Sunday, August 30, 2009

Privatize The Fire Department

I do love me some good satire, don't you?



I wonder if Charlie Sykes or Patrick McIlheran will even get it.
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12 comments:

  1. DanAugust 30, 2009 at 10:31 PM

    Actually, there are some full time fire departments in the U.S. that are privatized. Many more volunteer departments are also private.
    It's not a far out possibility and to be honest, there is no real reason why a private fire department could not operate.
    Further, it seems that firefighters have been started to get greedy. There are all sorts of scams out there, especially with overtime. Most firefighters for the Clark County Fire Department make over $100,000 and those that don't are the rookies.
    So, why not privatize? can you give me 1 good reason why they cannot? And please don't insult our intelligence by saying only government can do the job.

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  2. capperAugust 30, 2009 at 10:36 PM

    Gee, you're right, Dan. While your house is burning down, get on the computer, do a price estimate from each company and go with the lowest bidder. But make sure you sign the contract first. And if is after hours or on the weekend, be prepared to pay the higher fee for that. And if you want them to use water, that's a higher fee. Oh, and did I mention that the CEO needed to buy a new condo in Florida. To make the company more profitable, he cut the fire crew down. Now it is one old man with a walker and a bad hip, armed with s water pistol and a bad prostate.

    Good luck, idiot.

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  3. capperAugust 30, 2009 at 10:37 PM

    And are your seriously trying to say there is not corruption in the private market? What about Enron? What about Halliburton? You are such a dolt, sometimes.

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  4. DanAugust 30, 2009 at 10:55 PM

    Gee, capper, when you make statements, at least you should make some stupid comments.
    When a private fire department is in a city, they run the entire city, most of the time. i do know of one case, in Billings MT., in the rural area, where there was a private fire department and the homeowners and businesses bought a policy. If there was a fire, the department came out. If they did not, the fire department responded but only to make sure no one was in the house and they let the fire burn. Hard decesion, I know, but not too many did not pay. And no, you cannot pay the fire department after they arrive for the fire.
    There is no case where there are multiple fire departments competing.
    And no, there are no higher fees or water fees- that is just plain stupid.
    Read up on facts before making a fool of yourself.

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  5. capperAugust 30, 2009 at 11:08 PM

    Dan,

    What you just described is called extortion. Pay up or you'll receive the consequences.

    It is also unfair to those that cannot afford. I can see it now...

    "Gee, Mr. Smith, you didn't pay up your premium this year. I'm sorry, we cannot put out the fire that is burning down your home."

    "What!? I've been laid off for the past six months! I can afford anything! Please help me!"

    "Sorry, Mr. Smith, this is a business, and we cannot going around helping people for the helluva it. We got shareholders to answer to. I guess you just SOL. It was nice knowing you. By the way, I hear there's a nice big cardboard box behind the Jones' house. Maybe they'll let you live there. For a small fee, of course."

    Today is a triple bonus smarts day! Thanks, Dan.

    ReplyDelete
  6. DanAugust 30, 2009 at 11:54 PM

    Again, capper, stupidity. Many of those people who don't buy the policy live in the country and when you when you live in the country in Montana, you may live 20or miles out of town. By the time you get the fire dept. There, the house or barn would have been burned down to the ground. So they take a chance.
    Can it be heartless, sure. But they made the decesion to not pay..
    But so you don't make any more foolish statements, here are some links: http://blog.heritage.org/2009/08/26/how-private-fire-departments-success-undermines-obamacare/
    http://www.ruralmetro.com/
    http://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=565
    You can thank me later for not sounding like a fool.

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  7. capperAugust 30, 2009 at 11:59 PM

    Spelling and grammatical errors aside, you still make yourself a fool. These arguments do not undermine the need for nationalized health care, but only enforces it.

    Dan, sometimes it is not a matter of choice. Sometimes people cannot pay, especially until we finally climb out of this recession/depression that the failed policies you endorsed has caused us.

    To let someone's house burn down because they're not rich is amoral and not to be tolerated. If you feel otherwise, I pity your soul.

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  8. DanAugust 31, 2009 at 9:48 PM

    "To let someone's house burn down because they're not rich is amoral and not to be tolerated"
    Again, stupid is as stupid does.
    Most, if not all those choose not get the policy are not poor. They made descesion based on cost vs savings. They also have fire insurance, so they are not hurting that bad.
    I realize you live in an urban area and vacation up north, but you have no clue about living out west.

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  9. capperAugust 31, 2009 at 10:03 PM

    Reckon not. Even at the northern castle, people are civilized.

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  10. grumpsSeptember 3, 2009 at 4:49 PM

    Wait a minute, Dan. Did you just say that it's okay to let the rural homes burn down because they have Fire Insurance anyway?

    Let's connect the dots. If you have a Public Fire Department that is obligated to serve all in the district it saves money for thsoe who have private fire insurance anyway.

    So a public option for fire control neither stops private insurance nor interferes with other users of the service while a wholly privatized solution might mean that your building that was not privately protected could endanger the entire block if allowed to burn unchecked. You know. Kind of like letting the uninsured use Emergency Rooms for primary care.

    Thanks for playing the game. You've made the case for a public option very clearly in your example.

    And stop calling people names. This isn't RDW.

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  11. DanSeptember 6, 2009 at 9:36 PM

    Grumps, I realize you live in a small town but you don't live in a remote town. If you live in the country in places like Montana and North Dakota, places where ie I am familar with, there are places where there is no fire protection, either by private or government fire departments. These p[laces may be 50 miles or more from the nearest city and fire department.
    So, using your analogy, if a person lives to far out in the country, they are not entitled to health insurance.
    Please become more educated about life in the west. Or is that name calling?

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  12. AnonymousDecember 28, 2011 at 12:44 AM

    Ever notice how alll fire departments are primarily white? Ocassional token non-white here or there, but it seems obvious they reserve these soft easy money spots for those who fit their ideal for their "fraternity".
    And the pay/benefit package!!! This is an industry which needs privitization, let alone austerity.
    If not for that family those three men would still be alive.
    How many have to die? If another loses his life will this stop?

    ReplyDelete

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