I watched the interview with the father of this family and it was very hard to do. These people aren’t angry, they aren’t calculating, they’re just a family. The government of this small town just gave up helping people, decided it cost too much to do.

Someone needs contact a lawyer and some fire-folk need some prison time for cruelty to pets, reckless endangerment of this guy’s home AND their fee payers’ properties BECAUSE the burning house was an exposure to the property they were suppose to be protecting.

This is ridiculous! The appropriate resources were right there and nothing was done – because of $75??? If its a matter of finance, this family will need help recovering from losing everything – how much will that cost the city/county??? No doubt more than $75!!! Where is the common sense and the very basic humane understanding??? I am rarely stirred this deeply by news stories anymore, but this is truly sickening. City/county officials should be ashamed that this happened.

As a retired Fire Captain I must say, the South Fulton Fire Department does NOT represent the Fire Service. Our department never turned down anyone……money was not a consideration when we responded to a fire.

The officials should be held accountable……………..what in the He** is wrong with these people??????????????????? What if this family didn’t and doesn’t have $75 freaking dollars??????????????????????? So if people instead of animals were in the house would that have made a difference?????????????? What’s next…….. the hospital going to let people DIE if they have no health insurance or perhaps that requires a $75 fee as well in order to be seen at the hospital?????????????????????????????????????????????????? A familys home lost over $75 DOLLARS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>PATHETIC

I was curious who would make this decision and allow this… So I Googled “south fulton, tennessee” and found the contact number to the mayor’s office, so I called it. A lady answered and I posed the question of who made the decision to allow this home to burn to the ground with living beings in it, dying in one of t…he most painful ways possible. She answered me “the mayor and city commissioners did”. She then offered to put me through to the mayor, which was a call that ended up at a voice mail. Where I did leave a message explaining my outrage… AND YOU CAN TOO!!!
Mayor: David Neil Crocker
- http://www.cityofsouthfulton.org
- 700 Milton Counce Drive
South Fulton, TN 38257
- 731-479-2151
If you feel as enraged as I am, please, pass/share this with others. Let South Fulton know they had other options and this was beyond animal cruelty. Thank you.

It took two hours to reach the house so if money was not factor why in the HE** did the house burn………………….HELLO!!!!

I was curious who would make this decision and allow this… So I Googled “south fulton, tennessee” and found the contact number to the mayor’s office, so I called it. A lady answered and I posed the question of who made the decision to allow this home to burn to the ground with living beings in it, dying in one of the most painful ways possible. She answered me “the mayor and city commissioners did”. She then offered to put me through to the mayor, which was a call that ended up at a voice mail. Where I did leave a message explaining my outrage… AND YOU CAN TOO!!!
Mayor: David Neil Crocker
- http://www.cityofsouthfulton.org
- 700 Milton Counce Drive
South Fulton, TN 38257
- 731-479-2151
If you feel as enraged as I am, please, pass/share this with others. Let South Fulton know they had other options and this was beyond animal cruelty. Thank you.

I used to have alot of respect for fire fighters and the work they do, not anymore! I really think this is the most horrible thing I have ever heard. Don’t the tax payers in Tennessee pay the fire fighters payroll? They pay that money so the firefighters do their job. They DID NOT do their job this day, so I believe that their payroll should have a deduction on there. I don’t know how they can live with themselves for doing something like that. They let helpless animals die because of a $75.00 fee that was not paid by the owner of the home. I hope these fire fighters never move to Illinois because here you have to work to get paid, not let the homes burn down.

I was curious who would make this decision and allow this… So I Googled “south fulton, tennessee” and found the contact number to the mayor’s office, so I called it. A lady answered and I posed the question of who made the decision to allow this home to burn to the ground with living beings in it, dying in one of the most painful ways possible. She answered me “the mayor and city commissioners did”. She then offered to put me through to the mayor, which was a call that ended up at a voice mail. Where I did leave a message explaining my outrage… AND YOU CAN TOO!!!
Mayor: David Neil Crocker
- http://www.cityofsouthfulton.org
- 700 Milton Counce Drive
South Fulton, TN 38257
- 731-479-2151
If you feel as enraged as I am, please, pass/share this with others. Let South Fulton know they had other options and this was beyond animal cruelty. Thank you.

Thank you for doing the leg work here – I did call, and the line is busy. I will keep trying until I get through.

I’m reeling inside over this story. I have already contacted the Fire Chief and will spend what little time I have tonight writing the mayor and commissioners.
As a former EMT, and one who lives in a small rural town, that depends on bigger departments around us for help in situations, there is NOTHING that would stop ONE of our FF’s from putting a house out.

I will pay the mans fee. I’m not sure I will ever get over this story….too many men and women put their lives on the line to help people and in this situation all they can do is sit and watch…..I wouldn’t be able to work for a department like this. I could never sit back and watch something like this take place…it’s archaic.

I also tried to call and couldn’t get through. I did email the Fire Chief and will spend what little time I have tonight, writing the commissioner, mayor and governor. This is just simply wrong.

How can they? I am a former EMT and emergency dispatcher…I know most of our local FF’s and am friends with our Chief and can tell you right now that NOTHING would stop any of them from putting a fire out. They are all volunteer as well. These men were paid to sit and watch someones life go up in smoke. I hope they all sleep at night. No….I don’t, I hope they all think about this every time they shut their eyes.

As someone involved in EMS, emergency work is a service to me… making ANYONE who performs emergency work a public servant. These firefighters don’t deserve the title… What if government funded hospitals stopped giving treatment, because we don’t send in our $75?

A fire fighter that won’t fight a fire for ANY reason, and will let possessions be destroyed… and LIVING BEINGS be destroyed as well, isn’t a fire fighter. What if it wasn’t just animals? They would have let people die. That’s an outrage, and very sad…

It boils down to this… It’s not really about being professionals, or having a duty… it’s about being human… and ALL of those involved in the refusal to do this are less than human… and not worthy of their positions in a government entity. I hope they are kicked out, and replaced by real people… who care about more than money. That’s what I hope.

You know something else? I’m GLAD I don’t live in that county. What a disgrace to live in a county officiated by such anti compassionate people. I encourage all those who live there to MOVE. If I had the resources, I would heavily assist in the campaign for removal from office all those who support such ridiculous behavior.

Oh my gosh! This is hateful-anti-Christian-money-grubbing-tea-party idiocy!!

Everything can’t be about MONEY.

Please, I am glad I live in a big city and not this feces-hole of greed.

SHAME!

While I agree with the sentiment to this situation, I must object: this is certainly the situation, and MOST firefighters are heroes, who’s honor should not be tainted by a few horrible murderers.

Also, no, I don’t think all taxpayers of tennessee pay this so-called “fire department”; I think South Fulton’s local taxes support it, as well as the $75 dollar fees from homes in areas without any other fire department; technically they were doing their “jobs”. This doesn’t excuse them, by any means; even setting aside the fact that they’re lookign only at the money, they just should be charging a lot for emergency service. I’m sure the family would have happily paid $2,000 (more than 26 years of fees) to save their possessions, let alone the pets (which should have been saved for their own sakes, regardless of the house). I believe this would have well more than covered the responders’ time, water, and a truck, and if not, make it more.

That said, there should be federal laws mandating that all homes have fire service, with no separate bills or lists. If a town can’t afford to support their own fire dept, the TOWN should be hiring the nearest department for coverage, not individual homeowners.

Let’s turn this around and think about it in a different way.
What if you were building a house. You met with a contractor but decided he was too expensive, you’d build the house yourself. You complete the house, only to have it cave in one week later. Who’s fault is it? Your’s for not paying a licensed contractor to build it or the contractor you met with, though you did not retain his services?

The Cranick’s opted not to pay the annual fees, for whatever reason, and they did not take the appropriate steps to have the fees waived, as was the case with their son’s residence, so they and/or no one else, can hold the fire department liable for not responding to the residence.
Pretty cut and dry to me!

It is an unfortunate, tragic event but one that only the Cranick’s should be held responsible for.

There are two morals to this story. (1) be a responsible property owner, paying your bills and/or fees when due. (2) don’t try to hold someone else accountable for your own actions and/ro neglect.

Let’s turn this around and think about it in a different way.
What if you were building a house. You met with a contractor but decided he was too expensive, you’d build the house yourself. You complete the house, only to have it cave in one week later. Who’s fault is it? Your’s for not paying a licensed contractor to build it or the contractor you met with, though you did not retain his services?

The Cranick’s opted not to pay the annual fees, for whatever reason, and they did not take the appropriate steps to have the fees waived, as was the case with their son’s residence, so they and/or no one else, can hold the fire department liable for not responding to the residence.
Pretty cut and dry to me!

It is an unfortunate, tragic event but one that only the Cranick’s should be held responsible for.

There are two morals to this story. (1) be a responsible property owner, paying your bills and/or fees when due. (2) don’t try to hold someone else accountable for your own actions and/ro neglect.

Let’s turn this around and think about it in a different way.
What if you were building a house. You met with a contractor but decided he was too expensive, you’d build the house yourself. You complete the house, only to have it cave in one week later. Who’s fault is it? Your’s for not paying a licensed contractor to build it or the contractor you met with, though you did not retain his services?

The Cranick’s opted not to pay the annual fees, for whatever reason, and they did not take the appropriate steps to have the fees waived, as was the case with their son’s residence, so they and/or no one else, can hold the fire department liable for not responding to the residence.
Pretty cut and dry to me!

It is an unfortunate, tragic event but one that only the Cranick’s should be held responsible for.

There are two morals to this story. (1) be a responsible property owner, paying your bills and/or fees when due. (2) don’t try to hold someone else accountable for your own actions and/or neglect.

This fire dept has a facebook page –
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=166378007305&ref=search#!/group.php?gid=166378007305&v=wall&ref=search

David Wilds – Fire Chief
http://www.facebook.com/ambher13?v=wall&story_fbid=151995504837673&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/david.wilds2?ref=search

This reminds me of the old parable where someone is drowning, and the man on the side of the lake yells at him for being so stupid. The drowning man begs, please save me now, you can yell at me all you want later. It may have been his responsibility to pay the fee, but couldn’t they have put out the fire, then sued him later for the cost to the fire department? Yeah, they may not have gotten their money, but maybe they would be able to sleep at night.

I am suggesting to South Fulton Mayor “David Crocker,” that Obion County should change its motto to:

“Obion County, where compassion cost $75.00 a month.”

And that Fire Chief “David Wilds” should read his departments mission statement along with the Ethic Codes of all other Fire Departments across the USA.

I am posting those two suggestions on every national new story about this.

How shameful for Tennessee !

(I see they don’t have any E-Mail addresses listed on the City Website, and the “Contact US,” Page is down. Does anyone have an E-Mail address or know the local news paper there ?)

Here is the phone number to the Fire Department:
270-472-1423
This is really pathetic for a group of people that are supposed to protect us.

you’re full of shit.

Your God is only $$$$

This is not about right or wrong in paying or not paying the bill, this is about human compassion. Anybody with a drop of decency about them would have helped try to put that fire out. This city and everyone involved with it should be sued and have charges brought for standing by and letting poor helpless animals perish not to mention the loss of everything a family owned.

The mayor, the fire chief and the city commissioners need to be sued and held responsible for the loss of helpless animals and the loss of everything this family owned. It is criminal and anyone with any human compassion would have helped.

What kind of person doesn’t pay $75 a year for fire protection?

And how do you sue the city for these animals dying?
They didn’t harm them.
They didn’t start the fire.
What about the homeowner suing himself for endangering his pets.
He started the fire AND he didn’t have fire protection.

True enough. BUT, if the fire department would have responded without having their fees paid, they would have opened themselves up to a lawsuit. As it stands right now, the fees were not paid so they did not respond. They have a legal and liable defense there. Had they actually responded without the fees being paid, the family could turn around and sue them for being on their property, stating that they did not pay for fire protection.
If you opt not to carry flood insurance and then, your house floods, should the insurance company go ahead and pay for your losses and damages and then, sue you for whatever the cost of insurance would have been after the fact?

True enough. BUT, if the fire department would have responded without having their fees paid, they would have opened themselves up to a lawsuit. As it stands right now, the fees were not paid so they did not respond. They have a legal and liable defense there. Had they actually responded without the fees being paid, the family could turn around and sue them for being on their property, stating that they did not pay for fire protection.
If you opt not to carry flood insurance and then, your house floods, should the insurance company go ahead and pay for your losses and damages and then, sue you for whatever the cost of insurance would have been after the fact?

Nah, I pooped while ago! But thanks for being concerned about my health. hahahahahahhaahhaahahha

Nah, I pooped while ago! But thanks for being concerned about my health. hahahahahahhaahhaahahha

I think that “We, The People” should start a Facebook/Twitter campaign to hold these total @#$% holes accoutable for being so cruel to animals!!!

I am currently not a pet owner, but I love animals and they should NOT have been allowed to burn to death because of some stupid @#$% policy!!!

Mailcat: I posted your comment with the Mayor’s contact information to my Facebook profile and I would ask all animal lovers to PLEASE do the same thing…

…The Mayor of Fulton and the city commissioners should hear from us in droves and we should let them know that being cruel to animals for the sake of money is NOT OKAY!

Yeah.
Big cities are awesome.
They have:

Highest crime rates.
Highest unemployment.
Highest debt ratios.
Highest drop out rates.
Highest suicide rates.
Highest foreclosure.
Most corruption.
Most welfare.
Most lawsuits.
The worlds most evil companies.

and you call South Fulton, TN a “feces-hole”

Not at all. I work and I pay my bills. That’s being a responsible adult.
If this family had of paid their bills, I would not have had the pleasure (or pain in my backside) of having this discussion with you!!!
Right is right, wrong is wrong. There are no thin lines or gray areas.
This family did not pay their bill, therefore, they simply cannot expect services to be provided to them.
If you want to test it out, don’t pay your electric bill and see what happens!

This is a great example of Obama Care folks!

Here is the link to contact the City of Fulton and register your protest:

http://www.cityofsouthfulton.org/contact_us.htm

At no time did I say it was right or wrong. I said that the Cranick’s are responsible due to their failure to pay the fee. The fire department, nor its employees, are to blame.
Do I agree with the law? No. But, if we are pointing fingers here, as sad as it is, the Cranick’s are at fault.

At no time did I say it was right or wrong. I said that the Cranick’s are responsible due to their failure to pay the fee. The fire department, nor its employees, are to blame.
Do I agree with the law? No. But, if we are pointing fingers here, as sad as it is, the Cranick’s are at fault.

THEY opened them selfs up to being sued because of there mission statement…….. case closed ………

A mission statement is not a law binding agreement.
A law binding agreement, however, is when the Mayor and/or City Commissioners voted on and was approved a $75.00 fee for fire service protection to non-Fulton City residence.

cowards took there coplaints page off

Who would Jesus allow to burn to death?

Do you consider yourself a Christian? Are the Mayor’s and the Firefighter’s behavior in accord with their “HEY EVERYBODY LOOK AT ME I GO TO A BAPTIST CHURCH” website and what we know Jesus teaches us about compassion?

That is absolutely absurd fight like a girl for one thing your are talking about a desired service not a public service in term of the contractot vs firefighter. also if this is the case then everyone who has not payed there local tax bill for the year should not be entitled to any public service by your reasoning. If that were the case we would need to check public records everytime somone calls EMS Police or Fire to ensure they have payed there taxes. If not then dont send someone to help and let fire spread or crime continue or someone die due to no response. Public services are exactly that public services not a private industry like a home contractor…

I think they that did too…

I keep getting a “HTTP 404 Not Found – Web page cannot be found” error message!

So, I am going to send them a letter, since we don’t seem to be able to get through by calling either.

Okay Animal lovers. I get it, but please let’s not make this about the animals when it is sooo much more important than that. This is about HUMAN decency. It was indecent to let these people’s house burn to the ground while firemen stood by with the proper tools to help. It was indecent to excuse it saying the family did not pay the $75 fee, wether by choice or forgetfulness. It is incredibly indecent that this family lost their pets and family possessions, pictues, other items that are part of their family history and the “Mayor” of this town doesn’t seem to care because of $75. Seriously. I hope they are as ashamed of themselves as American is of them. Shame on you. Next time put out the damn fire and bill the family. Because nextime it would be children in the fire as you standby and watch!

Wrong Fulton – that one is Fulton, KY – not SOUTH Fulton, TN

sorry but it will hold up in court if they had in there mission statement ONLY IF YOU PAY THE FEE then maybe. once they posted the mission statement theywould have to contact each property owner who didnt pay the fee by registered mail or a registered prosses server

Im sorry fight like a girl your logic is skewed at best. who would sue a fire dept over putting out a fire that is the most backeard logic i have ever heard. also the man offered to pay the fee before they even showed up at the neighbors house and the fire dept declined. You carry insurance so they will pay that is their service the same as a firemans service is to put out fires and doctors are intended top help there is an oath to that all of these services are sworn to protect no matter what to the best of there abilities, no where does it say only if they pay for it.. And i know what u r going to say if u dont pay for a doctor they will not help you but in an emergency situation if u are dying a hospital is required to stabalize you even if you dont have money and that is exactly what this was an emergency situation. what if there were people inside would they have responded the same way?

I’m guessing Jesus would have obeyed the law just as the firefighters did.

Who would sue McDonald’s for someone spilling coffee in their laps?
Unfortunately, it happens!!!

Furthermore, if you read my other comments, you will see that I am not saying I agree and/or disagree with the way this was handled. I’m simply saying that, if we are pointing the finger at anyone, it should be at the Cranick’s for not paying the fee in the first place!

So if a homeless person needs help then they dont deserve it by your reasoning because they dont pay taxes. so in your world the only prople that deserve help are those who can afford it not anyone else you are a fucking idiot if you believe this. rethink what you are saying and make a valid point next time this is nothing like insurance or home contractors this is public service. the power bill is another private industry. By the way power comapny cant shut your power off if the temperature is below a certain point or if you have a family member that is on life support in your home. so even they have regulations against them if u dont pay your bill.

I understand, but at the same time, should my heart stop and I have not signed a waver, should a doctor just stand there an watch me die? When you choose a life of service, you serve. Ask any off duty fire person if they would walk away from a burning building.

A mission statement cannot be enforced if it breaks a law. A law, a $75.00 fire service fee, is in place.
Furthermore, a mission statement is simply something a person and/or group strives for. My daily mission statement is to not piss anyone off in the course of a day. Obviously, I have not succeeded in that mission today. However, you cannot sue me because of it.

The Fire Department could have put out the fire, saved the animals and property, THEN sent the property owner a bill. If they didn’t pay it, the city always has the option to put a lien on the home, asshole. The black and white world you live in has no cognitive intelligence or flexibility to think outside the box. America is exceptional because Americans help Americans!!

Homeless people have options available to them as well. It’s called government assistance and by the profanity within your post, I’d venture to say that you, yourself, are one of those that I am working so hard to support!

Turn it around … if your heart stops and you DID sign a waiver, a DNR waiver, should the doctor perform CPR?

These folks did not sign up for fire protection services so, the fire department watched their house burn.
We make choices every single day. Some good, some not so good. Hopefully this family has learned from this and, should fire protection fees apply to them in the future, they will pay them!

I refer you to one of my previous comments:

True enough. BUT, if the fire department would have responded without having their fees paid, they would have opened themselves up to a lawsuit. As it stands right now, the fees were not paid so they did not respond. They have a legal and liable defense there. Had they actually responded without the fees being paid, the family could turn around and sue them for being on their property, stating that they did not pay for fire protection.
If you opt not to carry flood insurance and then, your house floods, should the insurance company go ahead and pay for your losses and damages and then, sue you for whatever the cost of insurance would have been after the fact?

The choice was to add 13 cents to all the property bills or charge the people there $75 each. The citizens there were not given the option to vote on those two choices.

Well in my county u have an option to pay a one time yearly fee for ems service and u get a flat rate all year if needed. if u dont pay when the services are needed u will pay an exorbitant amount compared to the on time fee. Point being you can get ems even if u dont pay the onetime fee. it may be more esxpensive but they show up. in this case the homeowner offered to pay for the 75.00 but they declined. they could have showed up and put the fire out and made him pay a higher fee than normal since it was an emergency reponse. I think the homeowner would have been ok with this.. The biggest issue is that the firefighters showed up and did nothing for the house that was burning they just made a fire line to ensure there was no spread to other houses. Ican speak from experience from my town if a fire fighter sees a house on fire and puts out the fire but the home next door just across county lines catches fire they are going to respond not just stand there and wait for the other ounties firemen to show up. i think everyone dropped the ball here homeowner to mayor. But the question remains should we let someones house burn down because they didnt pay a 75 dollar fee. this is inhuman and should have nothing to do with religion money or anything else. i was taught to help people in need not for money not for respect JUST BECAUSE. Im not nice to people because i want to go to heaven im nice to people because i want to be. i dont believe in heaven… maybe more people should do good because they can….

I think this is most of the problem we are talking about right now. this is the oath to office for any public job in kentucky and this is not a joke. Maybe they should change or add in to protect and serve like it is in my city and state as well as in many other states.

In Kentucky, if you are a government sponsored agency, the Oath of Office is as follows:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this Commonwealth, and be faithful and true to the Commonwealth of Kentucky so long as I continue a citizen thereof, and that I will faithfully execute, to the best of my ability, the office of insert office according to law; and I do further solemnly swear (or affirm) that since the adoption of the present Constitution, I, being a citizen of this State, have not fought a duel with deadly weapons within this State nor out of it, nor have I sent or accepted a challenge to fight a duel with deadly weapons, nor have I acted as second in carrying a challenge, nor aided or assisted any person thus offending, so help me God.

I am pretty sure the Mayor of South Fulton, TN is not the current President of the United States. The political philosophy behind this “pay or we don’t serve” is more of a Libertarian, not Liberal Democratic, ideology. In fact conservatives are beating the bushes in the election campaigns this year because they claim Obama is doing what this fire department didn’t do.

Please do not take my lack of commenting until after 10:00 p.m. CST as my relinquishing on my opinion! I am simply leaving one job, going to the next, where I do not have internet access.
Thank You and have a wonderful night!!!

So, what if it had been people trapped in the house, not just pets? Would it still have been OK to let them die, simply b/c they hadn’t paid $75 for the fee? Do you know what a hardship it is for some people (ME INCLUDED!!!!) to pay ANY extra expense? It it came to buying food for your family to eat or paying money for a service you may or may not require, what would YOU choose? Have you EVER had to make a decision like that????? You’re a horrible excuse for a human being.

So, what if it had been people trapped in the house, not just pets? Would it still have been OK to let them die, simply b/c they hadn’t paid $75 for the fee? Do you know what a hardship it is for some people (ME INCLUDED!!!!) to pay ANY extra expense? It it came to buying food for your family to eat or paying money for a service you may or may not require, what would YOU choose? Have you EVER had to make a decision like that????? You’re a horrible excuse for a human being.

