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South Fulton Firefighters Let House Burn:Unpaid Obion County Fine
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by NowPublic Staff | October 5, 2010 at 10:53 am
2682 views | 10 Recommendations | 33 comments
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Laissez Fire: TN Firefighters Watch Home Burn To The Ground Because Homeowner Forgot To Pay Fee
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Gene Cranick's Rural Tennesse Home Burns To The Ground Because Of Unpaid $75 Fine
Gene Cranick, a homeowner in Obion County in Tennessee, watched helplessly as his house burned to the ground - his 911 call went unheeded because of an unpaid $75 Fire services fee, charged to people living outside county limits.
"They could have been saved if they had put water on it, but they didn't do it," Cranick told MSNBC's Keith Olbermann.
The fire started when the Cranicks' grandson was burning trash near the family home. As the fire 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.
The South Fulton Fire department did ultimately respond but only to prevent a neighbor's home that was being threatened - the fire fighters allowed the Cranwick home to burn to the ground.
The mayor of South Fulton defended the actions of the fire department.
Mayor David Crocker says that's just city policy.
"Anybody that's not in the city of South Fulton, it's a service we offer, either they accept it or they don't," Crocker says.
Paulette Cranick said they had been away and forgot to pay the fee this year but have paid it in years past. The Cranicks have lived on the farm for 40 years, 21 of them in the modular home that burned.
The family has coverage with Farm Bureau Insurance through local agent, Josh Simmons, who raced to the scene of the fire as soon as he learned about it. Simmons says the insurance company would not refuse or reduce payouts on the fire loss just because the fee has not been paid. Neither Cranick nor Simmons would confirm the amount of the policy.
"It's not enough to rebuild but it's better than nothing at all," said Paulette Cranick.
Meanwhile, the Obion Country Budget Committee has decided to expand its subscription only fire service by passing an agreement,
“... to give all communities in the county the option of paying a subscription” to purchase fire service — essentially expanding the service that stood by and watched as the Cranick family’s home burned to the ground
The fire chief of Union City, Kelly Edmison says subscription only fire services for rural communities are not the most effective was to provide emergency services.
It's not the best solution. Without a doubt the best option is a true fire tax.
It eliminates this having 911 or whoever to check to say are they covered or not covered? The last thing a firefighter wants to do is to not be able to help when they like to," said Edmison.
In fact, a 2008 study by the county shows that a 0.13% increase in property tax would pay for fire services for everyone, including rural communities. (see pdf).
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (33)
at 11:05 on October 5th, 2010
That "just following orders" line trotted out by the fire department needs to be called out for the weak excuse that it is.
Cranick's son actually beat up the fire chief after the incident, which really isn't all that surprising.
at 15:07 on October 5th, 2010
S. Fulton is a Democrat area. Funny the policy is this:. Funny also they are bashing the Fire Fighters and the Chief. They should be beating up on the cheap homeowner who wouldn't pay $75 a year for fire protection. No one wants to pay for fire protection but they sure love to complain when they don't come save your ass. Fire fighters are already under paid for what they do, we can't keep treating them like servants." If I choose to live in an area that doesn't provide Fire Protection I know this on the front end. This is my choice. I personally choose to live in an area that has excellent fire protection. I don't want my fire protection galavanting all over the county to help those who choose to live in an area without paying for it. Remember this, its not the Chiefs fault, he answers to a mayor. Its not the Fire Fighters fault they answer to their chief. If you want good services, MOVE TO THE CITY.
