahurtz]

28. Compassionate Conservatism Is Here!

:sarcasm:

[charlie]

30. Democrats are gonna raise your taxes!

Republicans don't, of course. They just keep the meter running and erect tollbooths between your driveway and the end of the block.

[baldguy]

31. Welcome to the Ownership Society

Where YOU are not one of the owners.

[tom_paine]

32. Hooray! It's the end of socialized firefighting!

And just in time...

[SoCalDem]

33. But hey.. No pesky Florida income taxes to worry about..

Community services.. It's what taxes are all about, folks..

No money coming in, no money for necessary services.. It's just as easy as that.. predatory privatization, instead of community preparednes.. kinda gives you the warm-fuzzies, doesn't it?..Now people who may have been grievously injured, lost their family car, or their home and everything in it (that's NEXT, people), will now have to pony up some cash, or add to their hassle-factor by arguing with their (non) insurance companies..

God bless us, one and all :)

[earth mom]

34. Looks like they're ramping up to kills us all off with fee upon fee, tax upon tax!

:grr:

The city I live in wants to start charging for tree cutting-hell will freeze over before I let them touch my trees-so why do I have to pay them a dime?!

In addition, they are upping the monthly water fees and I just found out that we are not entitled to some county services-even though we pay property taxes-because our city hasn't contracted with the county for those services!

Like :wtf:

What in the HELL are they doing with the money we paid them in taxes?! :argh:

[bvar22]

35. I'm an active member of a Rural Volunteer Fire Dept.

Our chief recently informed us that we can legally charge for our services, though he doesn't believe that we have ever done so.

We are obligated to respond to all calls routed through the dispatcher (911), and to do our best to preserve Life and Property once we arrive on location.

The option of "billing" is to deter repeated nuisance calls.

There ARE some people who get a thrill out of the sirens & lights, and teams of men & women dropping everything to hurry to their assistance. Normally, we are happy to respond to any call from a concerned citizen, but when the repeated False Alarms come several times/week from the same person, it becomes a huge burden to our resources, and impairs our readiness.

We don't want to discourage anyone from calling the Fire Dept, even for small fires.
Most people wait too long.
But there are those few who abuse the system for whatever reasons.

[KamaAina]

38. At last, an end to socialized firefighting!

Evil, godless communism is finally dead!

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[jmowreader]

39. Wait. Fees for police responses are soon to follow.

It'll be $100 for a traffic stop not resulting in a citation, $250 plus fines and court fees if a citation is issued (figure the odds on THAT not happening!), $500 for a response to a residence, $1000 for a business call...and of course there will be information retrieval charges.