Once the property owner gives (the Fire Department) clear permission to enter his property, there is no lawsuit. This property owner begged them to help save his home. What are you talking about?

From a public safety perspective, house fires should not go unattended because they can spread. This is why Rome burned. The city politicians were shortsighted and negligent–and probably conservative Republicans.

The law is the law. Apparently, there was a waiver that the Cranick’s could have applied for, waiving the fee, as the article states that their son received it. No one is to blame but the Cranick’s themselves.
And, for the record, yes, I “have” had to make tough decisions regarding my life and feeding my child or not. I am a survivor of domestic violence. I left my husband in the middle of the night after he held a gun to my head for 8 hours straight. I was homeless. I utilized government assistance for over a year. Food stamps, section 8, medical card, anything and everything that I could possibly get. So yes, I know exactly what it feels like to hit rock bottom.
The difference between me and most is, I have goals and morals. I survived because of my goals and morals and I never once broke the law to do so. So, while YOU may think I am a horrible excuse for a human being, I can at least stand up and say ma’am and/or sir, that right is right and wrong is wrong and I live my life based upon this. There are no thin lines or gray areas.
By the way, thanks to my goals and morals, I own a $400,000.00 home with two elevators in it and two brand new H2′s. I also have taken in numerous women and children, victims of domestic violence, and provided them with a foundation to pull their lives back together and make something of themselves. So yes, I am just a horrible horrible excuse for a human being! ha

as you state and the news reports state service fee not law . just to let you know I or anybody else CAN sue you just takes time and walk into a court house and file…………

its an oral and writen statement look up state laws ten.

They didn’t put out the fire and charge the people later because they are not putting out fires for money. They need people to pay even if they do not have fires which makes the entire idea of a paid fire service stupid. No one is going to sue you for putting out their fire.

You are so fixated on the money aspect of this whole thing! You say right is right and wrong is wrong. I agree with you….but for me, ‘right’ versus ‘wrong’ is sooooo about anything BUT the money issue. Right, for me, is putting out the dang house fire. Wrong, for me, is standing there watching someone’s HOME burn to the ground.
I suppose it’s all about perspective, really. You choose to stand by your perspective…good for you.
Here’s my perspective. You brag about your fancy house and H2′s (???). You brag about all the women and children you’ve ‘saved.’ But if you are teaching them to feel as you feel and do as you do….well, I pity them and you. That being said, I apologize for calling you a poor excuse for a human. I really do…. because I so pity you and the fact that you obviously are still dealing the best way you know how with the horrible things that have happened to you. Few things in life are seldom black or white. If you choose to ignore the gray, well, you’re never going to reach your fullest potential…no matter how many elevators your house has in it. I hope someday you can get past what happened to you and that you can begin to understand and live a life of true compassion and understanding, not only for those who ‘do things right,’ but for all of us imperfectly, perfect people who don’t always follow the ‘rules.’
Oh, and you didn’t answer my question–would it have been ok to let the people burn up, should they have been trapped inside the home?
Also, just out of curiosity, the tone of your writing and the logic of your thinking make me wonder if you have ever been diagnosed with a pragmatic language impairment of any kind?

You are so fixated on the money aspect of this whole thing! You say right is right and wrong is wrong. I agree with you….but for me, ‘right’ versus ‘wrong’ is sooooo about anything BUT the money issue. Right, for me, is putting out the dang house fire. Wrong, for me, is standing there watching someone’s HOME burn to the ground.
I suppose it’s all about perspective, really. You choose to stand by your perspective…good for you.
Here’s my perspective. You brag about your fancy house and H2′s (???). You brag about all the women and children you’ve ‘saved.’ But if you are teaching them to feel as you feel and do as you do….well, I pity them and you. That being said, I apologize for calling you a poor excuse for a human. I really do…. because I so pity you and the fact that you obviously are still dealing the best way you know how with the horrible things that have happened to you. Few things in life are seldom black or white. If you choose to ignore the gray, well, you’re never going to reach your fullest potential…no matter how many elevators your house has in it. I hope someday you can get past what happened to you and that you can begin to understand and live a life of true compassion and understanding, not only for those who ‘do things right,’ but for all of us imperfectly, perfect people who don’t always follow the ‘rules.’
Oh, and you didn’t answer my question–would it have been ok to let the people burn up, should they have been trapped inside the home?
Also, just out of curiosity, the tone of your writing and the logic of your thinking make me wonder if you have ever been diagnosed with a pragmatic language impairment of any kind?

OK, they didn’t pay the fee. I say the law should be if you don’t pay the fee, fine them if something happens or make them pay for the services rendered. Don’t let it burn to the ground!

Also, this is my last post on this topic, as I’m choosing to spend the rest of my evening hugging my children close. I doubt I will remember to return to this post anytime soon, so please have fun continuing the debate.

I did NOT mean to Like that. I am guessing that you really don’t understand Christianity with that reply….

This is NOT a fire department. Real men would not allow this to happen. There should be a way to punish this obscene cruelty.

This is NOT a fire dept. Any real man or woman, for that matter would not allow this to happen. 75.00 and they let these peoples house burn up.? There should be some kind of punishment for this obscene cruelty. Shame on you all and the town that houses you.

This is a discrace, to fire fighters and mayors every where. You should all be arrested and you probably started the fire, to try and make a point. Good thing for you all that i dont live there.

I say about a million of us all get together and go to south fulton and demand that the mayor, fire dept and all council members be fired immediately without pay or benefits. Get rid of these unamerican commies.

YOU ARE A TOTAL IDIOT. GO HOME COMMIE> YOU MUST BE THE FIRE STARTER< HUH MAYOR

They should fire City Manager and so call firefighters.Shame on all of you!!! People of South-Fulton,Tenn you all should be concern it could be you.

hey should fire City Manager and so call firefighters.Shame on all of you!!! People of South-Fulton,Tenn you all should be concern it could be you.

Thats the worst excuse for a fire dept. i have ever heard of! Glad I live in Arkansas where we have fire depts that will atleast do their dang job, and yes I am a firefighter. Hope you guys can sleep at night knowing your service to others includes NOTHING!! I will never live in Tennessee if thats the way yall roll. Its a discrace to say y0u are a fire dept. South Fulton!

It would only cost each resident 13cents a month in this County to make sure EVERYONE is covered. But that would be “SOCIALISM”……. Boo!

no the profanity is used because there are very few other words that would describe the level of idiocy in your opionion and yes your are entilted to it but it does not mean you are right or know what you are talking about. the man offered to pay for the service when he needed but they refused. i can see how you think there are no gray areas in life due to the immense situation and life you have lived. But go live in darfur or have your child threatened by force unless you act to protect then you may talk about no gray area. you have not lived in everyones shoes just your own. dont dictate thin lines and morals to people you dont even know. we are talking about a normal person responding to a person in need. i find it irreprehensable for multiple men in a unit to watch a house burn. what if you had been a day late or the postal service lost your payment in the mail and the fire dept didnt receive it. When you call they wouldnt respond now would they.. the use of profanity also came out because of your level of idiocy. Someone from your way of life should understand there are always extenuating circumstances and if you dont understand this then you didnt learn your lessons unfortunately and you are probably doomed to repeat them.. to bad for your soul i am very sorry…

I cant believe this.Firefighters are supposed to help people,not watch as a humanbeings entire life burn to the ground. Regardless of whatever stupid law they have in place those men should have grown some balls and done the right thing.I can tell you right now,i wont visit south fulton ever,let alone move there.Their government doesnt deserve the extra commerce after their lack of action in this situation.They need to reimburss this man some how.Im just absolutly disgusted.

def not right fire dept

yeah because every homeless person that ask for help gets it like there are enough homeless shelters. aparrently you think that a use of a word dictates what level of income they are or what there social status is. I think this may be your problem right there. Maybe you should have bought a 200,000 dollar home with only one elevator and a ford explorer and spent the other 200 and something thousand dollars on a brain an education and a soul. Your dictation of good and right and no grey area sound like that of the catholic church and some of our recent politicians. thanks for your insight to my level of income i do not feel the need to braodcast what house i live in our cars i drive. this stems from a deep need of yours that should be explored by you and a pyschologist not on a blog….

Why didn’t they leave the door open for the animals? S.C. isn’t so stupid after all. But firefighters need to cut em off and wear pink undies for not doing what they do in spite of everything. That’s what’s wrong with our country today. Everything is money and no human compassion.

Read your Bible . Jesus was AGAINST any gov’t takeovers of our money. Our wages are for our own for survival and not the gov’ts. In Jesus’ time the law said, stone the adulterors, but Jesus picked up the stone and said, all together now, ” those without sin, cast the first stone.” He didn’t obey since it was mans’ law , not Gods’ and because it was wrong.

These are not firemen. They are paid lackeys of their politicians. Any person that knows right from wrong would not listen to bureaucrats. The family should sue the town and Fire Department for everything they’re worth – even if they have to take it to the Supreme Court. Hit them in the pocketbook which is the only thing they value. Every one of those men standing around watching should be ‘fired’. They are not firemen. And the Major and Commissioners should be turned out of office and jailed for negligence and be held personally liable. If there were justice in this country, that’s what would be done.

This is the most shameful, inhuman, unChristian American tragedy I have ever heard of, aside from Ku Klux Klan crimes and hate crimes. “First do no harm” should be the motto of all PUBLIC SERVANTS. But when greed infests people like Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, and those that form the misguided “Tea Partiers — who scream that paying taxes is wrong, this is what happens. These loud-mouths have ruined our country. They hate “socialism: in other words helping your neighbor, Medicare, clean water, safe highways, Police and fire Departments. Did you realize that Glen Beck shouted ‘Fire” in a crowded theater with his hate-fased fear-speak? He was the one who LIED on TV saying that ‘Obama’s gonna come and take your guns!” And so what did one viewer do in Pennsylvania? He gathered his guns and shot three cops that night. Beck’s fear-based greed has defined conservative policies in America today. This is one of the most heinous crimes I’ve ever heard of.

Sorry, but your logic there is flawed.

This is not an “insurance” issue. If you get in a car wreck, and you’ve let your insurance lapse, then your insurance is not required to pay for it. HOWEVER, we’re not talking about insurance here. Whether or not you let your insurance lapse, the responding fire department is required to assist you with the immediate emergency-tending to your injuries, etc. That’s the job of a fire department, and these guys should be absolutely ashamed of their behavior here. I don’t know any firefighter who would stand by and let a home burn when they had the power to do something about it.

You deal with the emergency, and sort out the money later. If they’d put this guy’s fire out, and then billed him for the cost of the response since he hadn’t paid the fee, I’d think that reasonable. But to stand by and watch his house burn is absolutely not.

I saw this story on MSNBC tonight/Countdown.. I am outraged! Thanks for your comments…I posted it to FB.

We live in rural country and we are charged a $40 yearly fee. If the fee is not paid, the fire department will still respond but charge a minum of $500 if they are called to a fire. They will attempt to put it out and usually succeed.

I went to the website that mailecat has and sent an email to the fire department with the suggestion that they might put out rural fires and charge a fee, ours is $500 if you have not paid your fire dues, but when I submitted the suggestion, it said the url was not found. Maybe they have been bombarded with emails. Thank you mailecat for the website.

I went to the website that mailecat has and sent an email to the fire department with the suggestion that they might put out rural fires and charge a fee, ours is $500 if you have not paid your fire dues, but when I submitted the suggestion, it said the url was not found. Maybe they have been bombarded with emails. Thank you mailecat for the website.

They are not in Fulton City which is in Kentucky, they are on the other side of the state line which is named SOUTH FULTON, TENNESSEE. Our city is divided by a state line.

Didn’t anyone think of turning on a garden hose? That’s a pretty stupid comment but considering all the other ones it’s at least different. I live in a rural area with a volunteer fire department. I don’t know how much it costs for a fire call but I know that they will come like hell a blazin’ to put out a field fire let alone a house fire. They don’t sit around waiting for someone to run a debit card through a machine to decide whether they are going to turn the hose on or not. That type of mentality should not be allowed in public service. It ‘feels’ as if there is something more behind this entire thing besides an unpaid $75.00 fee. Perhaps a grudge or a bigger reason to let the house burn? It’s a conspiracy theory–woohoo. It’s still no excuse to sit while the pets die. Hopefully, they passed quickly and without fear or pain.

South Fulton really needs the extra cash, they are totally strapped after building the new police and fire department. That is why they choose the $75 fee over the 13 cents per month

The pathetic sons of bitches, South Fulton Mayor David Crocker and Fire Chief David Wilds, and the disgusting hick losers of the South Fulton “Fire Department” should all be fired immediately — without their municipal full-year retirement and benefits packages. Being shut up in a burning house and dying an agonizing death like those animals did would be too good for them.

I just tried to leave a message on the mayor’s answering machine, but it didn’t pick up. Hopefully the entire bunch of cowardly weasels are being bombarded by everyone in the U.S. who has seen this story. As a member of the ASPCA, PETA, and the International Fund for Wildlife, I will be sure that this story reaches them.

This doesn’t fall on the Firemen and Women. This is the Mayor and Commission saying to the firefighters -” You will not have a job if you do put out that fire or raise so much as a finger to help them”. I’m sure it just kills them to see this happen and have their hands tied. The FF’s won’t be able to pay their utilities or house payments if they lose their jobs. God help anyone that has an auto accident out there in the county that requires a fire truck, if your car isn’t covered by the fire insurance… will they still attend? just curious? where do they draw that line? What if an auto accident causes a grass fire that gets to an uninsured house… put it out or not? where do you draw the line?
I suggest that Obion County put together their own volunteer bucket brigade! Some help is far better then no help at all.

How about this moral, you stupid bitch: When someone’s home is burning down and there are four innocent animals inside burning to death, why don’t you do the Christian thing and put out the freaking fire? Worry about the $75 later. The mayor, the fire chief, and the so-called firefighters deserve to be locked in a burning house so they can experience the agony they caused to those animals. You know, we have animal cruelty laws in this country, and I believe they supercede a stupid requirement made up by a bunch of stupid redneck hicks. You all truly embody every ridiculous joke people make about Southerners … and I’m embarrassed to say that I used to be proud that my mother was from the South. No one I ever met when visiting my family there was as cruel and un-Christian as you revolting “people.” Animals are not as cruel as you.

$75 is hard to come by around here…. most of us are working minimum wage jobs or can’t find jobs at all.

See above … OK, they didn’t pay the $75 … BFD! So the innocent animals deserved to die an agonizing death? You’re obviously a cruel, vicious, un-Christian moron.

And you obviously have no class … why don’t you waddle back to your double-wide and fry something — preferably yourself!

Do you maybe mean “themselves?” Apparently the South Fulton school system is just as stellar as their so-called fire department.

Please note- if those firefighters did help the home owner they would no longer have a job. No job means they’ll lose their homes to foreclosure. Don’t blame them, take it up with the Mayor and Commission.

You don’t need to be sued … you need to lose someone you love or a pet who is like a child to you; maybe you’d learn some human compassion. I wouldn’t waste my time suing you, but if you’d like to get your pathetic ass up to CT, I’ll be happy to kick it for you.

Bull … “they would have opened themselves up to a lawsuit” if they put the fire out without the $75 having been paid? My God, you are an idiot. Is everyone in South Fulton as much of a loser as you?

Another stupid analogy … they didn’t sign a “Do Not Put Out The Fire If My House Is Burning Down.” It’s not the same thing as a DNR at all; BTW, why don’t you think about getting one.

Again, a stupid comparison … why am I not surprised? If the finger should be pointed at anyone, it should be at the mayor, the fire chief, and the idiots on the fire department who stood there and watched four animals die in agony and a family’s life’s work go down in flames. For $75 … if this happens again, send me the bill!

Are you kidding? Jesus would have done the kind and honorable thing and not allowed this terrible thing to happen over money. You are obviously not a Christian or you wouldn’t say such a moronic thing. If I were you, I’d go to confession or do some penance or whatever it is your weird religion does, because honey, you are definitely going to a VERY warm place when you die.

“I utilized government assistance for over a year. Food stamps, section 8, medical card, anything and everything that I could possibly get.” So, in other words, you let everyone else pay for you and took all you could get, but you wouldn’t allow the Cranick’s a lousy $75. I agree with the previous poster … you are a horrible excuse for a human being. And, BTW, a $400,000 house and H2′s are just THINGS … they are not living, breathing creatures who suffer. You apparently have no problem taking from your community, but you don’t think anyone else should be allowed any leeway. No wonder your husband held a gun to your head … too bad he didn’t pull the trigger. I’m sure you drove him to it.

FU … and I hope something hurts you as deeply as the Cranick’s are hurting right now. You deserve every horrible thing that could possibly happen to a person … and BTW, don’t expect any sympathy from anyone in your community.

Aren’t you supposed to be heading off to work? Having your electric turned off and having your home burn to the ground are just a little different. One can be fixed; the other can’t be undone.

BTW, I just tried to leave a message at the web address mailecat gave … apparently they’ve shut it down, the cowards. Too bad … I was really hoping one of them would call me.

Fulton is the burn panel!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb8qG76L9jE

So, you are daring to say that Jesus would follow the law when the choice is to do right or do wrong by not doing the right thing. Read the Gospels. Jesus told a parable called “The Good Samaritan.” The priest was not supposed to be “unclean” when performing his duties, and helping the almost-dead man would have made him too unclean to perform his law-required duties. These duties were dictated by the Hebrew Scriptures, which Jesus upheld. I would hope that you can see this would by far triumph any government law in Jesus’ eyes. Yet, Jesus held up a Samaritan, at that time looked upon as trash by the community, as more righteous than the priest who was simply “obeying the law,” because the Samaritan HELPED SOMEONE IN NEED and “HAD MERCY ON HIM.”
(Luke 10:25-37)

Have you never had anything horrible happen to you or lost someone you love, or at least been very close to someone who has had such a thing happen to them that you felt empathy for? You can try to be logical, but sometimes when arguing with logic you are still arguing for evil.

Actually, Jesus said to give to Rome what was Romes and to God what is God’s when a person asked him about taxes. Also, the laws about stoning were from the Scriptures, so they were not mans’ laws according to Israel. I just wanted to point this out But I agree with your sentiment, to not put out fires just because “the law” says a certain amount of money must be paid is horrible. Hospitals give life-saving care in the ER whether or not one can pay or has insurance, even when by law a person should be able to pay for care needed and hospitals lose millions of dollars a year for this compassion. And most would not be willing to do otherwise, they would rather be righteous and save lives.

What gets me is, if I kick a dog, I could get in trouble with the law. If I set up a cock fight, I could go to jail. If I rub shampoo in a monkey’s eyes, I’m liable for animal cruelty. If I leave my dog in the car on a hot summer day, regardless of whether or not I paid my insurance or what ever…I could end up in jail. But – some official says “Sure, just barbeque 3 dogs and a cat, these people didn’t pay up !” And that’s fine and dandy since rules are rules.
I’m sorry but if that happened in my area, I’d probly be burnin some
Em-Effin Mayor’s House down right about now. Who’s with me ?!?!

Does such a triviality really mean that much? Put yourself in this family’s shoes jerk wad!

Are you serious? Let’s hope you never need their services and have forgotten to pay your dues.

Pretty sure it’s not as many conservative-believing folks in the spotlight, such as Glenn Beck, agree with the city’s decision to not help. This is simply evil, it has nothing to do with political parties.

South Fulton Firefighters (and Fire Chief) should be sent home immediately and relieved of their duties. You mean to tell me a man’s home is burning and pleads for help and they didn’t respond? What if someone had been trapped inside the burning home and this same homeowner called and pleaded for help for th South Fulton Fire Department to respond? Would they? I am President of our local volunteer firefighter’s association here in Lauderdale County Alabama. This is a travesty and a black eye for the volunteer fire service in the United States. Thanks South Fulton for really making us look good to the public. What a shame. What a pitiful shame that you as firefighters and lifesavers allowed this man’s (and anyone’s) home to burn to the ground.
Morris Lentz
President
Lauderdale County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments

Not 13 cents, 13 cents per $100 of property valuation. So if your house is worth $200,000 your fire tax would be $260/year, not $75.

If I don’t have health insurance and I get cancer and require chemotherapy, which runs about $1 million for a full course of treatment, the cancer center is not going to treat me. Are cancer centers then without decency? Should they be sued when they don’t save the lives of people with no insurance?

The fire department is not required to respond to fires outside their jurisdiction. That’s the issue here. This is the city fire department and they are paid for with city taxes. The city can not afford to pay for coverage for county residents and the county commissioners point blank refuse to pay for fire coverage from county funds. Because they were asked, they agreed to provide fire insurance to county residents who chose to have it and pay for the coverage. This system works only if they only respond to those who have paid. In the city, they respond to 100% of calls because they are paid in the city through city taxes.

“Who would Jesus allow to burn to death?”

Fortunately that is a settled question and we don’t have to speculate.

Revelation 20:13-15
The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Are you a volunteer fire fighter?

Here are some more numbers that were posted on another site:

South Fulton Fire Dept
Non-emergency Calls

731.479.0213

City Manager
Jeff Vowell
Phone Number

731.479.2151

Mayor David Neil Crocker
700 Milton Counce Drive

South Fulton, Tennessee 38257

731.479.2151

Are you a firefighter then? If not, should you really be attacking people who risk their lives to save people?

Many firefighters die each year. Fortunately they have life insurance that covers deaths during a fire so their family can be taken care of if they die. Most of these policies do NOT cover their death as work related if they are responding to a fire on their own as a private citizen, which is what they would be doing if they responded to a fire outside the city that did not have coverage. And to save a couple dogs? No, it does not make sense to risk leaving your widow and children destitute and without a father to save a dog. If this person had paid their insurance, they would be covered, the house would be part of the firefighter’s job work, and if they died saving the dog, their widow would at least receive some money to help care for the children orphaned by the fire.

Here is the contact information for the Fire Chief in South Fulton whose Fire Fighters let this happen. Feel free to call and v0ice your disgust…

David Wilds
117 2nd St
South Fulton, TN 38257
(731) 479-0194

Here is a link to their website too with his picture…

http://www.cityofsouthfulton.org/fire.htm

at the same time that its devided it is still a load of crap and if anyone agrees with them not putting this housefire out then i doubt anyone would even piss on their house if it was burning

Heck, animal rights aside… this is just MORALLY WRONG!!! REALLY??? $75 vs. someone’s home and lifetime of memories/pictures/belongings????? There is no reason in the world they shouldn’t have fought the fire and then reissued the bill of $75 – or even doubled it. I’m SURE they would have been glad to pay it – or the insurance would have. Remind me NEVER to move to Obion Cty or South Fulton! Satan himself lives there!