at 18:27 on October 5th, 2010
Are you really that nasty, or just that ill informed? Cranick wasn't too cheap to pay the subscription, he and his wife were away and simply fogot to pay before they left. They apparently have paid previous years - this was an oversight. And as for your sanctimonious "my fire protection" reasoning, shall we begin prohibiting lifeguards from saving drowning swimmers if they haven't paid for their beach pass? Shall we stand and watch as people suffer and die after an injury, or heart attack or the like if they are unfortunate enough to find themselves out of their ambulance subscription area? What shall we do with those who simply don't have the money? What should happen to the elderly woman who is struggling with Alzheimer's and has no family support system? What about those who can't afford to "live in the city?" Would you be so uncaring if humans had died in the house instead of dogs and cats? Really? Seriously? And finally, the they-were-just-following-orders argument is for people who are too intellectually and ethically lazy to think for themselves. Putting out that fire - with or without the fee having been paid - would simply have been the right thing to do. The firefighters could have thought for themselves. The fire chief could have thought for himself. Hell, the dispatcher could have thought for him or herself. What a grownup would have done would have been to put out the fire, then bill the homeowner. Cerebral atrophy - epidemic in Obion County.
at 14:43 on October 6th, 2010
AMEN to girl friend
at 01:07 on October 6th, 2010
67% for McCain in 2008 election, 58% for George Bush in 2004. The just following orders narrative is what the Nazis claimed as a defense at Nuremberg. What if there were an innocent child in the house? Or a pregnant mother with an unborn fetus in the womb?
It's going to cost the county a whole lot more than 75 dollars to pay for this tragedy.
at 05:03 on October 6th, 2010
The mayor and all members of the city council are Republicans. Also, if you knew anything about Tennessee, you would know that all of East Tennessee is Republican, have been since the Civil War.
at 05:22 on October 6th, 2010
My bad. Sorry. Obion County is in West TN. so I doubt that what I said is true. Unfortunately, I saw that on another post and send in mine before I had finished checking it out. I usually check things I read on the internet out before repeating them, but like Mr. Cranick, this time I made a mistake.
at 06:27 on October 6th, 2010
Union contracts directed this course of action to not put out this families fire. Union workers following union rules overrides who sits as mayor and what party affilitation they have. Mayors are forced to follow the contracts that are in place concerning union workers. Unions are no longer for the people, they are for themselves and their own power. Dues or Fees are all they care about. Look beyond the R or D that follows a name of a Mayor, see who is really controlling services, the unions. Hope the people in the area don't ever need an ambulance because they will get the same treatment if they haven't paid their union dues.
at 16:25 on October 22nd, 2010
Obion County is west TN.
at 10:44 on October 6th, 2010
Joe, fire protection is a fundmental service of the government, just like the highway system, police system, etc. to be paid for by the taxation system now in place. Furthermore the firefighter who just stands by and obeys orders is somewhat guilty, the Chief is definately guilty. Thank God no persons died. The City Manager should be fired and the policy changed.
at 14:36 on October 6th, 2010
you are one sick bastard and need to go to hell and burn that you would stand there and let everything someone has burn before your eyes may you go blind from god hate toward people like you i feel sure your are not a CHRISTIAN from what i hear and that i not judging just spiritual deserment. may you rest in hell.
at 15:14 on October 6th, 2010
my message earlier was for joe lowry
at 16:24 on October 6th, 2010
Joe Lowry is obviously dumb and ignorant, and should consider leaving America, because in America, we show love for our neighbors.
at 19:33 on October 6th, 2010
at 10:28 on October 7th, 2010
Joe, You are a idiot. and I am sure all the people around you are aware of this. How kind of you to share your selfish insights with the web. Keep up the good work.
at 22:12 on October 5th, 2010
Excellent comments, Barbara Shanks! I agree completely on every point along with a majority of Americans who are also horrified by the lapse in judgement of the fire fighters. They should be called something else in this instance. Orders or not, they should have turned on the hoses. If they don't like the subscription policy, then they should band together and force some common sense into the sleazy politicians who crafted the subscription policy rather than make excuses for letting it continue.
at 08:45 on October 6th, 2010
Those firefighters, and the town's officials, are responsible for the death of the animals that died in that fire. They are getting away with cruelty. The dogs and cat had no say in what these humans decided. People who dismiss the value of the lives of our pets will do the same thing to human life.
