Prevention expert is a poor judge of reporters, but has an interesting idea. A suppression fee for those who are negligent.
Bill Delaney is the program manager for community safety education in Montgomery County, MD. He most always writes thoughtful ideas on safety, prevention and the efforts to educate the public.
But you have to question Bill’s credibility after reading his comments about STATter 911 and FireGeezer in his Prevention Matters column at FireRescue1.com. Despite that lapse in judgment, Bill does seem to have an interesting followup to our June 12 posting about the firefighting fees in Leoni Township, MI.
The important stuff is below. Click here to see the whole column:
My thought would be why not charge these folks only if they are found to be negligent in their acts which lead to the fire? In other words, if your actions, or lack thereof, cause the fire — then you pay!
How many folks would continue to put their fireplace ashes in a plastic bag and then in a plastic garbage can in their garage if others in the community were literally paying for their own similar negligent acts? Bet after a few news stories in the local media on the topic, people would pay attention and change their habits!
It can also be instituted for other types of calls that require a fire truck response. For example, an engine and ambulance respond to a motor vehicle crash that is later determined to be caused by a drunk driver. Why not have the person who was negligent, in this case the drunk driver, pay for the service?
After all, at some point he will pay some court costs (and possibly do jail time) and his insurance company will have to reimburse any innocent victims associated with the crash. Why should the local law-abiding taxpayer (or donator to the local VFD) bear the burden of cost for those who are negligent? Especially those who are criminally negligent? And especially with the ever escalating cost of fuel.
As a society, we need to hold people accountable for their actions if we are to ever effect a cultural change in attitude toward preventable fire death and injury.
Sadly, people do not respond to reasonable educational discussion as it relates to their own safety. It is only when there is a threat of legal and financial ramifications do people tend to pay attention and change their behavior .