Here is a description of these “city leaders” – including the mayor, along with their pictures. Looks like there are a couple seats coming open here in November. Residents should vote somebody in with some morals! http://www.cityofsouthfulton.org/city_commission.htm

I have googled south fulton tn and have the addresses of all the comissioners and all the real estate and anyone who has any title in the city and have written all of them about my outrage over this situation. Our community has the same $75 fee but are fined if you have not signed up and they are called to your home but never stand by for a home to burn. As the victim of a fire heroically fought by the fire dept. there are so many irreplacable things along with beloved pets That night my husband told me to start to greive as the cat was gone, my neighbor saved the dog. but we then heard him meowing. These people are beyond cruel. This is not just the fire dept apparently there is a law! That is the whole city who are responsible for this tragedy.

These fire fighters are a disgrace to all of the fire fighters who daily put their lives on the line for us. They all should be fired staring with the chief!

These fire fighters are a disgrace to all of the fire fighters who daily put their lives on the line for us. They all should be fired staring with the chief!

I tried calling the number 713-479-2151 and got a recording telling me the number was no longer in service.

Greed–what the hell are you talking about? No one says paying taxes is wrong. Tell you what Lydia. Go and hand your paycheck over to Obama and tell him to divvy it up to where he thinks it should go. You won’t need it because he will have it all taken care of for you. You won’t have to decide what to eat, what to wear, what kind of entertainment you will be involved in, what doctor, tests , or medicine you need, what car to drive, or even what light bulb you’ll use. You want the government to be your nanny! With socialism (really-do some research honey)you don’t have to help your neighbor out with much-kind of takes the responsibility away from you-whew! less guilt about being so selfish-hey! that’s what the government is for, right? Such foolishness Lydia. “Yeah, I don’t want to drink clean water”, I heard Glen Beck say, “I don’t want safe highways. I think we should get rid of police and fire departments.” What universe are you living in Lydia? Good God! You are ignorant. Go and read the Book of Proverbs and underline every verse that has to do with “fool”. Just sayin’

I’m just curious; if an individual was trapped inside the home, as the animals were, would they have watched an innocent child, baby, wife, husband be killed while watching the fire spread?

Plus, the neighbors who paid their $75. wouldn’t their home face less risk if fire department stomped out the actual fire to keep it from spreading?

I understand needing people to pay for the use of the service, but it seems like they could have put out the fire, and then charged them a bill for the use of their services.

If this was a relative of one of the fireman, would they still have sat by and watched their loved ones home burn?

I understand standing by policies, but there doesn’t seem to be any good samaritans in this group…. must be a union.

I guess everyone whining about a cat knows exactly what the threat to life safety is and all about the risk/benefit desicions firefighters make. My respone to them is, go buy yourself a set of bunker gear ($2200), a fire truck ($165,000-$500,000) and start up your own FD to handle all the pets out there, and when you get killed in a building collapse or caught in a flashover you can sit in the graveyard with the dead pets and think about your desicion. The city is balancing the simple fact that fire service equipment is not free. I doubt I would have sat and watched, but would absolutely send them a bill afterwards. It’s just like an EMS membership.

One more thing Lydia. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Christian that you are, it was an individual that gave aid to the beaten and robbed man not the government. In fact, Lydia, here we have the perfect example of just the opposite of what Jesus taught us to do: no compassion. That is what you get from socialism. That is what you get from government, period.

But you did say it was right what the fire department did. By saying that the Cranicks were at fault. God help you when you need mercy. He may just give you what you deserve.

Not to worry! Soon coming to an Obamacare center near you!

Not to worry! Soon coming to an Obamacare center near you!

Unbelievable you cannot call yourselves human beings much less fire fighters! You should be ashamed of yourselves! Remember what goes around comes around, you bunch of heartless thugs!!!

That’s all anyone is asking … that the fire be put out first and a bill be sent later. That fire department is there for a reason; on their website, they list a mission statement, and it is to protect South Fulton, TN. Well, they did a pretty poor job of it. Cowards. Pathetic …

I would bet that this department has accepted State and Federal monies for equipment purchases, etc. This makes the refusal to respond an illegal act.

I just called “Fire Chief” David Wilds and let him know what an immoral, cruel, unprofessional, cowardly, scum-sucking lowlife I think he is. Now I’m about to send all this stuff to the ASPCA. Take a look at their website and mission statement! SOB’s — that’s what he and his entire department are. Call today and let him know how outraged you are; all the info is on this website: http://www.cityofsouthfulton.org/fire.htm

I just called “Fire Chief” David Wilds and let him know what an immoral, cruel, unprofessional, cowardly, scum-sucking lowlife I think he is. Now I’m about to send all this stuff to the ASPCA. Take a look at their website and mission statement! SOB’s — that’s what he and his entire department are. Call today and let him know how outraged you are; all the info is on this website: http://www.cityofsouthfulton.org/fire.htm

doesnt sound like you survived yet … let it GO

The Firefighters’ Creed

Tim Murphy © 1998, 2001

On 28 November 2001, The Firefighters’ Creed was designated the
Official Anthem of the New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial.

——————————————————————————–

There’s a War that’s being fought without Bombs or Rifle-shot;

There are deadly confrontations every day.

For the Enemy is Fire; and the Casualties grow higher,

Among those who place themselves in Danger’s Way.

It’s a Warrior Breed of men, who face the fires, and fight again,

When the Screaming Sirens sound their Battle Cry !

Where the Klaxons blare the call, they’ll be there to give their All:

They’ll lay their Lives on the Line, Do or Die !

——————————————————————————–

When the terrorists attack, stab our Nation in the back -

Then our Firefighters lead the way once more;

With their brothers, the Police, the Volunteers and EMT’s,

They are joined to combat this Unholy War.

With the strength of Saving Grace, they met the challenge Face-to-Face,

Even though the stakes had never been so high -

They took the Job and got it done, unsung Heroes every one:

They laid their Lives on the Line, Do or Die !

——————————————————————————–

( Chorus ) When the flames are blazing high against the smokey midnight sky,

You will hear their Mighty Diesels raging by !

They’ll proceed at greatest speed – it’s The Firefighters’ Creed:

They’ll lay their Lives on the Line, Do or Die !

——————————————————————————–

There’s a Piper on the hill, in the misty morning chill;

You can hear his lonesome bagpipe’s mournful drone.

Another Firefighter died; and his Brothers at graveside,

Will see his Widow and their Children aren’t alone.

For every Fireman has to know that he could be the Next to go:

It’s just the Nature of the Beast they can’t deny;

Every year they add more Names to the Brotherhood of Flames:

They’ll lay their Lives on the Line, Do or Die !

——————————————————————————–

( Chorus ) When the flames are blazing high against the smoky midnight sky,

You will hear their Mighty Diesels raging by !

They’ll proceed at greatest speed – it’s The Firefighters’ Creed:

( Countless Lives have been Saved by the Bravest of the Brave ! )

( Years of training – Endless Drill ! Dedication – Iron Will ! )

( Village Square – City Street ! They’re the Ones who Take the Heat ! )

( At each Station’s strident Bell, still they charge straight into Hell !! )

They’ll lay their Lives on the Line, Do or Die !

——————————————————————————–

( Dedicated to The Bravest: those Women and Men,
and their Families – past, present, and future …
Firefighters all ! )

The Brave Firefighters from 9/11 DIDN’T NEED TO LOOK AT A PAID BILL LIST!!!!

I did not mean to “like” that either. This was a totally un-Christian act.

The Firefighters’ Creed

Tim Murphy © 1998, 2001

On 28 November 2001, The Firefighters’ Creed was designated the
Official Anthem of the New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial.

——————————————————————————–

There’s a War that’s being fought without Bombs or Rifle-shot;

There are deadly confrontations every day.

For the Enemy is Fire; and the Casualties grow higher,

Among those who place themselves in Danger’s Way.

It’s a Warrior Breed of men, who face the fires, and fight again,

When the Screaming Sirens sound their Battle Cry !

Where the Klaxons blare the call, they’ll be there to give their All:

They’ll lay their Lives on the Line, Do or Die !

——————————————————————————–

When the terrorists attack, stab our Nation in the back -

Then our Firefighters lead the way once more;

With their brothers, the Police, the Volunteers and EMT’s,

They are joined to combat this Unholy War.

With the strength of Saving Grace, they met the challenge Face-to-Face,

Even though the stakes had never been so high -

They took the Job and got it done, unsung Heroes every one:

They laid their Lives on the Line, Do or Die !

——————————————————————————–

( Chorus ) When the flames are blazing high against the smokey midnight sky,

You will hear their Mighty Diesels raging by !

They’ll proceed at greatest speed – it’s The Firefighters’ Creed:

They’ll lay their Lives on the Line, Do or Die !

——————————————————————————–

There’s a Piper on the hill, in the misty morning chill;

You can hear his lonesome bagpipe’s mournful drone.

Another Firefighter died; and his Brothers at graveside,

Will see his Widow and their Children aren’t alone.

For every Fireman has to know that he could be the Next to go:

It’s just the Nature of the Beast they can’t deny;

Every year they add more Names to the Brotherhood of Flames:

They’ll lay their Lives on the Line, Do or Die !

——————————————————————————–

( Chorus ) When the flames are blazing high against the smoky midnight sky,

You will hear their Mighty Diesels raging by !

They’ll proceed at greatest speed – it’s The Firefighters’ Creed:

( Countless Lives have been Saved by the Bravest of the Brave ! )

( Years of training – Endless Drill ! Dedication – Iron Will ! )

( Village Square – City Street ! They’re the Ones who Take the Heat ! )

( At each Station’s strident Bell, still they charge straight into Hell !! )

They’ll lay their Lives on the Line, Do or Die !

——————————————————————————–

( Dedicated to The Bravest: those Women and Men,
and their Families – past, present, and future …
Firefighters all ! )

The firefighters of 9/11 DID NOT look to see if a bill was paid before they went to do their SWORN duty!

Shame, shame, shame on the fire dept and mayors office of So.Fulton,Tenn. How could you stand by and let your neighbors home and animals be destroyed over a few pieces of silver. You are truly heartless.

This article says that garden hoses were used:
http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/local/Firefighters-watch-as-home-burns-to-the-ground-104052668.html

They put down their Site, so you CANT write at this Time anymore to the Major!
SHAME ON YOU! SHAME ON YOU! SHAME ON YOU! You are not People you are Monsters!!!

I cant believe all these fools on here talking about cowards and liabilities. I bet none of them have ever risked their life for anything. For certian they dont understand jurisdictions and budgets. How come no one is mad at the county where this house actially was? Thats where they paid taxes to, and the county isnt providing fire protection. They need to research the story a little bit, this homeowner had been publicly saying beforehand how he would never pay for fire protection. Ive been a fireman for 15 years and while i personally yhink there may have been a more tactful solution, the fact is those firemen were uoperating as instructed by their city.

Are you nuts? Although I believe we should all be responsible citizens paying our due taxes and the like, the conduct of this fire department is criminal and hopefully will be treated as such. They are civil service employees who do not have the right to make such life and death choices. Bill the family and drag their butts to court for failure to pay the bill but you don’t let people, living things, and a life of memories burn down over a mere $75. Hopefully the Attorney General of the State will do the right thing.

A poor analogy. Firefighters are CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES or VOLUNTEERS. They take an OATH !!!!! What part of this don’t you understand?

Good Samaritan laws of this nation would protect the fire dept. Insurance companies do not have such protections. You are what is wrong with this country. Civil service protection is NOT socialism, it is protected right by the various state government codes and constitutions. Our tax dollars guarantee us these protections whether you are employed and paying taxes or on welfare. We are to be treated equally when it comes to CIVIL SERVICES !!!!

Life and property FIRST and foremost !!!! Who owes whom what, later ! The State AG needs to look into this matter and yes, the county appears to be at fault based on what you have said. However, as a firefighter you have a duty and an obligation. If you don’t think so, get out as you are not wanted. Your heart is not in your work.

Life and property FIRST and foremost !!!! Who owes whom what, later ! The State AG needs to look into this matter and yes, the county appears to be at fault based on what you have said. However, as a firefighter you have a duty and an obligation. If you don’t think so, get out as you are not wanted. Your heart is not in your work.

HE CLEARLY GAVE THEM CONSENT TO PUT OUT THE FIRE………….I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HEAR THE 911 TAPE

This is so sad what is this world come n 2. Fireman are suppose to be heros and care n how could they watch a home burn and only put water on fence line to keep the neighbors home from burning who paid their annual fee of 75$.. Wow truly a heartless act sure alot of unreplaceables r gone this jus hurts. I hope they are blessed with a new home and better than they had before.. prayers go out to the CRANICKS..

thank you for this information. I hope the ASPCA or PETA gets involved with this horribly cruel animal abuse. David Wilds should be fired or voted out of office. I am sick about this horrible situation.
Fight like a girl should become better educated. Glen is spelled Glenn. This indicates her level of stupidity and ignorance.

The State AG? Really? Lol. You have no idea what you are talking about. I dont really even get worried about dumbass comments from people who are talking out of their iq range. As far as where my heart as, in addition to being a career fireman, I have been a volunteer for 15 years. If everybody on here who is running thier mouth went out and joined their local volunteer department they would have a better perspective. Take some fire classes and learn how stupid it would be to risk an interior search for an animal. Its awsome how people can talk about stuff they dont have the ability to do.

Yes, probably should have been handled differently, but dont question those firefighter’s decisions on
that scene. We weren’t there.

The State AG? Really? Lol. You have no idea what you are talking about. I dont really even get worried about dumbass comments from people who are talking out of their iq range. As far as where my heart as, in addition to being a career fireman, I have been a volunteer for 15 years. If everybody on here who is running thier mouth went out and joined their local volunteer department they would have a better perspective. Take some fire classes and learn how stupid it would be to risk an interior search for an animal. Its awsome how people can talk about stuff they dont have the ability to do.

Yes, probably should have been handled differently, but dont question those firefighter’s decisions on
that scene. We weren’t there.

You maybe split by a stste line but we are all people and all Americans.

As a retired Vol. Fireman from IL. A city/rural Dept. I find what S. Fulton FD did was very very poor judgment. All for $75.0. Our FD never worried about what side of the state line we were in or city boundary. Fire and rescue came first.

They sure make a lot of fine men and woman look bad gutless.

All I’ve gotta say is I actually applaud the fire department, as well as the city of south fulton for their decision and sticking to their guns on this matter. I’m sorry, but a service is a service. I’m so sick and tired of hearing about all these handouts, and everything. A fire department is, for all intents and purposes, like insurance. If you wrecked your car and forgot to pay for the service before hand… I’m sorry.. get some new shoes and huff it to work. That or take a bus. They screwed themselves for not paying for the service, so all I can say is I hope they had fire insurance on their house. If not.. Well then they screwed themselves twice. And don’t make this about animals. Or “human decency” because both of those are just BS statements made from the politically correct mob. What happened to the animals is horrible, and tragic.. but MOST people would not run into a burning building to save a person, let alone a pet. Most people would not take a stand and fight off a man with a gun holding people hostage. Most people would not do anything to save anybody because they are too involved in what THEY want. OR even pull over on the side of the road to help someone with something as small as a flat tire!! Heck, I know some cops and military service members, that REFUSE to take their badges and/Military ID with them, or stand up for certain things, because if they did bring them, and someone found out they didn’t do something, they are afraid of being SUED. Heck, even I am causious, depending on the situation, because I’m in the military. I’m tired of people EXPECTING me to just throw my life away, or help them out because of their nonsense. Just because I have a job that involves protecting people does not mean I have to “go straight to work” to save your dumb arses. I’m here, in the military to protect the Americian PEOPLE. People. Plural. Not your irresponsible butt. These firemen are EMPLOYED by the CITY of SOUTH FULTON. NOT Obion County. So as I said before.. Their house got all nice and toasty because one again someone either “forgot” or “didn’t want to pay” or “couldn’t afford”? Well then next time I hope they remember to PAY THEIR FINANCAL OBLIGATIONS! That or buy a wrench and a hose so they can do it themselves next time. Don’t buy a car, and forget to pay for it or the insurance. And most assuredly don’t by a HOUSE and forget to pay for it and all the services you want for it. I can’t help but feel this all ties into the selfish, pig-headedness that has overtaken the American people. This world doesn’t owe us anything. The person next to you doesn’t OWE you anything. If you make a dumb decision, its YOUR FAULT when something bad happens. Forgetfulness is not a valid reason. It’s an EXCUSE. Grow the heck up people, and stop passing the buck.

And with that.. I’m done ranting.. But first I gotta call Mayor Crocker and CONGRATULATE him on his decision in this matter. I would have done the same. Twice.

You are an idiot plain and simple. Someone needs to punch you in the face “fightlikeagirl” come on down to Nashville and I will only be more than happy to! David Crocker, Jeff Vowell, David Wilds and most of all… thise chicken $%@! scum bag firemen are to blame – every single one of them. They ALL should be brought up on criminal charges of Animal Cruelty and much much more. I don’t care about my belongings they are replaceable but my animals are NOT, if it were me all of those men would have to go into protective custody, if my animals were killed.

Being a hero shouldn’t be an obligation lady. But something you want to do. They didn’t sign up to be Obion County Firefighters. They signed up as South Fulton firefighters. The fact that they even had a program available to support a MUCH larger county is, in and of itself, above and beyond the call of duty. Don’t pay your bills and see what happens to you. Same thing happened here.. Just alot quicker, and with alot more heat.

You know what you are correct – so the next time the Fire Department calls my house looking for a donation to help the families of the fallen (for which I have donated to for years) I will just say sorry not my problem that they chose to be a fireman, why should I help?? Maybe you should read the fireman’s oath again! I have an uncle who is a fireman and he said that this situation is deplorable, even the FFA is denouncing the whole thing.

THIS is TRULY disturbing! I wonder if it were the sister or mother of one of those on the Fire Department if they STILL would of just sat by & watched this families home burn to the ground!
Don’t these people have ANY sense of Moral responsibility?
Here is a copy of the Firemans Oath:

“My duty is to protect those that I serve from whatever danger they may face; whether it be fire, demon, or angel; no matter the danger, I will protect the people to the best of my ability. I am but a servitor of the people; my duty is to those who I serve, and to no one else. I serve The People, without fear, without remorse, without fail. My Duty is to The People. By my Fireman’s Oath, I am bound to protect those who are in danger, those in times of need, those who I would serve.

Upon my Honor as a Firefighter, this is my Cree”

When they say “those that I serve” … They DO NOT mean “Only Those who pay their bill”!
As Fire Fighters you have a responsibility to the ENTIRE community! I for one am totally in shock & disgust that we as Americans have let our Pride & concern for our own fellow Americans sink to such a low.
This lack of respect for each other & complacency on even the most horrific of events has become a National disease it seems. People just don’t give a dam about each other anymore. America has lost its pride. And THAT is a slap in the face to every soldier that ever fought & died for this country! You people owe this family their life back! You should all be ashamed of what you did to these poor people!

Shame on you for expecting handouts. It’s mentalities just like yours, that allow our National Debt to BALLOON at rediculous rates. Don’t pay = Don’t recieve

Your right. The 9/11 firefighters didn’t look for a bill. BECAUSE the CITY pays for their service 24/7/365. Next time try to make a post that is relevant and not part of the Politically Correct Mob Mentality. If the city of New York DIDN”T pay them (IE no equipment, no paychecks, etc) then i would EXPECT for them to not have shown up. NO ONE should ever EXPECT someone to THROW their lives away. And sorry.. I wouldn’t THROW my life away for someone who can’t even uphold a 75 dollar obligation that helps ME have better gear and protection from the same fire I’m trying to save their arse from. So seriously. Stop talking. Stop expecting handouts.

And I think your a lemming for expecting handouts, and a vile, slimy, self absorbed, and pitiful excuse for someone that calls themselves an american… So what? Stop expecting handouts and driving debt out the roof, slimy,

Negative buddy. It’s all about jurisdiction. South Fulton does not have a legal obligation to support Obion County if they don’t pay. Just like California doesn’t have to Support Arizona. Pull your head outta your arse before you start blabbing about things your pretending to know about.

Exactly. What goes around comes around. It’s called Karma right? Don’t pay your bills(bad), and then your house burns up(bad). See? Karma at work. Now.. if they had been RESPONSIBLE freakin adults…this wouldn’t have happened at all. This is exactly why people need to stop passing the buck around. STOP BLAMING OTHERS FOR WHAT YOU YOURSELF ARE AT FAULT FOR. 75 dollars cost this man and his family alot. Guess he shouldn’t have gambled.

Bravo. First person on this thread with a solid head on their shoulders. The equipment isn’t free, and MY life(if I was one of those firefighters) isn’t free either. Pay your obligations and I’ll help. I’m not going to risk my EVERYTHING, for your paying NOTHING.

Send a bill later? Kinda like what they did originally, and that family didn’t pay? Yeah.. cuz the second bill is gonna get paid THIS time? >.> Cowardly? Hardly. But not paying your bills and crying about the result is IMMATURE. Pathetic? Pathetic is putting your life on the line for people that don’t deserve the effort. Don’t pay your car bill? You don’t deserve the car. Don’t pay your morgage.. You don’t deserve the house. Don’t pay your “Protect me from Fire” bill… you don’t deserve the water.

And I’m asking for a handout HOW? They could have put out the fire and then fined the Cranicks … no one who’s posting would have a problem with that. BTW, we capitalize “American” here in America … and don’t you ever question my patriotism, you moronic, uneducated, un-Christian a**hole. Get some compassion … you may need the help of your neighbors one of these days. You’ll be going to a “nice and toasty” place when you die for SURE!

So your asking that those firefighters jump into a fire for people that for all intents and purposes don’t care about them UNTIL they needed them? Sounds like the selfishness started with them. Their lack of planning, and upholding of THEIR obligations does NOT constitute a problem for other people. Don’t pay your bills or uphold your obligations… you get what you deserve. Lord knows if I was a firefighter.. I wouldn’t potentially sacrifice MY life for someone that wouldn’t do the same.. And considering they couldn’t even pay a measely 75 dollars… I’m betting they wouldn’t.

And charging a bill later isn’t the point. They were billed at the start/end of the year earlier for the “annual service” THEY DIDN’T pay then. Why would I expect them to honor the bill now?! Stop being a tool.

And your whining hurts my eyes. Stop crying. Don’t pay your bill = you don’t deserve the service. Debt is a bad thing. We aren’t going to get out of debt(as a country) if people have YOUR mentality.

Morals like PAYING YOUR OBLIGATIONS? Absolutely! Lets vote in someone that acts like an adult and upholds THEIR responsiblities! INSTEAD of someone who pawns them off on others! Or who yells at someone for the same…like..like…

You. Grow up little girl. Services don’t come free and those firefighters risking someone who isn’t acting like “part of the team”(by paying a tiny tiny 75 dollar annual fee) does NOT deserve to drink the teams gatorade.

Pay your bill. Get some water. Simple as that.