at 10:32 on October 6th, 2010
What a sad story!!! Citizens should remove City Manager, Jeff Vowell. Fulton City, TN. should be ashamed of themselves to have a policy of this nature. I would remove the Fire Chief also. Disgraceful.
at 10:36 on October 6th, 2010
I find it absolutely amazing that any firefighter would purposely let someone's house burn down over a $75 fee. If you put the FAMILIES HOME out you could then charge them $75 and everything would be equal but to let a FAMILIES HOUSE BURN OVER $75 ? These people who would do such a thing have NO BUSINESS Governing or fighting fires. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME on you ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!
at 10:42 on October 6th, 2010
I find it amazing that firefighters would let a FAMILIES HOUSE BURN over a $75 fee. They could have put out the fire and then charged the FAMILY $75 and all would be equal but to let a FAMILIES HOME burn over $75 ? These people have NO BUSINESS governing or fighting fires. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME on you ALL !!!!!!!! GOD HELP AMERICA
at 11:31 on October 6th, 2010
This fee is like fire insurance. If you forget to pay any other insurance fee, when you need it, you will find you have let it lapse and can't cash in. If we let them get away with the "I forgot to pay" excuse, then people won't pay and expect to use the same excuse when their house goes up in flames. Everyone needs to pay for the service or there will be no funds to pay for the fire department.
at 11:36 on November 2nd, 2010
Thats why we pay taxes to cover things like this. For all you Libertarians out there you should probably do the math, because it's very likely that the $75 fee is actually more expensive than if you just taxed everyone for fire service like everywhere else. So not only are people not getting essential services, but those who are paying are paying more than they need too.
at 11:39 on October 6th, 2010
Shame that the firefighters dont take their oath seriously. This town receives state and county funds. I suggest this homeowner determine whether the fire department gets tax funds and if so sues the hell out of this town and the Mayor in particular. Thank God no one died. Guess that would have been ok too. Having served as a volunteer firefighter this is an embarrassment to the fire service and true firefighters everywhere.
at 12:16 on October 6th, 2010
What a disgrace!! Thank God there were no people inside of the burning house. This is ridiculous. Regardless of whether or not they paid the fee, this policy should have never been in place. If you give a human being the oppurtunity to make a mistake, they will do it! If we all had to pay a $75 fee, I promise you that more than half of us would not be able to pay in this economy. This is a stupid policy, and taxes should have paid for his service. Whoever came up with this $75 fee policy is an IDIOT. Good job Tennessee. I can't believe you let 4 animals die. I'm glad there were no children inside hugging their dogs.
at 14:27 on October 6th, 2010
Lets see, they are paying no taxes for fire service, no subscription fees, their son burns down the house, and it was the fire department's fault. The fire department was supposed to spend the $20,000 it takes to fight a fire, (not covered by homeowners insurance BTW), and hope that a man who wouldn't pay $75 would pay $20,000.
at 14:53 on October 6th, 2010
you aren't worst more of a reply then this
at 14:50 on October 6th, 2010
i think the mayor, fire chief and eveyone of the firefighter that were there should all lose there jobs and never be able to work in this field again and further more they themselves should rebill the house and funished it top to bottom and then even paid the freaking $75 dollars after all GOD watched what these people did and he will take care of business
at 15:14 on October 6th, 2010
Where I live the Fire Service is funded by a levy on the insurance policy. In this case they would have had protection. If you live in an area that has no fire protection....expect your house to burn down.
at 20:15 on October 6th, 2010
at 10:43 on October 7th, 2010
What happened here is tragic to say the least. To stand around and watch a families home burn over 75 bucks is criminal at best. The mayor, the fire chief, the so called fire fighters are criminals in the true sense of the word. What a gang of selfish ignorant things. ( I thought about saying people but it just doesn't fit.)