IAFF Condemns Tennessee, municipal fire code"> IAFF Condemns Tennessee, municipal fire code

Posted by SenoritaRuth on Oct 7, 2010 in Urban & rural | 0 comments

The International Association of Firefighers (IAFF) has spoken out against the fire policy that the South Fulton Fire Department abode by during the tragic events that led to the complete destruction of a home in Obion County, TN.

This even strikes close to home for me; who can forget the Albuquerque bosque fire or the horrible Los Alamos fire. The city, the county and the state worked hard to protect as many lives and homes as possible. It would have been impossible to maintain a policy that refused to move on lifesaving techniques because of the good standing or lack thereof of the community.

What does $75/year pay for, anyway? Certainly not the budget for a fire department. The firefighters are paid out of a fund that doesn’t include the entire community and the dues don’t clear three digits? No way. How many fire trucks does that pay for? Equipment? Or wait– are you supposed to buy an oxygen mask and tank for your “sponsored” firefighter? It doesn’t add up. There’s a fire department as a result of having to face fire as a basic natural event.

That a first world country like ours is unable to consistently manage, in our sheltered independence, a unified, agreed-upon approach to a simple challenge like a housefire is disturbing to me. Fire bad. Community good. Taxes pay for fire fighters, their salaries (yay economy!), the firetrucks and all the technology and equipment that our advanced monkey brains can come up with to engage in implicitly dangerous work, to protect the members of the community equally. Because taxes are our bulk payment to the necessary government infrastructure for services we cannot feasibly provide for ourselves, we are each automatically guaranteed said needed services, including the means by which to battle fire, our ancient foe, as needed.

No additional fees required.

No complicated lists, databases and emotionally traumatized firefighters.

No government is no life, no protection. No taxes is a myth, a delusion used to enforce in people their most childish behavior. Fire protection for all. And hug a firefighter today.

It’s not that hard. It’s really not that difficult at all.

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