So with that mentality I should be able to not pay my car insurance bill until after I get in a wreck right? Your opinions are really beginning to make my head hurt Donna. Are you 10? 15 years old at most right? Because your certainly acting like brat. Pay your bills and bad shit doesn’t happen. Car bill paid? You have a car. Water bill paid? You have water. Electric bill paid? You have power. Firefighter bill NOT paid? Run and get a bucket.. And a condom. Because your fighting it yourself.. and your F’d.

But what if i’m PROUD of what they stood up for? RESPONSIBLITY! PASS IT ON!

And I hope you pay your bills. And if you don’t, I hope you start before the same happens to you. Stop passing the buck and take responsibility for YOUR actions. They didn’t pay, they don’t get the service. Simple concept. Sounds like the family was trying to save a few bucks to me. Looks like they gambled and lost.. And the animals lost everything. Shame on the Cranicks. Shame shame shame.

Okay.. I called and voiced my approval. Now what?

Good. Pay up or shut up. Right or wrong, that’s how it works in America. If you don’t like the policy, move to another town/city/state that works in YOUR best interest. Whatever that happens to be.

I didn’t even mention “Obion County.” Try to concentrate and remember to whom you’re replying. Personally, I pay ALL my bills, but everyone isn’t as lucky as I am. Maybe this guy forgot, maybe he thought it would never happen to him, or maybe you’re right, and he’s just a freeloader. The bottom line is that the compassionate, humane, kind, and Christian thing to do would have been to put out the fire and worry about the money later. Your remarks show no compassion at all; as a matter of fact, you sound like a cruel, bitter, vindictive jerk. Talk about Karma … you will get yours. ‘Bye, you hick. I actually have a job to do, so I’m signing off and won’t have the pleasure of hearing from you again.

I’m definitely not with you and your mob mentality. The firefighters didn’t start the fire. They didn’t want the fire any more than anyone else.. However.. The ONE person that had the power to save the house was Mr Cranick himself. He screwed himself by not paying his bills. It’s because of people like you that the US is spiraling into debt faster and faster. Expecting service without paying is beyond immature. Its selfish for putting this burden on future generations. Well, at least this one time, someone got what they deserved. Don’t pay your bills? Your gambling with your life. Economics. Read up on it pal.

I’m glad they shut it down.. I wouldn’t want to listen to your self-righteous blather either.

And PETA actively supports terroristic groups.. Yeah, your a winner in my book. Foot in Mout Cicely53.

And PETA actively supports terroristic groups.. Yeah, your a winner in my book. Foot in Mout Cicely53.

Wow.. the further down your comments I go.. The more insane and illogical you appear. You care about the family, but not the firefighters. You care about the animals, but not those that suffer instead of them. You seem to love handouts and free bee’s… Hold on a sec.. does your daddy still pay for everything for you? If so.. It all makes sense. That, or your just an idiot.

And what happens when they don’t pay? It’s not always such an easy solution.. but that is a better step than name calling.. (like cicely53 to be specific)

They didn’t DO any harm little girl. They didn’t DO anything! Pay your fucking bills and shit like this doesn’t happen to you! And stop bringing your damn god into everything you self righteous twit. And stop saying other people ruined our country. I think it’s people like YOU that our ruining our country. Ever heard the saying “freedom isn’t free”? Well putting out a darn fire isn’t either! YOU DON”T DESERVE THE SERVICE IF YOU CAN”T AFFORD IT! Owning a home is a choice, just like their choice to GAMBLE their home by NOT PAYING THEIR bills. They lost. Hopefully someone doing the same will learn from this, and start being responsible. maybe then this country will get out of debt.

AND also… are you fucking crazy? Socialism is COMMUNISM you fucking moron. I was trying, ever so hard to keep my language clean on this site.. but you, bitch, don’t deserve the effort.

This is not about paying bills, this is about doing the right thing, get a grip creep!

Sent from my iPad

You are an idiot plain and simple. I would do more than punch you in the face. Come to San Diego, and I’ll introduce you, face to face, with the curb. And I guess I would be happy to. Everything Fightlikeagirl said is spot on. They gambled by not paying their bills. Don’t pay for your car, you don’t deserve the car. DON’T PAY YOUR FIRE BILL? Well, watch your home become an ash tray. It’s not the responsiblity of the Fire Department to FOOT THE BILL. Stop being such a tool. Passing the buck, and handing off responsiblity to whoever you want.

Plain and simple.. IF THE CRANICKS paid their BILLS, they would have a home… RIGHT NOW! End of story. Now go earn yourself a Darwin Award tbopbna… PLEASE!

ARE YOU NUTS? We all SHOULD be responsible citizens, etc. And when you aren’t, you DESERVE the consequences. And no.. based on jurisdiction and the agreement they had with Obion County.. It’s not. Read up on it instead of ACTING like your informed.

http://troy.troytn.com/Obion%20County%20Fire%20Department%20Presentation%20Presented%20to%20the%20County%20Commission.pdf

Obion County itself says in there everything it needs to DAMN ITSELF. The Cranicks moved into a house that had a SUBSCRIPTION based fire protection plan. THEY OPTED OUT BY NOT PAYING. Stop being such a tool and expecting crap for free. But if you actually read up on the subject.. Well, maybe I’d expect more from your droning..

How about this moral YOU stupid bitch. Stop bringing your god into this.

http://troy.troytn.com/Obion%20County%20Fire%20Department%20Presentation%20Presented%20to%20the%20County%20Commission.pdf

Read up and then talk. I’m tired of commenting to your ignorance. Although, on a seperate note… I’m beginning to think you burning up in that building would have been better than the four pets burning. Yeah. Definitely.

Maybe that should be the law… But it isn’t, and the COUNTY knew that and advertised that. EXPECTING a free handout is NOT okay.. And thats exactly what these people wanted. And now they don’t have a house. Cry me a River. Next time they buy a house, they will get fire protection huh? I bet they will ;P

And what if dragons existed and breathed ice instead of fire.. then they could have put it out themselves!

Shut the fuck up with your what ifs. The facts are the facts. The family didn’t pay for the fire subscription… AND YOU DON’T and SHOULDN’T get what you didn’t pay for. Its as simple as that. And who fucking cares if its a hardship for you to pay anything extra. If you can’t afford it… YOU don’t deserve it. Stop expecting people to bend over and give you what you want. Selfish bitch. And before you come at me with that question.. I lived in a house with SIX brothers, my mom, my step dad, my aunt and uncle and her two kids and we lived on 1 paycheck. The only person working was my step dad.. So stop acting like your life is so fucking touch, you self righteous bitch. They made their choice.. and now they gotta live with it. They knew not paying had a risk. They gambled.. they lost. I hope they enjoy their new house sized ash tray.

The animals however.. I feel bad that their owners were dead beats.. I would have given them a much better home. OH! AND ON THAT NOTE!!!

MAYBE THEY SHOULD HAVE PAID THEIR FUCKING BILLS INSTEAD OF HAVING AND PAYING FOR FOUR DAMN ANIMALS. Seriously! Grow the fuck up people. Stop being tools.

Your such a tool.

And when I think you couldn’t say anything worse…

Cicely53..

Either your dad should have pulled out, done anal instead…

Or…

Your mother, obviously, should have swallowed.

Yeah, your mother should have swallowed. Your an idiot.

You can’t sue for “decency” thank god. If so, I’d like to sue you for being such a tool. They didn’t pay for the subscription, so they didn’t get the service. End of story. Stop expecting handouts.

A poor attempt at making a point. They didn’t pay for the service. End of story. What part of THAT don’t YOU understand?

No car payment? No car.
No phone payment? No phone.
No cable payment? No cable TV.

NO FIRE PAYMENT? Put the damn fire out yourself with a bucket.

Also, the oath they take does not ANYWHERE say to risk themselves pointlessly. Because of people like the Cranicks.. the fire fighters don’t have as much money for training, and gear. Because of them.. fighting that fire is more risky. Screw that if I’m gonna risk MY life fighting a FIRE when the OWNER isn’t helping to make sure I can do it as safely as possible!

Doesn’t your Christian God and values and principles tell you to not judge other people? Step in front of a bus Cicely53. Your not worth the space your taking up.

And why don’t you go run naked backwards through a corn field ;D You, have less class than anyone I’ve seen on this thread so far. And whats worse than that… You don’t even realize it :/ So very very sad..

And they closed themselves to a lawsuit because The Cranicks KNEW the fire services their house would be serviced by were SUBSCRIPTION based, and would possibly receive NOTHING if they didn’t pay!

The Cranicks gambled. And lost. And Cicely53 is pagan. And on Neighborhood Watchdog. ;P

You have, obviously, no clue about what your talking about. Shut up now before you look worse kiddo.

Nice and Toasty,
What is the homeowners family were trapped inside and he was calling for help? Do you still think the fire department shouldn’t respond?

Nice and Toasty,
What is the homeowners family were trapped inside and he was calling for help? Do you still think the fire department shouldn’t respond?

Yes.. and if you brought your pathetic ass out to CA, I’d show you a room full of gasoline, fireworks, and lit cigarettes.

And what makes you think the fire fighters can’t sleep at night? Because of this.. they are probably getting even more of the people that weren’t paying to pay the fee, and ass such.. they will have better equipment and be less at risk when they are doing their job. If I was them.. I’d be sleeping like a baby

And a civil service that IS NOT PAID OR SUBSCRIBED TO.. IS ONE YOU CAN NOT and SHOULD NOT GET.

You lady, are what is wrong with american. Just another bitch looking for more and more handouts.

Maybe… but the worst of South Fulton is obviously better than you.. so you really have no room to complain ;P And you can sue over ANYTHING now a days.. Like Bull could probably sue you for online harrassment ;P

Here’s to hoping he does

Its a service that WASN”T paid for, so actually, isn’t just like insurance. South Fulton and Obion had a contract of sorts.. residents in a certain part of Obion would receive their fire departments service IF AND ONLY IF THEY PAID FOR IT ANNUALLY, at an extremely reasonable 75 dollars a year. They didn’t pay for it.. So they didn’t receive. Yup.. sounds just like insurance to me.

HUMAN LIFE FIRST. Property, if paid for, later. Sorry… Gotta disagree with you there again sister.

And I personally say YOUR not wanted.. So you get the hell out

But they did not pay the “PLEASE SAVE MY HOUSE FROM THE OUCHY FIRE” subscription… So they got EXACTLY what they paid for. BTW, Shoot yourself. Twice.

Again another stupid post from Cicely53. I was never surprised. Because he/she.. is a rambling idiot. The CRANICKs knew what they were signing up for when they bought the place. They decided fuck it… THEY GAMBLED, and LOST. And if they get a new house.. I hope they send you the bill. The less money your dumb ass has the better!

God has nothing to do with this pal. No subscription, no service. Stop asking for handouts.

No, I don’t think thats what is being said here kiddo. The South Fulton Fire Department isn’t responsibile for obion County. Responsiblity goes down. Not up. Just like California isn’t responsible for Arizona. Now stop whining.

Not everything can be undone. Thats called life nublet.

what I don’t get is who paid for the fire truck to be there if they didn’t put out the house. Was it the persons fence that they sprayed with water? Also what people don’t get is I pay my $75 and it still doesn’t mean they will come !!!!! They run to another town to help put out a fire– did they pay the $ 75? They go out on the 4 lane out of the city limits to put out a car–did they pay the $75??? They even go across the state line to help the town next door—did they pay $75??? Of course not. That is really what our town is complaining about. Did Jesus pass us by because we didn’t pay out tithe this week??????? I recieve city water and pay city taxes on that water and I still have to pay $ 75 and they still may not come to my house. I own 7 properties in the city limits and pay all my taxes on them and I still have to pay $ 75. If they are helping another town that didn’t pay their $ 75 they won’t be coming to my house. So it is not about the $75. This family is part of our community and does have a South Fulton address and had to watch his house burn to the ground. Neighbors were willing to pay what ever to have the fire put out. And nothing was done. IF someone came to my business and was starving do you really think I would worry about the money. And for our Mayor to compare a car to a mans house. That is the most stupid thing. That is what is wrong with our town. It is always about money. We should be a community, not a town of greed. When you reach to help from the heart and not the back pocket things will come back to you 3 times more. HELLO TOWN !!!!!!!!!!!

Man are you nuts? What does $75.00 have to do with the billions of
$$$$$$$$$$$ Obama has wasted with his stimulus? Yeah this country is going to crap
and it’s people like those firefighters than are contributing. As a
firefighter you are sworn to protect and serve.That’s the American Way. I’m sure
they’d have gotten their $75.00 had they performed their duties. To equate
this incident with our national economy and the clowns in the White House
is apples and oranges. You comment reveals a complete lack of education as
well as compassion.

a message dated 10/6/2010 4:35:16 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:

NiceAndToasty wrote, in response to auctionhere:

And your whining hurts my eyes. Stop crying. Don’t pay your bill = you
don’t deserve the service. Debt is a bad thing. We aren’t going to get out of
debt(as a country) if people have YOUR mentality.

Link to comment: http://disq.us/o9hiu

Ha ha my friend but I guarantee you I wouldn’t be the one meeting the curb! I’m not saying he was right or wrong by not paying the bill – yes he sould have as he has years before that – he forgot I guess – we all do that sometimes. What I am saying to all you heartless non-animal lovers is that belongings are replaceable, animals are not! They shouldn’t have had to suffer a terrible death at the cost of 75.00 f’n dollars!! Try to have some compassion for the poor dead animals. The fire chickens SHOULD have put out the fire and then double billed him or something. May you not have to suffer the loss of your pet (doubt that you have any as cruel and inhumane as you are). You wouldn’t be saying all you vile spew if the table were turned!

Fire service isn’t free. I don’t disagree at all with what the firemen did. There’s no “forgetting” to pay a fee. It’s just like insurance or the water bill, if you don’t pay for it you don’t get it. If it’s really that big of a deal maybe they should get their own volunteer fire department.

I can’t think of a more horrific way to die than to be trapped in a fire. My animals are part of my family and this makes me so furious that anyone (s) would let innocent creatures perish in such a horrific way. This is a pretty sad commentary over an annual $75 fee. I’ll bet we could have passed the hat for that. This is all I need to know about the South Fulton fire dept.

NiceandToasty, I extend my sympathies on your never having outgrown the foulmouthed, prepubescent period of your life. I can respect your perspective on this issue, but I cannot condone the way you are subjecting everyone to your foul language and vile attacks. I hope that someday, you, like fightlikeagirl, are able to overcome what must have been a violent history to have produced so bitter and jaded a human being. I do hope you reserve your verbal attacks and threats of physical violence for strangers on message boards, as opposed to those who must be around you in the real world, each day. I hope you discover/rediscover your humanity, one day. If that makes me sound self-righteous, so be it. I’d rather sound self-righteous than like, well, you.
I have flagged your posts. I bid you a good evening.

I think it’s pretty sick and sad that there’s even any debate involved in this greedy, spiteful operation. I say spiteful, because Mr. Cranick offered to pay the costs of their services (which would have been much, much more than $75) and their answer basically amounted to “too bad, shoulda thunka that ‘fore you didn’t pay our money!” At that point, it ceased to be an issue of funding and became a matter of punishing a citizen for not ponying up with the extortion fee.

What makes me even sicker than this story are the smug words of support for this policy, some even going as far as trying to kick this family while they’re down. This obviously comes from someone who isn’t charged a “premium” for basic human decency and who has never had to make the awful decision between a POSSIBLE fire and DEFINITE hunger. I believe that in very few cases is the “failure” to pay a matter of someone having the money and preferring to spend it on “cigarettes and Jack Daniels.” In most cases, it either means that the family couldn’t afford $75 in one swoop (something tells me they won’t take payments) or they just FORGOT, as every person is capable of doing sometimes. Does anyone here TRULY believe that poverty or a slippery memory renders someone deserving of the anguish that comes from watching firefighters practically roasting marshmallows over their burning home? Be careful what that smug, arm-folded part of your brain retorts to this – karma might just hear you and show you how awful that really is! Nobody who supports this policy can call themselves a Christian without hypocrisy because the “Golden Rule” of that faith is to treat other people the way you would want them to treat you. Anyone who says they would stand in their yard and watch their livelihood burn without BEGGING the firefighters present to put out the blaze is just LYING!

It also sickens me to hear people speak out in support of those mercenaries in fire-proof gear who dared to call themselves firefighters. Every one of those creatures who stood by and watched a person’s home burn to the ground over a measly $75 (or any sum of money) should never be allowed to touch a fire hose again. I’m not a public servant – never have been – but I would have done ANYTHING I safely could have to save that man’s home and belongings. Why, if there’s no money changing hands? BECAUSE IT’S THE DECENT THING TO DO!!! I thought Tennessee was the “Volunteer State.” There are some things that go beyond “cash services” and FIGHTING FIRE is one of them. I suppose next it’ll be OK to send children home with untreated pneumonia and unset broken bones, ’cause well… their parents should have PAID for insurance. I guess compassion will soon be auctioned off to the highest bidder!

Well said skynrdpikr, been a firefighter in West Arkansas for 7 years and there are no fire depts. around here that would do that in Arkansas or Oklahoma. Seen alot of really bad fires and never thought about if they had paid there dues or not. Our policy is if someone does not have there dues paid we can collect $500 per truck and $25 per hour per firefighter. An insurance company will pay that which is alot more than dues anyway but that is not the point. We enter the service with the mindset of Service to Others, it has never been an option to put the fire out or not-we just do. Its a shame that they lost there home, but they should have paid there dues. It still never should been an option to just let it burn down though. Its a discrace

Interesting. Keep your sympathies, please. The only person here that I have used any sort of “obsenities” against here is those who have used them first. But of course… actually reading down to this part of the page would have revealed that. But as I see.. Some people decide to think with something other than what I call a brain. I’ll call it the gall bladder for now.

Violent History? Nice. Oh yes sir! I was beaten everyday by everyone! Even the family dog had a wipe for me! Boo hoo.. Yeah. That’s about all I’m willing to do to entertain your flight of fancy. You know nothing about me, nor apparently anything about which I’m talking about.. so honestly here.. you just wasted your breath. And don’t worry about flagging my posts.. I’ll go through this whole entire thread and flag anything. Maybe it wasn’t right to say a physical threat, but I did not start it, but I will certainly end it. Perhaps my parents taught me better than most that when people too full of their own ideals are thumping on your head(ever so loudly), and preaching whatever non-sense they will, as if to use something as infantile as peer pressure, and an invisible sky wizard to get people to be silent and do what they want. That is “prepubescent”. That is “vile”. That is asinine. But as I said before.. See whatever facts you want. I’ll stand up for what I believe in, and if I see someone else using such tactics to get what they want.. I’ll RE-direct the same against them to make quite sure they know how it feels. I’m not now, nor ever have I been a violent person.. Or at least.. not understandably violent.. My mother taught me quite well.. “Don’t hit first, ever. But you had better hit last.” I’m violent to those who deserve it. I will protect those worthy of my protect and when this was said:

“You are an idiot plain and simple. Someone needs to punch you in the face “fightlikeagirl” come on down to Nashville and I will only be more than happy to!”

They used violence as a method of attack, so I directed back at them. It never needed to go that far, ever.. But then again, violence itself doesn’t NEED to exist. But it is, sadly, a tool I will use, when others use it first, and I will use it worse, and quicker, than anyone else to end a violent confrontation.

But as for rediscovering my humanity? If rediscovering my “humanity” means becoming the foul mouthed, bitter, self righteous, bible thumping people that I see on this board, condemning those fire fighters for doing what they did… Well then my humanity can take a hike. I have no interest in the Politically Correct Mob Mentality some of you people are so willing to condone, or be part of.

I will quote a friend of mine here:
“It’s not that I’m different.. It’s that all you people are all the same.”

And with that, I’ma go flag everything on this thread(pointless, as it doesn’t change OR silence me and the value of my opinion. My words have already been heard. I win. ;D) and go about having my good evening.

But seriously, I don’t think you said anything judgmental until now.. So please.. stop. I actually value what you’ve said in this board up to this point.. Please don’t make me change my mind about you.

They should have planned this in their budget before building. As one person said, they could have put out the fire and then billed the family for the money. Then if they did not pay they could have taken action against them. But to let someone’s house just burn to the grown is awful and there is no excuse for it. My son is a volunteer firefighter and there is no way he would have just stood by and watched. There are other ways to raise funds if you need them. If they had reached out to the community they would have found most folks will go out of their way to support their fire and police depts. Lets see how much help they get now

Yes it was the mayor and commissioners but the fire chief should have stood up and said we have an obligation to serve and protect at all cost. We can’t just sit back and watch someone’s house burn or lives lost even if it is animals. That is a horrible death.

Easy to say from behind the a computer screen. You have no idea what I know, and what lengths I’m willing to go to, if such a meeting were to occur. As a very well trained part of the military… Statistically speaking.. I’m pretty sure I know how to handle myself, and am more capable in a physical encounter than you. But then again, maybe your some UCF or martial arts guru master man. And in that case.. Still.. You better know something.. And hope you really do know more than me.. Or the trip home for you would be a little uncomfortable ;P

But on a serious note.. I’m not a heartless non-animal lover. I’m very much distraught over what occured to the animals. It sucks. Really. It didn’t need to come to that, but the fact is they didn’t pay, and it’s tragic that the city of south fulton came to the decision they did. I wouldn’t have flamed them if they HAD saved the home and the pets.. But I’m also not going to condemn them to hell because of what they did. Firefighters are there to save people and property for which they are paid to protect, or in the case of volunteer fire fighters, that they are trained to protect. But just because someone has the ability to do something doesn’t mean they have to. It’s more complicated than that. I’ve posted on this thread, somewhere, a link to a pdf from Obion county that outlines the SEVERE problem going on in how in this subject in general. A Staggering amount of people aren’t paying for the service. And I can’t actually sit here and believe that such a large percentage of people are ALL forgetting to pay the bill. Its not coinencedence at that large of a percentage. It’s people just not paying something they do not “have” to pay.. Which as I said, the pdf from Obion, goes over. They also go over how the subscription based fire department services DO NOT have a legal way to actually STICK someone the bill. You can not be billed, or forced to pay for a service that you did not ask for or want, which is what is happening. However in this case, the people who didn’t pay for it, tragically, wanted and needed it once their property heated up. Do I think there was other alternatives to this outcome? Sure. Never said there wasn’t.. But what I’m not saying, and will not say, is that they HAD to. They weren’t paid, plain and simple.. And while the politically correct mob might, and probably will, get an apology from the FD for the choice they made.. Here I stand, at least one voice, unafraid, to say that what they did was not wrong.

But one choice, I do see, is the Fire Department could have said:
Well, as it stands we will not fight the fire, but we will bring a legally binding contract with us we will need you to sign upon our arrival, which will state that you are going to be paying for the 75 dollar subscription AND in addition to that, pay a fine for us having to come out and fight this fire, before we were obligated to.”

