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Did you pay your firefighting fee?
This final note today, one that is sadly not ripped from the pages of The Onion. For want of a $75 fee, the Cranick family of Obion County, Tenn. has lost its home. The county contracts with the nearby town of South Fulton for fire services, hence the fee. Mr. Cranick forgot to pay this year, even though he'd been up to date in years past. When a fire broke out near his house last week, he called the fire department. They checked their records and let the house burn. Not much else to say.
Tennessess's market response to fire protection has been tried. Id does not work for the homeowner. In Rome, Crassus became the wealthiest man by owning the only fire departement. When a fire occurred, he would arrive with his fire brigade and make an obsecnely low offer to purchase the home now on fire. If the seller balked, he lost his home to the fire. If he sold, he lost his home to Crassus but had a few coins for his trouble. It was an efficient market solution but the homeonwer could complain about unfair treatment.
Public fire service uses tax dollars to provide a commone benefit - the indiviudal gets fire suppression and the community benefits from stopping fires from damaging more homes and property. If someone fails to pay their taxes, they still get protection but the property has a lien placed on it until the taxes are paid. Tennessee could have done the same thing here.
Letting a house burn puts everyone at risk and is a terrible waste of resources. Also, this sort of "beggar thy neighbor" approach is corrosive to a sense of community.
Fire insurance does not stop fires, but it does alleviate the loss. Letting a home burn down with or without insurance damages everyone as the losses will be reflected in everyone's insurance rates. Tennessee - first you have to put the fire out.
Labor Day 2009, an arsonist started a fire in an old camper behind my Grandmother's old house my brother and I were renovating and living in. I called the fire department. The house was in Sacramento County, California. The firemen who came were volunteers. They spent 10 minutes laying hoses and stopping us from fighting the fire while the ease caught fire, leading the fire into the attic space and blowing out the back windows. By time the real firemen arrived, hacked the new roof open, filling it with heavy water and collapsing the ceiling, I knew I wasn't going to have a place to live. I was told later that due to budgetary constraints volunteer firemen were no longer allowed in structures and the breathing equipment had been taken away. By-the-way, since the house was incomplete, there was no insurance. I currently renting, my brother is living in our Father's family room, and the house is collecting County Fines because we cannot afford to remove the debris or rebuilt. Funny how taxes don't help people during once-in-a-life events.
