So, some local urchins are messing about with some fireworks near your house. One of them goes slightly astray and sets one of your bushes alight in the garden. Yikes! So, you rush out and extinguish the fire, but in the meantime one of your neighbours calls the fire brigade. A few weeks later, you receive a large bill to cover the cost of the callout.
Well according to a news article published this week, this is what happened to an American man living in Eaton County, northeast of Battle Creek in Michigan. John Villeneuve’s fire in his front garden was caused by kids playing with fireworks, but he managed to put the fire out before the firefighters arrived, and he then placed a call to cancel the callout, which his neighbour had initiated.
Even though the firefighting call had been cancelled, two firefighters from the township’s volunteer department arrived in their own vehicles (not a fire truck) to check on the fire. The supervisor Bernard Otto confirmed that the men were there for less than ten minutes.
So, a few weeks later, Mr Villeneuve received a bill for $375. This bill included a fire truck run, and one hour’s pay for the 13 firefighters who were in duty at the station at the time, although only two had actually responded to the call, which Mr Villeneuve had cancelled anyway.
After months of phonecalls, letters, haggling and hassle, the township admitted that the fire truck should not have been included in the bill – apparently there was a paperwork mix up. They have, however, left $195 on the bill for the cost of the thirteen firefighters. As the bill remains unpaid, it is now going to a debt collection agency!
Villeneuve says that he is willing to pay for the two men who responded, but understandably doesn’t feel it’s fair to pay for eleven men who did not!
Supervisor Bernard Otto said that it is the fire board’s rules and regulations that are being adhered to, and that they state that any firefighter who interrupts their life and goes down to the station will get paid for an hour of their time.
One of the comments on this story reads “Considering they never had to dress into any gear, never put out any fire, or open any hydrant, 12 bucks an hour NOT to do anything isn’t bad loot. Pizza delivery guys make about 8 bucks an hour, plus tips. At least the pizza guys bring something tangible. These guys stopped by to watch a smoldering, wet bush.”
An excellent point, I feel!