That, in my eyes, could have helped the Fire Department have a legal leg to stand on to get the money they bloody well deserve for fighting any fires. Just because someone has the ability to fight something, or do something, does not mean they should now HAVE to everytime the situation presents itself. And especially in situations that endanger themselves. Endangering oneself is something that should ALWAYS be a choice. Not a requirement. And as it stands, those fire fighters signed on to: protect South Fulton AND Obion County IF and ONLY IF they pay for the services on an annual basis, for which the fee is a measely 75 dollars.

Was the path they took the BEST route? No. But it certainly wasn’t illegal, and I’m not going to condemn them for it. No. Instead, I applaud them. Sometimes the right choice, is the hard choice. And I think they made it. And to them I say,”Bravo!”

Also, I’ve lost pets before.. one in particular was put down by the animal shelter because as a child, I couldn’t seem to keep the door closed, and/or close it fast enough for the animal to be KEPT inside. They wanted 125 dollars to pay for catching my cat, and me and my parents couldn’t afford it anymore. The lady could have just handed me my cat! But it would have happened again and again and again. It was painful. It was horribly tragic. I cried for the longest time over it. But as an adult, instead of focusing on the pain and suffering I felt, I choose to focus on the value, and companionship my pet brought me. I was truly blessed to have him as long as I did.. And I won’t forget that. And the same when one of our family dogs died because he was old and left outside on a day that turned out to be FAR too hot for a dog that old. Once again tragic. I miss that dog to this day. But I don’t cry foul for the time I lost, but cry in happiness at the time I had.

So yes, I would, and still do, say all the things I do right now, WITH the tables turned. Except in the case of a burning building.. But I’d handle that the same exact way I did my other pets. And I loved them dearly, my friend.

Yes Mr Lentz it is. My son is a volunteer firefighter and would not even consider not putting out a fire if he came upon it no matter what he was told. They have a moral obligation to do the job they are trained for. The dept my son works for is all volunteer so they risk their lives everyday and don’t expect anything for doing the job. They have fund raisers and the community is more than happy to support them. There are many ways a dept can raise funds for their department and not depend on just one fee a year from the community. If you deny just one person service in an emergency then you don’t deserve to have a position with that dept. The chief should have stood behind his men and refused to buckle under to a mayor and told them it was their duty as firefighters to protect the citizens at all cost.

As a former firefighter I am appalled that the “no pay, no spray” policy still exists in the United States. This was a common practice in early America when cities and counties had to cough up their own funds to buy equipment, train members and build fire houses, but for the most part subscription was abandoned, mainly because of public safety and for it to exist today is a sorry and shameful situation.

Now days fire companies, epically rural ones, have the benefit of Federal and state programs that provide money, equipment and training for departments. No rural fire department has to provide all the funds for fire suppression because the taxpayers, including that family who lost their residence because of this fiasco, have already paid into the system.

There is always great confusion at fires so how did the dispatcher (who obviously took the time to consult either a computer or paper chart listing, on who did or did not have the required fee paid, before denying service) know that there were no lives in danger? You can not trust what panicked people at the scene might say. They may think everyone got out, when in fact someone is inside, or that someone returned to try to save an object or pet.

Would this fire company have responded if lives were in danger? Would someone have lost their life in the fire because of delays of checking on subscription payment?

What if the property were abandoned and no fee paid, but a person, or persons had taken shelter there and were inside? Sorry folks, you die unless we get our 75 bucks ahead of the need to be called out.

Thank the powers to be that my own fire department always responded first and attacked the fire without worrying about subscriptions. That I figure was due to the fact that we were volunteers and we could care less about political squabbles over who was paying for what.

If our town coffers had run out of money for fuel, you could bet that we all would pull out enough cash to fill up the trucks and later appeal to the folks in our town and borough/county to donate so we could keep going. The neat part is that they would respond in mass to see that we would have the means to keep going for the safety of everyone in our coverage area, regardless if others had contributed or not. We knew the value of life and the danger of fire.

Some day, a person or persons will die in a fire when lack of a subscription meant lack of response and even worse, the fire that is not responded to will take off out of control and destroy a great deal more than that one residence, in which case it will cost a great deal more to fight then it would have with a quick initial response.

I am all for the city of South Fulton losing all Federal and State funding for fire services until and unless they provide fire protection to all without extorting extra money from residents in the areas they say they have chosen to service.

Firefighter promise

Courage to face and conquer fear
Strength of heart do my best
Courage to endure for those in need
To respond whenever the call is sounded
To serve unceasingly and unselfishly

And most of all, I shall fear not death
And if it comes to that, I can only hope
That I can honestly say I had done my level best (c. 2001)

It is clear that you have no clue as to what a firefighters job or obligations are so until you do, don’t even put yourself in the same class with them. You would never make a firefighter or anything else with the attitude you have. I hope the day never comes that you need these services and don’t have the money. If it happened to you, you would be the first one to howl to hog heaven and demand justice

Wrong again! That’s what people don’t seem to understand! That’s exactly what’s going on right now! A LOT of people, a RIDICULOUS number of people AREN’T paying! And that number adds up! Quickly! And that is what adds up to the BILLIONS that are being spent on Obamacare. BILLIONS are being wasted annually because their are FAR FAR FAR too many that aren’t paying for something they should, and are abusing the system! And firefighters being sworn to protect and serve has nothing to do with the American Way. I’m sure firefighters in England aren’t protecting and serving the people they are PAID to serve are doing their job because it’s the American Way too eh?

I posted a link, to a pdf, from the County of Obion, going OVER how the County of Obion WASN’T, largely, paying for the services! And at the unbelievably large percentage of it, and and at the crisis level the pdf points out.. I have to believe that the people of Obion aren’t paying for a reason beyond just forgetting. Perhaps they just figured they shouldn’t be getting a bill, and that their property tax should cover it. Perhaps they didn’t know. Perhaps they are gambling on whether they will need the services.

The simple fact is that a bill was sent, they did not pay. No one here has the right to complain and cry foul, when the firefighters weren’t being paid for the services they COULD have rendered.

You are so right Jeff. Fight like a girl but have a brain the size of a pea. Did we really have to hear her brag about what she has? It has nothing to do with the subject. She may have two elevators, but the one she has does not go all the way to the top and it sounds like she is a few french fries short of a happy meal.

My son is a firefighter in Texas and I would not put him in the same class as you. It is not about the pets so much as the fact that the family lost their home. If this how you feel then you don’t deserve to carry the title of a Firefighter. I pray you are not from the same part of Texas as I am for I would not want to think I had to depend on you in case of an emergency.

My son is a firefighter in Texas and I would not put him in the same class as you. It is not about the pets so much as the fact that the family lost their home. If this how you feel then you don’t deserve to carry the title of a Firefighter. I pray you are not from the same part of Texas as I am for I would not want to think I had to depend on you in case of an emergency.

Firefighters do not throw their lives away, the go willingly into the fray to do the best possible job to save lives and protect property. Sometimes, the situation arises that they may die doing it, but that is the risk they accept because they chose to serve. Training and equipment helps to prevent this loss, but never the less, all firefighters knows there always is that chance that any incident may be their last. They accept it and go on serving.

It is bad enough if someone dies in a fire when firefighters have fought hard to prevent it, but if a death were to happen because they fail to act due to an unpaid subscription, then those firefighters would have to be cold hearted SOBs to not be affected.

Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of firefighters in this country would never have allowed this type of incident happen on their watch.

Asking for someone to pay for YOU or for SOMEONE else without compensation is a “handout”. So yes you were asking for one. And please don’t talk about Capitalizing in America.. because captialism is based on being paid for your ideas, actions, and contributions.. The Cranicks didn’t pay, they got a true-blue Capitalistic result: No service for that which wasn’t paid for.

And I can question anything I want about anything here in America. INCLUDING your patriotism YOU moronic, uneducated, pitiful excuse of a human who CALLS themselves a Christian. So why don’t YOU get some compassion for those who ACTUALLY put themselves in harms way, and STOP taking it for GRANTED that they do what they do you selfish prick. The fire service is a HUGE problem in Obion county! The officials of Obion acknowledge that a STAGGERING percentage of people don’t pay for the services they ultimately will want and EXPECT when their house is on fire. Pay for what you want! Plain and simple. Or if they don’t want to pay the bill themselves.. maybe they should have stayed in an apartment complex.. At least then, the apartments WILL pay those NOBLE firefighters for what they do. Plus.. if they didn’t.. at least then they would have something REAL to complain about!

And if I need the help of my neighbors one day, it will be something I warrant for the help I do provide others. I’m active duty military. I SERVE this country(and unfortunately for me, protect pricks like you by proxy) every day. I put on my uniform, and know that I might be called on to lay my life on the line for this country. Not your country. But MY country. So I think I’m a little.. hell, probably a LOT more patriotic than you pal. I put on my uniform and serve proudly.. but do you think I’m gonna lift my hand to any weapon to stop any enemy foreign or domestic, if I’m not being COMPENSATED for my actions? For MY risk? For MY LIFE? Pull your head outta where ever you lost it. I volunteer consistantly for public relations services with the community I serve around with my fellow service members. So I’m pretty sure I got you beat there too. ;D

So if I ever need the help of my neighbors, for what I contribute, and what extra lengths I go to for those around me.. I sure hope they do help.

HOWEVER I won’t sit here and cry like a bratty little undisiplined child if they don’t help me. Help is a choice. Not a requirement. So go back to school and learn something other than your ever so elegant Religious Threats.

It’s people like you that give REAL Christians a bad name. And I hate to burst your bubble.. But as long as I accept Jesus as my savior and all that.. I get to go to heaven, just like you MIGHT. Right? Thats the rule right? So based on that.. Even hitler could be in heaven.. And if he is.. You can have heaven.. I wouldn’t want to be there anyway. So I’ll enjoy my lake-of-fire hot tub and chill with some of the good people down there.

But then again.. I don’t believe in such a barbaric dark ages tool of compliance, such as hell. It was a tool that served a purpose then, when mankind didn’t understand the world, and fear was needed to keep the world in check.

We have advanced alot since then.

Please grow up Cicely53…

I’ll pray for you, and your corrupt soul. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Apparently they have shut the site down Mr Gates. i would imagine they really their goose is cooked or at least I hope so.

This is beyond absurd. The individuals who sign up to become firemen and law enforcement officers are supposed to be the members of society who possess a certain degree of integrity and moral character- they are supposed to be the kind of people who want to help others, who want to save lives, and who want to be recognized for this inherent integrity associated with the position. Obviously this is not the case in South Fulton. It is absolutely inexcusable for uniformed public servants to stand there and watch a family lose their home. Beyond what is or is not excusable, it is downright disgusting that they did their duty to save the neighbor’s home, but THEN stood there and watched the Cranicks’ entire lives burn to the ground. I have never been so offended, so appalled at a solitary event in my entire life. I have never felt so utterly wretched at simply pondering bounds (which apparently do not exist) of the human condition. I mean they obviously had the equipment, the means, and the capability to stop this, and yet they stood and watched- watched as innocent animals died in the most painful way imaginable- they watched as a family lost everything, and they watched as Gene Cranick begged them to stop their watching and save his home. The members of the fire department in South Fulton are nothing more than common thugs; extorting its residents in the same manner as mobster goons demanding “protection money” to keep small shop owners safe from rival criminals. They are thugs, plain and simple. The thought of this tragedy has kept me up at night, but I wonder, I truly wonder will they lose any sleep? I mean, how can they? What kind of conscience, if any, do these people possess? The lives of everyone under their jurisdiction are in jeopardy. No, wait- excuse me, the lives of everyone who did not pay the South Fulton “protection fee” are in jeopardy, but what happens when they demand more? Now they have sent out the message, plain and clear: “Pay up, or else burn.” Somebody tell me, please, what’s to stop them from demanding more? In the aftermath of this debauchery, who in South Fulton would refuse to pay when the price to stay alive is raised? Who determines the price on people’s homes and livelihoods? The price of the lives of animals? I’ll tell you who. Thugs, plain and simple.

I remember quite well to whom I’m replying to, you self righteous bible thumper. I couldn’t forget your idiocracy if i tried ;D Being a fire fighter has nothing to do with being a Christian, so stop trying to tie in things that have no relevance.

But yes, maybe the guy did forget(YOUR FIRST REAL STATEMENT IN THIS WHOLE THREAD!! YAY! MAYBE THERE IS HOPE FOR YOU!!!! )

And if the guy did HONESTLY forget, maybe then the end result of this is a little less like Karma.. and alot more like sheer bad luck. But in this imperfect world.. bad things happen.. that’s why we have insurance. And that’s why Obion County has a deal with South Fulton for a paid subscription based fire protection plan. It’s tragic, for sure(if he HONESTLY forgot to pay) but that happens. Those are the breaks. If I ACCIDENTALLY forget to pay my car insurance… should geico still cover the accident? The answer, plan and simple, is no. No one, EVER, should be REQUIRED to risk their own life without adequate compensation. Which is something that is up to the person risking their life.. Not the bible thumper that you are. But as I’ve tried to say, if this was a regular fire department.. that didn’t NEED to work like a BUSINESS to cover an area that isn’t paying for your service regardless.. well.. maybe someone would have a house.

And then again.. maybe you will grow up and stop your bible thumping and giving good Christians a bad name. I can’t wait til God shakes his head in shame for how you live your life.. THUMPIN away at everything.

And as your the first person to ever call me a hick.. I gotta laugh at that miserable attempt at an insult. Try again please. I love your asinine comments. So please, DO go and do your job.. Leave something as sophisticated as the internet to the big boys ;D And maybe you won’t ever have the “pleasure” of hearing from me again.. but I’ll take comfort in everyone seeing that I got the last word ;D ;D Have a lovely Christian Day, thumper!

I am gonna have to agree with the fire captain below and many others absolutely not all fire chiefs or departmentss are like this even anymore than this one. our job is community service money or not (money is never bad though eh?) and we still get cats from trees and i read a story of a suburb of philadelphia department and they went in and saved 3 or 4 boa constricters we save animals as well…this department’s actions are bogus and as a ff i am ashamed and disgusted.

3, three, 3 dogs and one cat died. Sleep well at night, firemen, as you imagine the fur burning then the flesh and ultimately killing these innocent animals. Aware of pets inside the home, letting a house burn to the ground over $75., makes this country worse than a 3rd world one. No excuse. Karma does happen.

OMG!!! This makes me so mad… Take it from someone who knows the pain you go through and the YEARS it takes to recover from losing your home and belongings to fire…Twice as a kid my family suffered losing everything to fire. Eddington FD showed and did their all both times. The trailer couldn’t be saved, it burned flat in 7 minutes after the oil furnace exploded. They put the second fire out and saved enough that we where able to rebuild. December 1993 Bangor FD fought the fire that destroyed an apartment building I lived in at Maxim court and 3rd street. I lost almost everything, I had a change of clothes at my parents place. 2004 I was luckier, I was able to save almost everything after the apartment building I lived at on South Park Street burned. Heavy smoke damage for certain but most of it could be cleaned up and or fixed.
I am outraged at the actions of these “Firefighters” in Tennesse THIS WAS WRONG!!! The average cost of a residence being 100,000 – 150,000 and they sat there and watched it burn to the ground WITH loss of life to pets?? Because he didn’t pay 75 dollars?? Your firefighters your JOB is to fight fires and protect property and LIVES!!! Let the bloodsuckers from city hall worry about stealing protection money…

To firemanjk … Let me be the 1st to say “Thank-you” for all your years of service. I myself am not on the Fire Department but, I have a great many friends who are … & I think I can safely say that they all feel pretty much the way you do. “You just do”
Not for nothing … that was the way we were all taught as kids growing up. Ifr you see someone in trouble or an emergancy happening … you go go & help them! … You didn’t ask questions. Especially something as assinine as whether or not they paid a lousy $75 Municiple Bill!

I mean … for gods sakes … they could of ran a bake sale for the family after the fire was over & probablly had gotten 10 times that for their efforts!
The Mayor is worried about Money? OK … Who is going to pay the tax’s & or this stupid $75 fee NOW? Did he ever stop to think about THAT? How about the other families in the nieghborhood … What kind of hit is the VALUE of THEIR properties going to take now because of this?

The Ignorance & Callousness of Not just the Mayor who, I guess from what I have read on here, was the one who made the initial decision to tell the Fire Company to “not” put out the fire. But, the whole company … I mean … Didn’t ANYONE on that squad have enough common sense to know that the Mayor made a bad decision & that sometimes you HAVE to question Authority & just go ahead & DO whats right?

If I were a member of that community … I would be calling … no … SCREAMING for the resignation of all involved … NOW! Because anyone who puts finance’s before peoples safty SHOULD NOT be in office! Tthey are a danger to their community if they cannot tell the difference between right & wrong to such a degree as to what happened here. And they are a danger of the worst kind … Because THEY are the ones in charge!

Excuse me? First and foremost… I actually DO know what a firefighters job and/or obligations are. In the US Navy… Guess what? EVERYONE is a firefighter. Because NO ONE but us will save our ship. We are expected to know how to combat and contain any, and all fires. How to save lives, and do it with the best results in any given situation. We also have a “class” of sorts, out of us called the “Flying Squad”… which are the RAPID responders, which are, depending on the platform(or type of ship for you civilians) are EXPECTED to be on the scene, fighting the fire within 30 seconds to a minute and a half TOPS. We run in, wearing almost no protection at all beyond a pair of coveralls, regular boots, and an SCBA. Even these firefighters wear more than I have, and STILL they are undergeared.

So please, shut your mouth before your foot is so far in your mouth that you begin to taste your kneecaps.

And when it comes to ME possibly needing a civilian firefighters help one day.. Believe me.. If I want to own a house in an area where I can’t afford the tiny 75 dollar fee.. I’ll either donate plasma to pay for it, or any other simple method to earn money. And if I don’t have the ability to do that.. I will NOT buy a house, in an area, where the method of payment for said firefighters service is a PAID subscription based program.. Of that you can be sure. Because I do this little thing called living where I can afford to live.

And seriously.. howl to hog heaven and demand justice? Your just like everyone else. “Cookie Cutter People”. Never think outside what people want you to think. Never outside of what your TOLD to think, or are expected to think. Not a lick of difference in most of you people. When your mother said you were different and special.. She lied. Not everybody is of the same breed as you and your mob. And just because some of you will require additional explaination.. that doesn’t mean everyone, FYI. But it DOES mean you and include you noahsnana.

But thank you for your opinion, however pointless, incorrect, funny, and full of self righteousness, it was. I like to laugh in the morning.. Makes a day of military service a little easier, considering the hours I put in protecting scum like you

And for that.. You ARE most certainly welcome kiddo.

But have a good day kiddo.

Excuse me? First and foremost… I actually DO know what a firefighters job and/or obligations are. In the US Navy… Guess what? EVERYONE is a firefighter. Because NO ONE but us will save our ship. We are expected to know how to combat and contain any, and all fires. How to save lives, and do it with the best results in any given situation. We also have a “class” of sorts, out of us called the “Flying Squad”… which are the RAPID responders, which are, depending on the platform(or type of ship for you civilians) are EXPECTED to be on the scene, fighting the fire within 30 seconds to a minute and a half TOPS. We run in, wearing almost no protection at all beyond a pair of coveralls, regular boots, and an SCBA. Even these firefighters wear more than I have, and STILL they are undergeared.

So please, shut your mouth before your foot is so far in your mouth that you begin to taste your kneecaps.

And when it comes to ME possibly needing a civilian firefighters help one day.. Believe me.. If I want to own a house in an area where I can’t afford the tiny 75 dollar fee.. I’ll either donate plasma to pay for it, or any other simple method to earn money. And if I don’t have the ability to do that.. I will NOT buy a house, in an area, where the method of payment for said firefighters service is a PAID subscription based program.. Of that you can be sure. Because I do this little thing called living where I can afford to live.

And seriously.. howl to hog heaven and demand justice? Your just like everyone else. “Cookie Cutter People”. Never think outside what people want you to think. Never outside of what your TOLD to think, or are expected to think. Not a lick of difference in most of you people. When your mother said you were different and special.. She lied. Not everybody is of the same breed as you and your mob. And just because some of you will require additional explaination.. that doesn’t mean everyone, FYI. But it DOES mean you and include you noahsnana.

But thank you for your opinion, however pointless, incorrect, funny, and full of self righteousness, it was. I like to laugh in the morning.. Makes a day of military service a little easier, considering the hours I put in protecting scum like you

And for that.. You ARE most certainly welcome kiddo.

But have a good day kiddo.

in other words, you’re a pissed off kid…(or a mommas boy/girl..don’t know which..)..you should be ashamed at the way you are treating people on this site..there’s no call for that…( & you can say i’m a socialist commie twat or what ever, i’m canadian after all, but it dont mean shit to me) my advise to you is to grow some pupes, & get some actual experience at life then maybe someone might actually care about what you say..i can’t believe that people are actually debating a little kid..all you folks on here seem to be doing is telling each other off..really pathetic…i won’t be back on here to read the fun things you’re call me…mommas boy

Did the fire chief and all his men take an oath of office ? Fact is they violated that oath of office and should look for another occupation of work!
They are paid taxpayers money to serve the taxpayers,so why did they let the home burn down ? They have shamed foremen everywhere .

Yes, they to go WILLINGLY into the frasy to do the heroic job they do. Which by the way, it’s heroic because MOST people would not do that job. Most people would stand on the side, and let a building burn without so much as lifting a finger to help. I’ve seen it before, and I’m pretty sure most of the people posting and reading this thread that HAVE seen a burning building can attest to that. All those people on the sidewalks and at the windows in other buildings.. watching most likely unable to help, but never ASKING if they can.

I volunteered to help when 9/11 helped.. I volunteer whenever I can for any of the California wildfires happen.. And I volunteer for as many disasters as I can. Maybe I’m insane for enjoying doing what I do.. But I’m NEVER required to VOLUNTEER my time, however capable AND trained I am. And in this exact situation.. thats exactly what those firefighters were being asked to do. Their services were not contracted for, and as such, fighting that fire would have amounted to time and services VOLUNTEERED.

And they chose they didn’t want to volunteer. So who are you, or anyone else who has never worn the uniform of a firefighter, nor battled to save something being consumed by a flame so hot it boils the skin under what is being burned on the outside, to judge them for something you yourself have never done? You do not know the hell they face doing what they do. And with that understanding.. I quite freely say..

How dare you.

I have never posted a comment about something that didn’t directly involve me, but this upsets me so much I have to respond, these excuses for firemen let someone home and all their possessions burn to the ground over a lousy $75. They allowed 4 animals to die for what to prove a point if you don’t pay this is what we won’t do?????????? What about the oath they took when they became firefighters, volunteer or otherwise. These people? are as poor excuse for humans as I’ve ever heard of, the entire bunch from the Mayor, city officials, entire fire department should be terminated. Don’t know how any of them can sleep at night.

