Tennessee Home Burns as Firefighters Watch

Nope. Not a headline from The Onion. True, sick story.

OK, so the family didn’t pay the $75 annual fee. If the department knows which families paid and which didn’t, why did they even bother responding? The mayor said,

“He said firefighters will help when people are in danger, regardless of whether they have paid.”

Let me see if I got this right. The firefighters responded to make sure that no one was actually being burned to death. When all the family members were accounted for, they just watched the house go up in flames? Why? It’s just property? If that’s the policy, and the people are OK, just drive away. Don’t just sit there and watch people’s shelter and memories go up in flames. Especially if you have the means to put out the fire.

I’m sorry, but what kind of sick crap is this? If they responded anyway, how about fighting the fire? Maybe the family could have given the check to one of the guys after. I don’t get it. Wouldn’t that be the right thing to do? I know. Paying the fee is the right thing to do too. But if you see someone’s stuff on fire, and you have huge hoses and water, wouldn’t you at least try to put it out? Common sense. Compassion. Hell, do it in the spirit of the season.

This reminds me. I still have to put up my burglar alarm permit. God forbid stranger danger breaks in, and the police sit around and watch while they take the laptops and TV. All because I forgot to place the big blue sticker on a “door or window that is visible.”