If your son would risk his life for a pet, he is an idiot and you should get him out of the fire service as quick as you can before he dies doing something he is too stupid to know is foolish. I have been a fire instructor for 15 years. If you knew what you were talking about you’d be on the other side of this debate. Like I have said all along, I don’t think it was a good idea for the FD to place themselves on scene and do nothing, but I don’t have any control over them. The city, whos tax money paid for all that equipment, decides what it will and won’t do. Once they responded, yeah, sure, I think they should have done something and later billed the guy, or better yet the county, for their response. But don’t label them all cowards and worse, the simple fact is those guys (and maybe gals) may lay it on the line every day in town, they may have risked it all more than you or I ever have or will, we don’t know. My main issue with these comments are people who have never been in an interior fire attack talking about it being our job to save pets. The three priorities of firefighting are 1: Life Safety (including our own), 2. Incident stabilzation, 3. Property conservation. All incident action plans follow RECEO, Rescue (no one was inside), Exposures, Confine, Extinguish, and Overahaul. They were following a nationally recognized process. Maybe they didn’t have a water supply to do more than protect exposures? I bet there are a lot of factors that WE DONT KNOW. Educate yourself before you decide who can and can’t carry the title of Firefighter. I’ve pulled out bodies, living and dead. I’ve dug through piles of debris to find the family bible after a total loss. I’ve told a huge, elaborate lie to a 6 year old so she wouldn’t have to know we found the cat in the burned out shell where she used to live and play. I’ve spent countless hours away from my family and children, missed Christmases and other holidays, to help out others as a volunteer and at my career job. There’s nothing we can do about the situation that happened, except be thankful that no one was hurt. Unfortunately, there are national standards to follow that make fire service equipment hugely expensive. Departments all accross the country are trying to find was to survive, either through billing insurance, raising taxes, or fundraisers. The sad fact for the people here is that the system they chose didn’t seem like it was thought out all that well, with some contingency for responding to someone who didn’t prepay. Hopefully all the attention this has generated will keep it from happening again somewhere else, resulting in fatalities.

Does your water company/cable company/ car dealership/any other debt you have alow you to keep your things when you dont pay your bills? The fire company was from another town with ther own rules, You have to pay for there service. Yes its wrong they didnt stop it, but the water company will shut off your water/ repo men will take your car/ and youll be with out cable if you dont pay your dues. They forgot and payed the price for it. Yes dogs and cats died. But with the fire outside at the shead first, why didnt the family grab the animal befor leaving the house. Welcome to a capitalist democrocey. Pay your dues.

Will the mortgage company and insurance company sue the town since it has direct control over the fire department? One might hope so. I would think that both the bank and the insurance company might consider an investigation for arson. The ASPCA might get involved. The man and his family might consider moving to a more civilized area of the country.

Will the mortgage company and insurance company sue the town since it has direct control over the fire department? One might hope so. I would think that both the bank and the insurance company might consider an investigation for arson. The ASPCA might get involved. The man and his family might consider moving to a more civilized area of the country.

I am totally appalled at this story. Who in the hell do the officials and the fire chief think they are? You can no longer send an email to the city offices so I urge the people need to send emails to the attorney general. I also think each and every american should send the Cranick family $1.00 so they can afford to put the city of South Fulton out of business by suing the hell out of the city and fire chief. If they are not there to serve the public, then what are they there for? It makes me ashamed to be an american when something like this goes on.

its my understanding that several of the firemen on hand were angry and shaken at the fact that they were not able to respond. Does anybody believe that the New York Fire Dept. would have done nothing, fee paid or not? I have no question about the fire department in my city. They would have put the damn fire out and asked questions later

OMG!!!!! they lost thousands of dollars, their home/ shelter, family pets, thier whole lives rearranged and destroyed for 75 effing dollars. couldn’t they just get billed after wards..this is complete B.S. Those poor people. Those poor kids. How disgusting can this be..My grandpa just told me that he heard that this lady had an abortion but it didnt work so when she had the baby. That it was instructed to leave the baby to die in a closet all alone to starve to death…my concern is my children are 6, 3, and 3 mo. what is instore for our babies in the future?

you seem like a person with a lot of time on his (or her) hands. so I’ll tell you something for nothing (and without the profanity and raving). When a building is on fire, you put it out. End of story. There is no discussion. I knew this as a child. Tell Glen Beck that too.

Well that’s very mature of you. But considering that DISQUS by default, emails a copy of what is said in reply to all your posts, to your email address. Something I didn’t know about, and am very glad for.. because I get to read the nonsense people like you drone on about. And if you delete it before reading my response.. That’s really not my problem.. Everyone else will get to read my response, and my word will still be heard.. Even if not by you.

And no.. sorry. Hate to burst that bubble, but I haven’t been a kid for, quite likely, much much longer than you I’m afraid. And I’m not referring to something as small as age, which is never an indication of maturity(unfortunately :/) But no.. It very much was called for. The only people I have cursed at, or treated with anything less than respectfully, are those who commented without hate and malice in their tone for this action. Respect is earned my friend. And while I initially give everyone respect, I do not give that courtesy to those that lash out at anyone and everything different from them. Calling their phone number, screaming at the firefighters, is a petty and childish act. Real people with real problems or real suggestions have more need of those phone numbers for their real problems. Real people with real problems need their contact information. If you have a problem, their are more CIVILIZED methods of protest. Such as a publizied statement, a local event coordinator, or even a lawyer, that can take in everything you feel and stand for, and put it together into a structured, coherent statement of opposition, and present it to the City of South Fulton and their Fire Department in a no-violent, and non-harrassing fashion. Here you people are BASHING them for execising their free will. No doubt it was a terribly hard and resoundingly frowned upon discision they made. But plain and simple, it was their decision to make, and not ours.

Now, your absolutely right.. there never a call to “start” vulgar and disrespectful communication, regardless of method used. However.. If you actually read up to where I actually started, and take note of everyone I replied to.. You’d see that I only responded “in kind” to those that chose to walk down that road first. Maybe it wasn’t needed.. But as most of those who I responded to, once again “in kind”, haven’t replied back.. I am unfortunately forced to believe, for the moment, that me using a much bigger “stick” has had the intent I wanted it to have.

1) Either they were stunned into silence. And if they are going to be vulgar without cause, then that’s a very good thing.
2) Their eyes were opened by my statements. Also a good thing.
3) They refused to post because they are appalled by what I said. Also, a good thing considering the filth they were attempting to pour into this thread.
4) Just didn’t care. Well then, good for them. Let those who do discuss this matter.

And why would I think your a commie? Where in the world did that come from? I have no reason(up to this point in your post at least ) to talk to you in any way other than I would a stranger that I meet on the street, in a store, or that enters my place of business. Your comment calling me a kid and/or mommas boy/girl aside. ;P And most certainly being Canadian has nothing to do with it. I’m in the Navy, and I have had the extreme pleasure of having visited Vancouver during my 8 years in the service, and I’ll tell you what.. in my experience, you canadians are some of the most awesome people I’ve met along the way. So please, don’t bring that up.. That only serves to seperate you from the outstanding people I think your people are as a whole. And not in a good way.

Now, as for getting real experiences in my life.. Son(I figure if you can call me a kid.. I can do the same, and justifyably so ;P) I’ve transversed the entire length of the globe. I’ve been in 148+ cities in over 30 different countries, and experienced the people, the culture, and the way and quality of life of the same, in ways you couldn’t even begin to imagine. That is, of course, IF and ONLY if you fall into the statistic of never having left the area you were born and raised in. Over 80 percent of people are born, and die, in the same general area in which they were raised. So, based on that statistic(and correct me if I’m HONESTLY wrong. I do know very well how some people online like to exaggerate what they have done, seen, and experienced online. Lord knows the anonymous nature of the internet helps with that. Unfortunately :/) chances are you haven’t even left that area where you were raised.. so beyond what you see on TV(which is a horribly inaccurate representation of most places I’m afraid).. What would you really know of life experiences? Just about as much as your standard person I’d dare to wager. You’ve seen just one tiny sliver of this world, and as such, fall drastically short of the world I know about. So please, take a step back before making wild accusations of what I do or do not know, and in addition, to what experiences in life I may or may not have had, and in what quantity. I fear I know life far more than you. And I say that with all due respect. No malice or ill will intended.

Now whether or not people are willing to debate me over this is all fine and good. As long as they don’t start throwing out vicious comments like, UN-American, UN-Christian, or whatever else.. I will be wholely and fully content to talk about the issue in a manner that affords this topic the respect it rightly deserves because of the SERIOUS and tragic nature it encompasses.

And with that, I think I’ve fully answered everything you’ve said.. And all I did was call you a kid. How aweful.. I hope your not disappointed with me ;D

I wouldn’t want to lose any sleep over you being upset with me ;P

Have a great day, friend.

Really? What planet do you live on because I want to move there. Public servant implies serving the tax paying public. It’s no different than refusing to pay your auto insurance. You don’t pay, you don’t receive the service. You kill someone while driving, you end up losing everything. It’s people like you that believe the gov’t is there to serve you even when you don’t feel you should have to contribute anything in order to pay for the infustrcture. It is a service that has to be funded by the people. They gambled and lost…tragic as it may be. We don’t want the gov’t to require us to fund police, fire, water, roads and schools… but when you need them they should be there to cover your rear? Don’t think so. And remember 2 Thessalonians 3:10 when Pauls says if you don’t work you don’t eat.

Civil Servant implies serving the tax paying public. Where do you think the money to buy fire trucks, maintain stations, and pay fire fighters comes from? They gambled and lost. If I forget or refuse to pay my life insurance, do you think out of the goodness of their heart they will still pay my family a half million because it’s the decent thing to do? No, you get what you pay for in life (unless the socialist take over).

Well thank you for the straight forward approach to the topic. And I do seriously want to convey my appreication for that. I hate using foul language when I respond to people, however I also hate mowing my lawn and paying my bills.. But when I have to do something, or feel I have to.. Well.. I will do what I feel I must. And to you, I will do no such thing.

However I do want to say, that I do think there is cause for a discussion in this matter. A very serious one that, if had been properly addressed by the Cranicks or by Obion county itself.. Well, this tragic loss of home and possessions.. Not to mention the horrible fate that befell those poor dogs and cat.. Simply unexcusable that it HAD to come to this before a problem more massive than just one house burning to the ground came about. Plain and simple.. this shouldn’t have been allowed to happen. And the family, whether from the desire to not pay, or just plain forgetfulness, had their part in this puzzle, and MORE appropriately, the County of Obion, having known about this problem, in my opinion, did not do what a responsible government should do. They knew about this problem, where a very large number of people were not paying the 75 dollar fee.. They KNEW about it.. but did nothing. We have the right to know why nothing was done.. Because a man’s house is burned to a crisp because of it. Now, please, do not take this as me turning my stance on this matter.. Whether or not the government did it’s job in stopping something like this event from happening is unfortunately a separate issue to be addressed. The fact, as it stands, is that when the Cranicks moved into the house, they were informed, as is required by law, of the fact that their residence is inside an area that is part of a paid subscription fire plan, and that if they did not pay, that there would be no guarentee that service would be provided.

After another day of researching this issue, I looked more into fire departments, and how they handle business and how the cities decide how much money to fund them with. And Basically, in a very much simplified version, the cities determine funding based on the size of the coverage, the number of people, the number of buildings, and the risk generated by a combination of those factors. In addition, they add into that how many people, how much equipment, and how much training and maintenance the same would require to produce an effective, and most importantly SUSTAINABLE fire department. When you add everything all together.. That produces the figure the entire fire department has to be funded by.

Now, in this matter Obion County basically asked SFFD to provide EXTRA coverage for area they weren’t paid to cover. Now covering this extra area has costs that it entails. Extra land requires more people, more equipment, and more training for the same. Which SFFD was justified to demand from Obion County for the extra work. Obion said no, but thank god they came to the agreement that each residence would pay for the extra costs the coverage would incur upon the SFFD. One person did not pay, and as outlined by the agreement they had with Obion County, they were not required by law to respond. However, for a very long time, SFFD has been providing service anyway to these people that have not been paying, and the fire department apparently finally had enough. The amount of money the SFFD was getting was not enough to cover their costs to operate over the extended area AND provide to their own citizens as well. And when one person is paying for the service, and another person isn’t.. The one paying ultimately wins. If I pay for a service.. I expect to recieve service before someone that isn’t with anything short of another human being about to die. Aka.. If i paid for my broken thumb to be fixed.. I STILL expect a man with a bullet wound, paying or not, to come first. But a human life being in jeopordy is another matter entirely. I’m very certain that if the Cranicks had told the SFFD that there was a human still inside the house, that they would have responded. But in this matter, it was just a house, and just a few pets.. It’s horribly tragic as I said.. but not illegal. So instead of sending flames of hate towards the SFFD.. I personally say we fan the flames toward the County to make sure this TRAVESTY NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.

Now that, is my two cents. I could be wrong.. But as I said before to numerous others.. I don’t see that. And vile and vulgar language from others will do nothing but steel my resolve against those people and what they are saying. Now if they want to talk like adults.. Like you..

In that case.. I’d be willing to hold back the disrespect.

First, I am not a “Bible thumper,” which I guess is what you call anyone who holds Christian values such as compassion and kindness. I simply believe that Jesus would have shown mercy and kindness to the Cranick family, something the South Fulton fire department, fire chief, and mayor did not. Second, are you implying that YOU are a “good Christian?” Without “THUMPIN” away, I seem to remember that Jesus forgave sinners who did things far worse than not pay someone $75. All your posts are so cruel and venomous, so lacking in human kindness and compassion, and so vicious that I hardly think ANYONE on this blog would call you a “good” anything, let alone a Christian. As to sophistication, you will note that I spell and punctuate my posts correctly, something that you do not. To me, that implies a lack of education. To be truly “sophisticated,” I believe that one needs to be educated, something that you obviously are NOT. You know nothing about me or how I live my life from my posts except that I am a kind and compassionate person, so don’t worry about God shaking his head about “how I live my life.” I certainly don’t. If I’m the first person to call you a hick, perhaps you’ve never shown your lack of education, sophistication, or kindness to “the big boys” you apparently are so impressed with. As to a remark you made to someone else about not making this about the animals, you should know that in Connecticut, if someone were to put 3 dogs and a cat in a box and burn them to death, they would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Cruelty to animals is a crime; if you don’t believe me, talk to someone at the ASPCA. The firemen who knowingly allowed those animals to burn to death committed a crime for which they should be prosecuted. I’m sorry you’re so miserable and unhappy that you take such pleasure in the suffering of other people. What happened to you that made you so vicious and cruel? You are so concerned that people get only what they have paid for and not one thing more; I would suggest that your parents certainly didn’t get the education for you that their tax dollars should have paid for. By the way, this situation has been publicized to the degree that it was discussed this morning on a local talk show; pretty much everyone who called in or wrote on the show’s blog agreed with me; almost everyone who is posting on this blog agrees with me as well. You go ahead and spew your venom; every time you write something mean and nasty, you simply prove me more and more correct!

I’m curious. How do you serve this country, and why is it your country but not mine? The definition of a patriot is “One who loves his country and zealously supports its authority and interests.” You will notice that nowhere does it say that a patriot won’t lift their hand to stop any enemy, foreign or domestic, ONLY if they are being COMPENSATED. In other words, your love for yourself outweighs your love for this country; that does not make you a patriot. It makes you a mercenary. A patriot is someone like my father who was a medical officer in WWII and did not have to risk his life to save a wounded soldier who was screaming so loudly that he was alerting the Japanese to the whereabouts of a group of Americans. Because he happened to be the ranking officer, however, he did lead a group of men up to get the dying man, saving the lives of all the men who were up there with him. My father had to write the report of what happened, and because of his modesty, every man he led up that mountain won a Silver Star while he received only a Bronze Star. THAT’S a patriot … not someone like you who claims to serve YOUR country, but only if you’re being paid to do so!

What is your beef with me in particular? I can only assume that it’s because it is so painfully obvious that I am much more educated and, as you call it, “sophisticated” than you are. Also, I could actually afford to buy the Cranick’s a new house in South Fulton, TN. Sorry … it’s just a fact!

MY question is “What if there had been a person in there? What if a child had not been able to get out of the home??” WOuld they have said “oh well, let the kid burn.” How can a person who is a fire fighter just stand by and basically without words tell the guy “Fuck off, not my problem?” And I thought firefighters were heroes…guess not all of them.

We’ll have to agree to disagree, NiceandToasty. I still find many of your posts (all of which I *have* read, in addition to the conversations preceding and following ours, by the way), rather obnoxious, but that’s simply my perspective and has nothing to do with the original topic.

Incidentally, I would appreciate it if you would not call me a “selfish bitch,” should we meet up in future discussions. Thank you.

Has anyone considered what would have happened if a human being was inside? Smoke inhalation kills mostly before fire gets to you…what if someone couldn’t cry for help because they were passed out?? These people would be on trial for murder or not??? My family has served as 1st responders for many generations. I can’t even count the number of times as a child my parents stopped at car accidents and fires to help anyone in need. We, as a society, need to get back to valuing human life over dollar signs. Wouldn’t it have been much smarter and more profitable for this Dept. to “fine” the family say…$1000.00 for having to put out this fire and not having received the original $75.00??? I just can’t justify what the city officials have allowed to happen. ITS DISGUSTING!!!!!!! God Bless the family!!!!

Davina- i didn’t read your comment before posting mine…you are reading my mind!!!!

I AGREE 100%….this is beyond sick and horrifying….these people should lose their jobs, Mayor, Commissioners, Fire Fighters….I can’t even imagine the horror the family and animals went through…I HOPE ANIMALS RIGHTS GETS INVOLVED!!!!!! You totally summed up what I am feeling!!! God Bless the Cranick Family!!!!!!!!

AMEN TO THAT!!!!!!!

How do I serve this country? Would you like to look at my service record? Would you like to know the things I have done and gone through? Would you like to know the price I have had to pay for my service in the military? Or the price those closest to me, those that depend on me being there for them have also had to pay? Someone, obviously, has to step up and put this uniform that I wear on, and do what I do. Personally, my main job is in the field of electrical engineering and electronics development, fabrication, and repair. All those radars on our ships? I make those work. All those satellite towers that transmit data for our soldiers and loved ones on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan? I repair those so that we can have the lanes of communication the military requires to stay one step ahead of those that would see this country undone. Those radio communication stations and platforms? Yeah, throw those into the mix too. Heck, as a side job, I also assemble, and repair basically anything that uses electricity. Someone had to step up and use their degree to do what I do.. Guess what.. I stood up, out of the crowd, and signed the dotted line. Did you? Or are your taxes YOUR contribution?

Now, as for your comment about me serving BECAUSE I am being paid. No, twist it around however you want, but that is not even close to being accurate. Attempt to stab at me some other way please. The simplest fact is.. I’m 7th generation military in my family. Yes, thats right. 7th. The 7 generations of my family that came before me served this country, and I proudly do as well.. A tradition, that I hope my son decides to take as well. Now, coming from a civilian(I assume you are a civilian.. right?) I would not expect you to even fathom what real patriotism is. Throw a definition around all you want but words are just words. I’ve done ACTIONS for my country. Actions. Have you? Didn’t think so. I’ve been to over 148 cities in more than 30 different countries in my time in the military, and heaven knows that the world I know of is alot more than what it was when I signed my contract with the military. Did I know what a true patriot was back then? Absolutely not.. But I thought I did. As does everyone else who has never had to sacrifice anything for this land we call our own. And I’m proud to hear about what your father did. Sounds like a great man, one that I would love to swap stories with. I bet I got a couple that would bowl him over, and some that would even make him cry. Then again.. Patriots tend to get a little softer with age about what WE have had to do and go through so the average civilian can wake up every morning, and pick up their morning starbucks, do the ol’ bump and grind at work, and then go home to watch TV, play sports, have dinner with their family, go to the mall, etc etc etc. But once again.. What do you know of that. I know. Your dad, obviously, knows.. But don’t claim to know what your dad did gives you anything other than that. Proud of him as you rightly should be.. His valor, is not your own, and does not a patriot of you make.

But I’m sure the medal on my chest from my service in iraq, one of many other ribbons, is not an indication of service. Maybe the sand, dirt, and grim I had to live in while there isn’t service, maybe the field rations I had to eat isn’t a sign of service.. But what I did do out there was. The fact that I put myself in that situation out there, so that fellow man in uniform could go home and mourn the loss of his wife, also is a sign of service. The achievement medals on my chest. The humanitarian medal I wear on my chest. Or the 3 deployment ribbons I wear. Noo.. those couldn’t possibly be ribbons to show to the world, to my country that I have paid in sweat, tears, and sometimes in blood, for my country. That’s right. Blood. I’ve shed blood in more places, while serving this country, than places you’ve lived in. Or employers you’ve ever had. Now.. lol, that’s not to say that sometimes it wasn’t MY fault for bleeding, lol. But no one is perfect. No one. But the simple fact is that I’ve spent just about 3 quarters of my time in the military being deployed away from my family. Have you had to ever pay a price like that? Have you ever had an RPG launched at you? Have you ever had the extreme misfortune to be caught up in a whirlwind of small arms fire? No? Well its hell. Absolute, terrifying hell. One I wouldn’t even wish upon the worst of people.

Now.. enough of that rambling. Suffice to say, I’ve paid alot to my country. And everyone in the military is paid FOR what they do. Not the other way around. We don’t do this BECAUSE we get paid. Or perhaps, I can say your dad is a mercenary too? Because I sure as heck know, very intimately, how much officers get paid. We shoulder this burden.. And so our country pays us for it. We risk our families.. And so we are paid for that sacrifice. We risk our health, and we receive the same. We risk our very lives! And our country looks after us for that. I, like your father, have served this country, and our country has luckily decided that our sacrifices are worth something, and have a system of pay and allowances for carrying the safety of this country on OUR backs. So yes.. I serve this country, and I get paid for what I do.. I don’t do this because I get paid. So like I said.. twist it around all you want.. but it doesn’t put truth in your words.

I hope you never have a tragedy in life that’s unexpected….kicking people when they are down is AWFUL!!!! KARMA

Lol. What is my beef with you? Have you not seen the words you’ve been typing? Condemning everyone and anything that does not believe, act, and think as you do? Wake up, we live in a world with free thoughts, free opinions, and free will. Not everyone will agree with you, nor will everyone pander to your whims or will. I have my beliefs in this matter, and don’t see it your way. An easier end to this, and a more productive route than SLAMMING everyone who doesn’t see this as you do as UN-American or UN-Christian and saying all the other “crap” that you have been raining upon their heads with malice and fear. Do you honestly believe EVERYONE that has posted is a Christian? Congratulations.. You might have angered a Muslim, a Jew, or any other of the VAST number of religions on this planet and in this country.

We live in a melting-pot society, and this world is not the same one in which such juvanile tactics worked like they did in medival times, or the Salem Witch Trials, and so forth. Stop hating on those that do not believe as you do and approach them with a solid coherent and honorable way, and you will get the same in return. Well, hopefully that is, some people are not as grown up as others.

But when you stand here and scream bloody murder and condemn people.. You should EXPECT someone to stand up for those that you would have CRUSHED under you boot. And here I am, standing ever so defiantly in your face. I will not back down, and I will return to you every last shred of what you give me, and I will give you more in return. Don’t like it? Don’t ask for it. And that’s just what you have done. By being immature and slanderous about the views of others, you have been silently begging, whether you know it or not, for justice to be rained down upon your head. I don’t like to say or talk the way I have been talking to you in particular.. But you brought THIS karma upon yourself.

And please, for the love of god, don’t actually sit there and try to claim you are more educated than me.. Unless of course you have a doctorate on your wall(Ph.D. in Online Bullying does not count ;P).. then chances are you are not, in fact, more educated than me. Nor would I ever even DREAM to call your religious bashing self more sophisticated than me. I’m directing MY anger and disappointment at you. I’m not attempting to bring the wrath of my invisible sky wizard down upon you, nor do I have the odasity to TRY and bring the wrath of this country upon you. I’m, quite clearly saying, I’m pissed at you for being so self righteous and damning everything different from your picture perfect view.

Oh, and as for being able to buy the Cranick’s a new house.. Lets see you do it then. I’ll even go half-sies with you. Yeah, just in case you didn’t think that far.. Your not the only person in this country with money. Sorry … it’s just a fact! I make a good living, and come from a good and well respected family, and could probably buy the entire block, if I, and my family so wished. And probably a hotel down the street for kicks. Hell.. If my father, when he turned forty received one for his 40th birthday.. I’m sure I could do the same.. But that is just one side of the coin from the roots I come from. One side with wealth, power, and all that flashy stuff.. And another from what might as well been the bottom of the barrel. My father fell in love with someone who didn’t have the wealth or lifestyle he was born into.. And I’m glad now that I was raised away from that.(Lord knows my grandparents weren’t so understanding of my fathers feelings when he told them lol! Took them a long time to understand that wealth and status meant nothing to my father’s heart. He loved my mother.. And that’s all the reason he needed) I wish I could have started off on the right foot with you to share what I bring to the table in our conversation thus far. But as I said.. I’ve chosen instead to not, thus far.

Now, however, I am willing to stop, and apologize.. AND sincerely for what I have said to you.. If you have the courage to see the error in your ways as well. Heck, even if you don’t.. I still, am sorry. I didn’t want it to come to this, but you forced my hand. Just like how sometimes, as a parent, I have to discipline my child for things he might do or say. I wish nothing more than to NEVER have to punish him.. But in this imperfect world, well.. That’s sadly not an option.

But like I said.. Stop the name calling, and threats, and fear you are attempting to throw at others, and the hate and malice you are filled with for others not agreeing with you and your views.. For them exercising their god given free will.. and I’ll stop calling the kettle black. I’ll even start first.

Can we make this conversation more mature? Please?

Absolutely. Now THAT is a statement I can actually agree with. I’m sure you do find alot of my posts to be rather obnoxious.. Most people who see or hear statements, views, or opinions that are completely polar to what they themselves feel is right.. Well, they tend to view them the same way. As do I about some of the posts you have made yourself. I couldn’t be more polar to what you apparently think is right, and you do seem, to me, to be coming off very self righteous in your posts expressing your view. Especially when you insulted others..

But I, for one, I only started posting when I saw the filth being poured out at people for disagreeing with those condemning the firefighters for the terrible choice they had to make that day. Calling them UN-American. Un-Christian. And many other things, some of which included physical violence(to which, I replied, in kind. I did not threaten physical pain upon those who did not lift their fists first. That, my friend, is called a defensive threat. Not an offensive one. There is a very large difference there whether you see it, or agree with it. Or even agree with me calling it defensive at all! ) As I said before.. Was the choice those firefighters made the best choice? Probably not. There are many ways to crack an egg.. But were they WRONG? Ehhh.. well, I’d say more there, but as you said so perfectly.. We will have to just agree to disagree. We can however, despite that fact, come together and present a REAL united front in that NO ONE in this thread wants this to EVER happen again. That would be words with real purpose. That would be real amazing. The tradgety isn’t that this occured.. It is that a better system SHOULD have existed to prevent this from EVER occuring! So lets stand for that! Instead of this embittered battle between anonymous entities swinging around their “e-peen”. A most halarious term amongst gamers nowadays if you aren’t familiar with it. One that is most appropriate in this thread I think.

And I will most assuredly never call you a “selfish bitch” again.. Provided you stop calling people a horrible excuse for a human being. You, nor I, have the right to pass judgment here. Lets just fix a problem, that we both know exists, and be done with it.

And stop the hate.

Human decency means more than money ever could and you have no respect nor decency. People go to prison for harming animals and this city and their fire department , mayor, and city council should be accountable for the loss of lives. Michael Vick was held accountable, but I suppose you were probably against him doing time also.

There are cancer centers that treat low income patients for free. Not the same at all.

There are cancer centers that treat low income patients for free. Not the same at all.

And free will, and the right to exercise it mean more to me than this so called decency you are rioting for. The right to be allowed to make a decision whether or not someone, anyone, or everyone, is going to like it. Being FORCED to do something, with which you are not in a legally binding contract to perform, is what some people would call slavery Lady.

People go to prison for actively harming, or participating in an illegal act that supports the harming of animals… And this city and their fire department, mayor, and city council should be accountable for the for this by receiving a pat on the back for standing up for free will, and the right to receive proper gear, training, and personnel for doing a job like those firefighters do(of which, none do they receive)! And on top of that, they, the firefighters, should receive just compensation for putting their lives at risk for protecting what they do(which, they were doing without funding from a huge chuck of those SUPPOSED to be paying for their services in the areas they agreed to cover, PROVIDED they pay the fee so that the firefighters receive everything they need, including the aforementioned pay adequate for said risk of life, for their assistance! Plantation owners in the south in the beginning of the USA were held accountable(eventually)… But I suppose you were probably for slavery as well.
See what I did there? Clever huh?

Now please, stop, and add something of value instead of your pointless droning. Please? Pretty please?

Thank you. I agree with you and believe compassion should win out over money any day.

I thank you for serving, my son also serves. You and he serve to give everyone the rights our constitution says we have. One of those rights you are expressing on this board along with every other post, freedom of speech. You think the firefighters were right not to try and help those people and I think they were wrong. Both of us have the right to our opinion as do all the other posters on here. So let it go everyone, it is over and done.

I thank you for serving, my son also serves. You and he serve to give everyone the rights our constitution says we have. One of those rights you are expressing on this board along with every other post, freedom of speech. You think the firefighters were right not to try and help those people and I think they were wrong. Both of us have the right to our opinion as do all the other posters on here. So let it go everyone, it is over and done.

Thank you for your kind words. I’m proud to serve.. It’s an honor I don’t ever forget, let me assure you. And yes, I am using freedom of speech, and so is everyone else, yourself included. And perhaps you are right. I tried to say earlier that perhaps we should stop fighting over whether the decision was right, or wrong, or the best decision to make.. And instead fight to make sure this NEVER happens again.

What is done, IS done. We can’t change that. But we can change the future. Have a great night Lavonne.

what an obnoxious blowhard you are. how is that for “more mature”?

Cicely, you really are one STUPID, OBNOXIOUS, IGNORANT f*ckwit. The reason those “innocent” animals are burning is because your “victim” tried to play hero with a garden hose. The reason those animals roasted is because your “victim” CHOSE to live in an UNINCORPORATED, UNTAXED, UNSERVICED area, and he CHOSE not to pay the annual subscription, even after being called several times to pay. He CHOSE to be on his own, and then talking to a reporter later says, “I know I didn’t pay, but I thought they’d come anyway…” Let us hear your condemnation of this idiot that CHOSE to let his pets burn. You sanctimonious, self-serving, holier -than-thou C*NT

And your mother should have swallowed. And then rinsed with bleach?

There.. is my comment sufficiently less mature than yours little girl?

Now run along. Go play. Let the actual adults talk in the big bad scary thread! ;P

Run along little girl. Run along.

YOU’RE the nut! Socialism and Communism are not one in the same. Use a dictionary. I hope you get a good dose of not being able to afford a necessity because you can’t find a job or are too sick to work and then tell me about choices and gambles. I hope your receive the same compassion you show others. Sitting there and allowing animals to be burn to death while you have the means to help is a part of this wonderful capitalistic country I hate most.
Money is truly the root of all evil. Your wonderful language and intelligence is proff of that. I hope we can get the animal rights and ASPCA to get involved in this.

It is so sad to watch the video of Gene giving an interview while sitting amidst the charred remains of his home. He seems so disconnected from the entire event, and its plain to see that it is simply shock. Shock and disbelief that someone could sit by and watch his life burn away. What is more shocking is that, according to Gene, they have done this several times. I mean this is legalized larceny. The “pay to spray” policy is nothing more than a criminal enterprise. But, since it is legal for them to extort the residents of the rural area surrounding South Fulton, why not just charge them on the back end? Why not just bill them after the fact? Put the damned fire out! Save this family’s pets! And THEN, send them the bill. Hell, penalize them for not paying and requiring services. Have an extra late fee or something, but my God! , don’t just let their lives burn away. Absolutely inexcusable.

It is so sad to watch the video of Gene giving an interview while sitting amidst the charred remains of his home. He seems so disconnected from the entire event, and its plain to see that it is simply shock. Shock and disbelief that someone could sit by and watch his life burn away. What is more shocking is that, according to Gene, they have done this several times. I mean this is legalized larceny. The “pay to spray” policy is nothing more than a criminal enterprise. But, since it is legal for them to extort the residents of the rural area surrounding South Fulton, why not just charge them on the back end? Why not just bill them after the fact? Put the damned fire out! Save this family’s pets! And THEN, send them the bill. Hell, penalize them for not paying and requiring services. Have an extra late fee or something, but my God! , don’t just let their lives burn away. Absolutely inexcusable.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/04/firefighters-watch-as-hom_n_750272.html

Here is the link to the interview with Gene. WARNING: this is not for the faint of heart. Watching the pain in this man’s eyes is disturbing. Listening to him choke back tears when describing his grandchildren losing their pets stirs up something between anger and disgust toward the monsters who allowed this to happen. These people should be arrested and sentenced to life in prison. A separate sentence for each animal they tortured, and then have every possible criminal charge involving extortion, destruction of property, animal cruelty, arson, assault with a deadly weapon, misconduct, or even fraud, tacked on the the sentences. Thats exactly what the members of the fire department in South Fulton are: frauds. Fake humans, dressed in the garb of some of our country’s greatest heroes. There simply has to be some sort of criminal charge attached to their actions. I can barely bring myself to believe that they actually did this, but i REFUSE to believe that, when all is said and done, they will get away with it.

Here’s a post for all of the misinformed on this page. This is from a chief of a neighboring fire department about the way the CITIZENS VOTED to have their fire protection handled in the unincorporated county.

Originally Posted by Kelly Edmison, Chief of the Union City, TN Fire Department
My name is Kelly Edmison. Chief of Union City Fire Dept. Union City TN. OBION County. We are 1 of the 8 city fire dept’s in Obion County. My department is the only fully paid dept.

Even though my department (Union City, TN) was not the department involved, it has been extremely hard viewing the news media storm this past week; especially, when no one has reported the truth about the situation yet.

Watching news cast after news cast with miss information makes me wonder just how much “other” news we see nightly about our country and world events is turned and twisted.

Obion County Tennessee does not have a county fire department. It does have 8 municipal fire departments. Union City, TN is the only full time staffed department in the county. The other 7 departments are volunteer departments; but like Union City, are city departments. Again, Obion County does not have a county fire department. Sadly, Obion County is one of two counties in the state who do not provide fire protection. County residents do pay county taxes. However, no tax money goes towards fire coverage. The 8 municipal departments are funded by each of their city tax payers.

Three of the cities, Union City, Kenton and South Fulton operate a subscription fire service in an attempt to help the rural people in their respective areas. Union City has operated this way for over 47 years. They all three charge a $75 per year fee. It’s not a tax. It’s not mandatory. But the service is there if they wish. The reason these three charge a fee, is because the cities do not feel it fair to take the city tax payers money and service and give it to county residents for free.

Their policies are the same. With the exception of a life endanger; if you don’t pay; they don’t come.

However, once South Fulton had to respond to take care of the neighbor whose property caught fire and was a subscriber, that’s the point where in my opinion the outcome probably would have been different. But I’m not South Fulton.

But here is what the public doesn’t understand. Right, wrong or indifferent, it was not the decision of the South Fulton Fire Chief or of his firefighters to not put water on the structure. Their orders came from their city manager and mayor and council. Was it wrong? Everyone has an opinion (We would have put it out if for no other reason than that we had to come anyway and that was the damn fire that was endangering the neighbor who had the coverage.) If they had tried to put it out the chief would have been fired, the fire fighters terminated and there wouldn’t have been any body left to help fight fire for the majority of the rural residents in their area who do pay the annual fee.

The remaining 5 departments (city departments) in the county have been going out into the county without a subscription service with the hope that after responding they will bill the home owner and collect. It hasn’t been working. One of these departments even though it is a city department, has to get change out of their outside coke machine that sits on the front of their station just to have money to put fuel in their tank. They get very little help from their own city, let alone NO revenue from the county. Financially these departments will be forced to either go to a subscription based service or draw back into their respective city limits. If that happens, there won’t be any fire protection in three quarters of the county.

No firefighter wants to see a home go up in flames; but especially for the volunteer departments, the cake sales and fish fries just don’t cut it anymore. One set of gear to out fit a firefighter can exceed $3,000. A fire truck easily costs more than a quarter of a million dollars. How many cakes do you think it will take? And who again is paying for this? The “city” taxpayer.

The state of TN guarantees that as a tax payer; city or county, you are promised two things. One, garbage pickup will be provided. And two, law enforcement will be provided. Fire service apparently isn’t considered that important.

What people need to know is the fire problem in Obion County is NOT South Fulton’s problem or any of the other 7 departments. It’s a county problem.

The other 7 city chiefs and myself have been working with the county for over four years now in trying to convince then to go with a fire tax like most counties in this country operate and we would all gladly get rid of this subscription crap. The county currently wants all cities to go subscription and the county will collect and distribute.

I as an individual have been catching holy hell this week from all over the country, and wasn’t even the department involved. All I have been trying to do is defend some brother firefighters who weren’t given a choice as to what they could do; defending a program, though not perfect has been a successful program in Union City at least for over 47 years. South Fulton has run theirs for 20. It’s kept the doors open and help provided protection to a majority of rural customers in our Union City area who if it were not for the blessing of our city government would not have any fire protection what so ever because the County still does not want to pass a fire tax for county residents.

It has been one week. Not one letter to the editor has appeared in any of the papers. I’m not hearing complaints from the county residents. I’m only getting my *** chewed out from one end of the country to the other. I apologize for interrupting your forum. It’s late; I’m mad, and I wanted to vent. Honestly, this has been the most civil forum I have come across. And the only one I have taken part it.

Hope you all stay safe and please never judge until you have the facts.

You are trashy and ignorant

You are trashy and ignorant

It’s common sense to put a fire out, the Cranicks said that he paid the dues before. Have some class people, we’re only human

This is the South Fulton fire departments mission statment: “The mission of the South Fulton Fire Department is to protect the lives and property of its citizens, and provide good public relations through fire safety education to all businesses and schools”. I think they left out a sentence. It should also state, “we only do this if you pay”.

Txfireman, you are ignorant, the animals didn’t deserve to die, and the house should not have burned down. The people running South Fulton are uneducated power hungry hillbillies.

I am baffled by you’re nescient of knowledge. You need to grow up, and stop flaunting the money that you more than likely don’t have.

You are repulsive.

You have no life.

Yet you are still an ignorant bastard:)

P.S. Mout is not a word, dumb fuck.

Obviously, none of you love animals as much as you claim to. If anyone of you “really” loved animals, like you say you do, you wouldn’t try to take away their natural instincts and keep them utterly enslaved and dependent as pets. That is complete cruelty! I can’t believe that I’m the only one who thinks that the family is completely irresponsible; they decide that they want to “have pets,” but they won’t pay every single possible cent to protect them? I think THAT is outrageous.

I oppose the family’s behavior even more than the actions of the fire department and the mayor. I think the family should be held accountable for the cruel deaths of those wonderful, charming creatures who they forced to become dependent slaves.

I’m absolutely disgusted with all of you so-called animal lovers. You’re all as fake as can possibly be. A real animal lover would go to the forest and watch all of the beautiful creatures of the world in their natural habitats. A real animal lover would protest against pet ownership. It’s the most foul behavior I can possibly imagine.

if you don’t pay your bills you lose water,electricity and even your home so if you didn’t pay the fee why should they. i mean its horrible animals died but maybe that will get them not to forget to pay the fee.

nuts

Seriously? You want me to use a dictionary? How about I don’t, and tell you what I already KNOW about the two instead of wasting my time, and probably none of yours.

Karl Marx, started with an idea he called socialism, and by the time he finished it, it was called communism. Yes, technically, communism is one severe step worse than socialism in that EVERYTHING is owned by the government, and with socialism at least, you have the liberty of owning anything that, basically, isn’t a business. That of course is a very very simplified version of socialism, and communism.

Oh, and communism, btw, is known as “scientific communism”

And your trying to tell me they aren’t the same? Please.. Thats saying rain isn’t rain unless the water droplets are a certain size. They ARE one and the same. One is a little more intense than the other. The fire from a lighter is the same as that from a blow torch my friend.

Now money, is not the root of all evil. Money, by itself, is not evil. Money, does not do evil things. It does not have evil thoughts. It does not stay awake at night trying to figure out how to kill you while you sleep and perform other cruel acts.

Human greed, is the root of all evil. Place the blame where it is supposed to be, instead of quoting ages old quotes from people that placed the blame on inanimate objects.

That quote, like you, is about as rediculous as the idea of a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

Unfortunately, the gold isn’t real, while you are.

I wish it was the other way around.. So I wouldn’t have to comment on your ill informed statements.

And as for me being broke.. Doesn’t matter, now or ever. For even if I was, as I said, I wouldn’t be stupid enough to live in an area that had a paid fire protection subscription program. The program is stupid, but he knew what he signed up for when he purchased the house.

And as for the pets burning up.. Human life is worth more than a dog, or in this case, three dogs and a cat. If it was a human, they would not have said no. Anyone with a brain can figure that out.. But then again, people like you don’t seem to have or use what remains, after what I can only assume was a full frontal lobotomy..

So run off, and play with a slinky or yo-yo or something else too simple for you to get wrong.

On second thought.. Don’t play with a yo-yo.. You will hurt someone. And I don’t have time to yell at the people that will be crying for you there as well when a dentist charges you for the broken tooth. Just saying.

And you are ugly and brain dead. Next pitiful attempt at an insult? If you do try.. Use something I wouldn’t expect an elementary student to say.

So your saying, in context, that “You are baffled by my are(you DID say “you’re”.. which is you are, if you forgot. Don’t worry.. I won’t charge you for the lesson. Take it as a gift. ) lack of knowledge of knowledge.”? Learn to form a proper sentence man! Jesus.. they teach that shit in elementary and junior high.. Which brings me to ask… What grade did you drop out of?

And I could be flaunting the money that I may or may not have.. But you will never know.. And that, my friend, makes another statement of yours completely without merit.

Cheers, shitbag!

And you don’t bathe.. Which I think is a far, far worse thing. For if I don’t say anything.. No one would even know(if you were correct that is. Sadly, your not. Ask anyone I know. )

But with you.. everyone has to walk around in your cloud of filth and excrement. How much pity I feel for you.. Having never experienced the joy and pleasure of soap and shampoo.. Or are you simply allergic?

So tragic.. I’m sorry for your pain. ;P

Wow, David Wilds actually DOES have a Facebook page! Why don’t we ALL friend him? I’ve read the firefighter’s oath that so many of you brave men and women have posted. Thank you all for your service. Reading the oath simply proves my point … a REAL firefighter would have stood up to the mayor and his council and put out that fire.

You have no soul, cookie cutter man. Next pathetic attempt?

And yet your mother still doesn’t love you. But at least your daddy still likes “special secret alone time” with you. ;D ;D

I hope he cuddles with you afterwards at least. That would be horrible if he didn’t. ;D

As a matter of fact, here’s the link for his Facebook page:
David Wilds – Fire Chief
http://www.facebook.com/ambher13?v=wall&story_fbid=151995504837673&ref=notif¬if_t=like#!/david.wilds2?ref=search

Oh noes! I didn’t suffer a typo did I? Oh noes! I must not be perfect then…

Kinda like you right? Yeah, typo. Good job spotting it. How about you do something productive and see how many spelling errors there are in a typical novel in its first run under the eye of an editor.

Yeah. That’ll keep you busy for the year I think. If you can read that is. Something tells me you used a “Speak and Spell” to figure out how to respond to my posts.

If so.. you might want to replace the batteries soon. I can type alot ;P

Or, better yet.. go back to school and graduate this time. McDonald’s Fry guy is not a career my friend.

I know right? She baffles the hell out of me with her prattle.. But at least she stopped responding and instead has taken to only “liking” childish insults against me. Perhaps she got the point. Who knows. Who knows.

I know right? She baffles the hell out of me with her prattle.. But at least she stopped responding and instead has taken to only “liking” childish insults against me. Perhaps she got the point. Who knows. Who knows.

Some people who are memebers of PETA do this, but as a whole organization, they do a lot for animals,children and our planet.

Overall this is about the lack of kindness to all creatures. Human and animal. These people did not deserve this, no one does.
Greed is an awful thing. Since when did a few dollars matter more than life?

As a matter of fact, here’s the link for the “fire chief’s” Facebook page:
David Wilds
http://www.facebook.com/ambher13?v=wall&story_fbid=151995504837673&ref=notif¬if_t=like#!/david.wilds2?ref=search

Well, on that, we will have to disagree. More animals are killed by PETA than my animal shelters annually… Did you know that? Look at the records they are required to provide for the government annually. THAT is sad. Give an organization a great sounding name, be very very loud about what you claim to stand for, and to make sure you ATTACK anything that says or acts otherwise. PETA is a great idea.. but one horribly, and incorrectly executed. Animals deserve alot more rights and respect than we give them, and far far more than what they suffer in PETA’s hands.

Greed, however is an aweful thing. I am very much with you here.. But fighting this fire, or not fighting the fire, isn’t about greed. It’s only 75 dollars. Who in the world would be greedy about 75 dollars? Thats a drop in the bucket compared to the annual budget they get(which, is still WAY too small.) Obion County knew this, and so did South Fulton. They begged for more support, and even tried to do something about it.. But the taxpayers voted against it. THAT is the real culprit here. A government that didn’t do enough to protect it’s people, and the taxpayers that didn’t want to pay a tiny bit more each to PROPERLY gear their firefighters. It takes an aweful kind of person to send someone, and WILLINGLY send them, in to fight a fire without all the proper training, gear, or manpower to do it as safely as possible.

This whole issue was over principle. South Fulton and the SFFD were tired of risking their LIVES for selfish people. How tragic it came to this.

However, I do think the firefighters could have handled it better.. But no formal system was in place to handle this.. An issue that Obion should have foreseen.

What should we do? Let all the precious doggies and kitties run free? Over 90% percent of these “wonderful, charming creatures” (especially the smaller breeds), would be dead inside a week if they were released into the wild, starved to death or killed as prey. These “wonderful, charming creatures” don’t have the same opinions of each other as you have of them.

What about zoos? Should we let all the lions and tigers and bears run free? Oh my! What do we do when they inevitably kill humans and other “wonderful, charming creatures?” Put them on trial? Sentence them to jail? Wouldn’t we be back where we started?

Animal cruelty is terrible. Causing physical harm to another living being, whether purposefully or negligently is abhorrent.

But this “total animal liberation” that people of your ilk advocate is utterly ridiculous, insane, and infeasible.

TROLL

No, sjr21′s correct. You’re a complete POS.

Again, you’re a POS.

Congrats. Welcome to the same boat as sjr21. Here is your cookie cutter. Go forth and make more identical, worthless people like yourself. If this country ever goes to war again.. We can use them in Operation Meatshield. I’ll even give you assbags stickers to help you feel important.

But seriously.. Nice contribution. On the down side.. Your not worth the protection my military service provides you. YOU are the POS my friend. But as an obviously, self absorbed asshat.. I wouldn’t expect you to understand. Have your mom read this out loud to you:

Go play with your G.I. Joe’s and coloring books, Junior.

Come on now.. I KNOW she’s in the other room. ;P

And again.. Contribute shitbag.. Or did you not understand? Mother wasn’t able to read the words to you this time.. Don’t worry.. when she gets off the street corner, she can make you feel better and rub your tum tum and put you to bed.. Sweet dreams kid. lol.

But seriously.. Based on the completely worthless posts you made.. I can only assume your post-lobotomy self can’t understand what I’m saying, or be bothered to actually ADD something to any sort of conversation. Your the kind of person, happily content to stand in the middle of a mob.. yelling at the top of your lungs, screaming about hardships and crimes upon you that never existed.. Because in the mob you feel powerful, and no longer a beta male. Or a Zeta male in your case. ;P

Don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you.. I never expect working brain functions from “special” civilians like you.(And of course, thats not saying all civilians jackass. Most civilians are fantastic. But I think you became a shitbag as soon as your daddy started playing “Hide the Trouser-Snake” with you. And, of course, your mother started ignoring you.. Jealous he got to you first ;P)

i am pretty sure they wouldn’t be as down if they paid the fee. karma hits people who do wrong/bad things but is it wrong to point out the flaw. 75 dollars a year and they would’ve stopped the fire and the animals could’ve been saved by the owners. i’m pretty sure if something like that happened to me and it was because i didn’t pay a bill or use common sense i would blame myself, it would be my problem and i wouldn’t want other people to stick up for me about it.

so we can support people who don’t pay their bills. it may be something bad that happened but really the unamerican thing is to not pay your bills. nothing in life comes free. you think kicking people out of office is really going to do anything. they pay that 75 dollar fee for a reason.

everyone has a choice…..unless they were bound and tied, they have a choice!!! Judge????/ they let the damn house burn down for WHATEVER reason, they HAD a choice!!! sad you defend this…..

easy to say when your not standing in their shoes….if/when tragedy strikes you and you have people help you out, my guess is your opinion will change….as far as you keep referencing “not paying a bill”…all companies that I know of will take your money last second to keep services on. I know because I represent many people in those types of situations. No company who provides life and limb services disconnects those services when there is a direct threat to the welfare of those people. This is a case of disgusting overuse of power. Do you know that over 10 people on the scene tried to write checks and give cash to the firefighters to have them help out. The FF refused the money and let the house and animals perish anyhow. You are justifying the murder of 4 innocent animals over $75!!!!!

http://www.wctv.tv/news/headlines/Leon_County_No_Fire_Service_Fee_No_Service_104531609.html?ref=609

I am productive, I go to one of the top private art schools in America Nice try though.

It’s funny that everyone hates you on this site.

Wow, I can’t believe you are so perverted. That’s disgusting you would say such a thing. You are a fucking pedophile, creep. You probably rape your kids.

Wow, I can’t believe you are so perverted. That’s disgusting you would say such a thing. You are a fucking pedophile, creep. You probably rape your kids.

I don’t bathe? Oh weird, i didn’t know you could smell or see me through the computer screen, smart one.

shit bag? sooo offended.

I could argue and put you down all day.

Fire service is without question a basic life/property saving emergency service. It is no less
important than law enforcement, rescue, and emergency medical services. No other
emergency agency responds solely on a subscription basis, ability to pay basis or under
the threat of not responding if you don’t pay your bill. Counties will be called upon to
provide higher levels of fire protection services and must begin to plan for these issues
prior to the occurrence of a crisis or catastrophe.

that is right at the top of this document we are supposed to read. the fire fighters responded to the neighbors house they could have sprayed the house and saved eberyone with minimal effort and without having to go inside the house and risk any personnel… so what would be the problem in putting the fire out and charging the man later… i think you and fight like a girl subscribe to the same jargon..

so everyone who doesnt pay taxes doesnt deserve public service wow there goes half the country right there.. we can just let all the businesses and homes that dont pay their taxes burn. but oh what happens when it spread to tax paying homes and businesses oops there goes your whole world six brothers and mom. maybe your mom should have got a job and put you through school and you might not be so bitter.

i wonder doe they actually send a bill in the mail every year requesting you to pay your 75 dollars because im sorry there is a lot of shit going on and if a bill you pay once a year with out notification can slip between the cracks. everyone is busy and has a lot of shit going on that could be a simple slip up. hell the mans payment could have been in the mail for all they know. the point is we can pay a yearly fee to have ems repsonse for free but if u dont pay it is astronomical, but at least they show up. And if u decide to duck the bills when they show up later ur credit and repo men will bear the brunt of your decision. BUT AS I SAID ATLEAST THEY SHOW UP IT IS A PUBLIC SERVICE NOT A PRIVATIZED INDUSTRY. If they want to charge people then it needs to be privatized and have the right to refuse service to the public like restaurants and night clubs. god help us if this happens.

one thing i think you forgot in your service is that you are sworn to protect this country and its citizens form all danger both foreign and domestic. Not based off wether they pay there taxes or not. if the fire dept needs money raise the taxes. there were 2391 people in obion county as off july 2009. now a raise in city tax by one dollar would emit an obvious result. people want everything in the world but dont want to pay for it. making it a tax in the local and state tax would relieve the burden from the fire dept having to be collection agents as well as fire fighters. But if you really look at the facts the median income for a home in south fulton is 32,287 dollars per year it was 27,462 in 2000. They dont make a lot of money there actually there are around 30 people that make above 100,000 dollars.For population 25 years and over in South Fulton

High school or higher: 76.3%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 10.5%
Graduate or professional degree: 4.2%
Unemployed: 6.4%

these are hard working people that make it by on a very little income they may be ok with a tax increase as well with everyone in the state but it should be a state and local taxe bureau problem not firefighters.

actually no if you dont pay your insurance here then your paltes get revokes and so does your drivers license and if you get into a wreck you are liable no matter what the circumstance. the states opinion is if you didnt hace a license u shouldnt have been on the road in the first place. driving is a priviledge as stated where i live and im sure in most other states. Fire protection police and ems are not a priviledge. many people within city limits dont pay their taxes and still receive said services because they are public. Now where the problem is in your reasoning is in the constitution we are all protected by what is called equal protection. under the fourteenth amendment no person shall be deprived life liberty or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. so until we start depriving every person that doesnt pay every little tax bill right on time of public service, the fire dept canot deprive their citizens of protection with out pay.

I’m assuming your the janitor there? Nice come back though moppy ;P

It’s funny that you think 10 people is everyone. Or is that as high as you could count? ;P

lol. Your come back is to say I rape my childern after I said the same to you? Man… Your so clever ;P

But then again… As Charles Caleb Colton once said..

“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”

And to that.. All I have to say is I am DEEPLY DEEPLY honored to be a role model in your life. I’ll do my best to never forget that you look up to me for guidance in life. Ask me for advice anytime you need it my friend.

I’ll be here for you ;P

Hahahahahahaha. Too easy.

So are you saying until you get right up on top of some feces, and take a big deep breathe of that lovely aroma you call cologne.. you don’t think it stinks?

Sorry.. I don’t need to “physically” be near you(thank GOD!) to know shit like you stinks. Also.. on a slightly seperate note.. Just seeing your name on this computer screen makes me feel like I NEED a second shower today..

So as I’m your role model and all.. Why don’t you take one too? I’d be honored if you copy me in this way as well, my friend. DON’T worry.. the scary bar of soap won’t hurt you..

Just make sure your dad’s not home ;D

Well, of course your not. After being told you smell like a bag of shit for years upon years… why would you be offended now? ;P

And I could argue and put you down all day too. However, just between the two of us… Before you leave the site, lol.. 4 facts.

1. You hardly put me down. Your insults were lackluster, and elementary. Especially when you copied my insult. I suppose I’ll return the favor(but I unlike you, will ACTUALLY 1 up you on my “attempt”. So, I as your “Role Model” can show you how it’s actually done. ;D). SSUUPPPER rad move man. 2 thumbs way up!

2. While all of your posts were insults directed at me.. Only some of mine were directed at you, while alot of mine were actually directed AT the actual topic. So I contributed.. You “attempted”, and subsequently failed, at your miserable attempt to be an online bully. 2 more thumbs up!

3. If “everyone” was hating on me.. Who in the world “liked” my comments? Think about that one. Also.. as I said before.. 10 people isn’t everyone. Learn to count.

4. You didn’t, nor did anyone else make me look stupid. Unless arguing with morons is stupid… THEN, I will justly take the mantle of stupid.. Because I HAVE been arguing with alot of morons on this site(the WHOLE 10 of ya’ll. ;P But thats EVERYONE right? lol.)

So thank you for your time anyway. I think it’s very funny that you called this a debate… In what way did you ever even TRY to debate me on anything?! You tried to stroll in like a cowboy.. and strong arm me to the ground with your infantile insults.. not EVER contributing to this thread in a single, solitary way that would be called, or even perceived as, beneficial. You wasted your time.. Time you will never get back.. So I hope your not proud of that fact.. Because you shouldn’t be. Because THAT, my friend, doesn’t just make you LOOK stupid. It MAKES you stupid.

On a very serious note, I wish you would have attempted to add to the discussion instead of walking the path you decided to walk.. I value the opinion of EVERYONE… Until they start trying to force theirs down others throats, willing or not. You seem to intelligent enough have added, but you chose not to, and for that I feel sorry for you.. Because, ultimately, you chose instead to waste your time trying to make me feel bad.. None of which was successful. Me and a couple of my friends and family did have a nice laugh though. So thank you for that unintended benefit you gave me.

Anyway, so if you decide to respond anyway.. I’ll be here, waiting for something coherent. Perhaps you’ll even decide to contribute.. Which I, honest to god, would welcome. Alot.

Thank you for contributing. Fire Service, is absolutely a basic emergency service. And your absolutely right.. No other agency responds only in a subscription based program.. But cops from one city will not respond to a call outside their limits. Jurisdiction won’t allow them. Call and ask them :/ And with ems, that’s a little different. EMS are employees of hospitals. Or freelance sometimes.. But either way, they are able to charge people that they did provide a service to because they don’t fall victim to jurisdictional limitations and boundaries like cops and the like. Now fire fighters don’t fall victim to boundaries like cops do.. Their ability to fight fires is as expansive as EMS are in their ability to serve..

Now.. according to the laws of South Fulton.. Their fire department is required by law, to respond to any calls made for assistance within the city limits of South Fulton. That, is their law. Anything outside is optional. So I don’t think they should fry because they didn’t spray, however I do think it wasn’t the best choice to make.. Once they responded to the neighbors call, they should have then sprayed their house.. THAT wouldn’t have cost anything extra for them. I think it wasn’t the best move for them not to.. But, sadly, they were under no legal obligation to. And that is the greatest tragedy here. However.. statistically speaking.. Chances are, charging the man later would still have been pointless. With everything he would be paying to fix the home(if he didn’t have home owners insurance) plus replacing everything that was burned, and also adding to that a larger fire service fee(It would only make sense for the fire department to bill them more than 75 dollars was the “just in case” fee. Charging them AFTER the fact isn’t so much a “in case” fee anymore. Kinda like real insurance.)

And I’m not surprised me and fightlikeagirl talk the same.. Our opinions are very similar.

Anyway, regardless of what happened, I still think that the REAL issue should now be aimed at the future.. to make sure this never occurs again. A REAL protection plan needs to be made AND/OR properly funded.

Because what’s happening now is absolutely appalling.

Oh no no no! I in no way said that those who don’t pay taxes don’t deserve the public services. Or if you interpreted it that way I am sorry I was not more clear. I do believe everyone deserves the “basic” services provided by ones municipality.. However.. I do not believe you deserve optional services offered by a neighboring municipality if you do not pay. South Fulton’s citizens pay for their Fire Department, Police, Library, etc.. Through property taxes and the like.. And South Fulton has a budget set up, that the people agreed on mind you, that spreads the money in what they consider to be an appropriate fashion to all the services the city provides. When the town decided on the Fire Department’s share.. they based that on the total coverage of South Fulton.. Nothing else. And for that land, and only that land, are they funded. Anything else someone else MUST provide, if the Fire Department is to remain an effective, well trained, properly manned force.

And alot of the citizens in Obion County, unfortunately, were abusing that system.

That’s what I was trying to say.

About the bill.. I don’t know how they do it.. I would assume they mail it every november or december to cover the following calendar year. But your right.. It isn’t impossible to forget something.. It could have been in the mail, your right.. Perhaps they have a cut off date? If so, that would be really stupid.. THAT would be REALLY punishing someone who forgot, or misplaced. I do understand accidents happen. As well as emergencies that can make us forget the smaller things.. And thats not saying fire service is a small thing.. But 75 dollars is. I think you would agree on that.

The only part of this post that I do have to disagree with is the public service not being privatized..ish. It’s a public service for South Fulton as their tax payers pay for it.. but technically.. the fire department was “contracted” by Obion County to serve an area of Obion, on a paid fee basis, as the tax payers of Obion didn’t want to have their taxes raised so that Obion could pay the South Fulton Fire Department directly.

I’m sure you would agree THAT decision, also, wasn’t the best one to make.

I agree with almost everything you say again.. Except for the part about taxes.. It’s just a little harder than that to handle this situation.. But only because of the current set up. Yes, it is a little too much to expect enough money to be raised to pay for the construction of a new obion county fire department just to handle what south fulton is covering under the “paid fee” plan.. But then again.. Obion should have a Treasury with a Reserve.. Just saying. Anyway, the problem here is that South Fulton is the one being shafted.. they need the extra money to fund their fire department.. But the people of Obion county KEEP refusing to have to pay a tax to fund that on a direct government to government level.. One that would be completely smooth to the average citizen(in that they would never see it, or need to worry about it again) and would ENSURE that if something did happen, heaven forbid, that South Fulton would have a direct, and single, point of contact to correct the error.. Which South Fulton PROBABLY didn’t have, nor could reasonably fund, to make sure Obion is paid and good.

It’s a very difficult situation.. No clear cut perfect answer.. Especially when Obion has been continually refusing the tax for.. what.. ten years or there abouts? It’s sad. This NEEDS to be corrected before it happens again.

And for your first statement about what I am sworn to do.. That’s slightly wrong too. This is the oath I have made three times during my service:

I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

Take note.. no where in there does it say to protect anyone from danger. It just says I WILL support and defend the Constitution. Be faithful to, and give my allegiance to the Constitution. That I will obey the president, and everyone appointed over me… None of which entails protecting anything except the Constitution. Unless of course.. you are interpreting fire to be an “enemy”.. Which is an interestingly unique interpretation that I’ve never heard of before.

And yes, as I said before.. This task is daunting. There is no simple fix.. The best we can all do, is to not fan hate around, at anyone or anything. We just need to focus on FIXING this problem. Lets use our best traits, and put aside our worst.. Lets make sure Obion and South Fulton don’t have to go through this again.

If you have an honestly helpful suggestion.. call it in to them.. But don’t call to harrass them.. That helps nobody.. and only lowers the value everyone could otherwise be adding.

South Fulton Fire Department does protect the citizens and property of SOUTH FULTON. This fire happened in Obion county.. Therefore what you said is incorrect and doesn’t help matters. Please contribute, if you feel the need to comment, instead of making angry statements.

South Fulton Fire Department does protect the citizens and property of SOUTH FULTON. This fire happened in Obion county.. Therefore what you said is incorrect and doesn’t help matters. Please contribute, if you feel the need to comment, instead of making angry statements.

South Fulton Fire Department does protect the citizens and property of SOUTH FULTON. This fire happened in Obion county.. Therefore what you said is incorrect and doesn’t help matters. Please contribute, if you feel the need to comment, instead of making angry statements.

And it’s sad you aren’t defending this.. Yes, it’s horrible they didn’t turn the hose to the house while they were already there… but on a purely financial level.. if they don’t have the money to cover all the land.. then they only HAVE to cover South Fulton and the people of Obion County that do pay. It’s sad, yes, but it is a harsh reality. Nothing is free. And firefighters without funding can’t fight fires.

Sorry.

Thank you for your informative contribution. Is there anything that you can think of that someone outside of Obion can do to be HELPFUL in this situation, instead of just being full of hot air, lol?

I’d like to help. I don’t want this to happen again. Ever.

Thanks to mailecat for your comments and suggestions. Unfortunately, people like Mayor Crocker don’t care the least about other people’s opinions. This is why we will demand that Crocker and his crowd of idiots in South Fulton be prosecuted for aggravated animal cruelty, and demand that the District Attorney seek the maximum penalties, including 6 years in prison and a $3000 fine for each guilty party. That is the only way Crocker will ever tumble to the idiocy of his position, and the consequences of his actions.

yes i took the same oath i wasnt trying to be quoted just to try and get the general idea across for those who have not had the priviledge of standing by that oath.

they say the Roman Empire rotted from within..

TrueAnimalLover, what would you say if the mayor’s mother had been in that house?
.
good riddance to her for having forgetful friends?
.
Whoever made the decision to let it burn would be guilty of murder.

nobody has to do a thing, N&T.
you’re making yourself look that way all by yourself.

I think they opened themselves to a lawsuit by letting animal die and property burn.

if a drunk driver is guilty of murder, then a firefighter who stands by and lets someone die in a fire is guilty of murder.

txfireman, you almost had me with you, till you said “don’t question..”

EVERYTHING should be questioned. always.
the end of questioning is the end of learning. th

Please go back and read the points I made to sjr21. As far as I can tell.. You automatically qualify for points 2, 3, and 4. Congratulations. Read over them a little bit.. maybe even replace a few words to personalize them towards yourself if you see fit. Don’t worry, I don’t mind if you even spicy up the vocab a little. ;P

But nice post… Added nothing but a pathetic insult. Or at least an attempt at one… were you REALLY trying there? Come on, I think you can do better.. ;D

Oh, and now that you make… what… like 11 closed minded morons? Hmm. Interesting. 11 people that didn’t like what I said.. and i got 47 likes on my comments…

If anything..

It looks like YOUR making yourself look far worse than I ever have. Go home. Play with your kids, or toys.. Whatever is age appropriate for you.

Leave the internet to the big boys. ;D

yeah the animal death was bad, but on your way to your “i sound like a moron” meetings think about the emotions and pain of losing a lifetime,A LIFETIME! of memories,family photos,family heirlooms, not to mention every stitch of clothes and personal property, and you want to press charges against the family!!! are you the illegitiment child of that mayor and commisioner or a diffrent kind of ass altogether?

Around South Fulton Tennessee
According to the best advice
You pay your fire protection fee
Or face a loss that has no price.
Gene Cranick found his home in flames
And watched until the firetrucks came,
Then stared as they began to douse
Some water near his neighbor’s house.
It seems that Gene somehow forgot
To put his payment in the slot
For fire protection through this year,
So with the crews all standing near
They solemnly refused to raise
A hand to halt the spreading blaze
And managed to avert their eyes
As precious minutes ticked on by.
With three dogs and a cat inside
Gene had no space to give to pride
And pleaded with the Chief and crew
To do whatever they could do.
He told them of his oversight
And offered to set matters right…
Pay any fee they chose to name
Right then if they would stop the flames,
Or try to make the heat subside
And save the creatures trapped inside.
South Fulton’s Fire Chief flat declined
To change what you might call his mind
And shook his head…such matters all
Were settled down at city hall.
For now the civil thing to do
Was let it all go up the flue.
His men would stay around, of course,
Until the fire had spent it’s force,
To see that flames did not invade
Adjacent homes where fees were paid.
And so Gene’s house burned to the ground
With ash and refuse strewn around
And down amid the charred beam ends
The bodies of four absent friends
Lay still beneath a life’s debris
Close by South Fulton Tennessee.

Now that’s funny! LOL!

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND AND THE MAYOR AND CHIEF WILL FIGURE THAT OUT…THEY WILL REEP WHAT THEY HAVE SOWN!

POS mayor and city commissioners. They could have put the fire out and charged the 75 dollars. They are guilty of not trying to save the animals which are innocent no matter what the details are. In an economy where 75 dollars can be hard to come by, provision should be made for indigent cases or simple forgetfulness of the elderly. They could have set the policy that they will put out the fires but they will have to go to court to make the arrangements to pay the stinking fee. POS firefighters for not having the balls to stand up to the mayor and city commissioner. The fees are paid in town by residents there with tax dollars and the short trips offset those that are further out. So just as if you are poor you can be jailed you can be allowed to be killed by fire. Do the police also have a policy to not respond to 9-11 calls in Fulton or do you have to pay for police protection out of pocket? Please join me in calling the POS mayor and city commissioner. We could remind them every few days with calls of criticism and shame for these miscreants for officials. There is a better way and believe me when your house is on fire and your belongings are saved you are a lot more appreciative and glad to pay the 75 even if after the fact. Officials should serve all of the people even the poor or forgetful. If I was not making sure my mothers affairs were in order for her, there would be some things that could happen just like this too her. All I can say is that if it were done to my mother I would be in jail for kicking the mayor and commissioner’s asses into next week. Shame them until they shut off their phones. make them so miserable they will have to rethink their POSition. Please join me in giving those bastards a piece of reality every day til we get changes made. Take a look at your county rules where you live and see if you need to get them changed so the policy reflects common decency and alternative ways to recover any fees after services are rendered. 

They were terrified and scrambling to get out. I know. I have seen what they do when they think there are going to burn. Until smoke knocks them out they were terrified. That is another reason those bastards should be shamed on this. I have ten pets. They are like children to me.