Tennessee County Widens Subscription Fire Policy

That same policy allowed family's home to burn
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 20, 2010 3:53 PM CDT
Tennessee County Widens Subscription Fire Policy
A frame grab from YouTube of the Cranick home burning in Obion County, Tennessee.   (YouTube)

Remember the Tennessee home that burned as firefighters watched because the family hadn't paid its $75 annual fee? It may not be the last: Rural Obion County is expanding its subscription program to cover all fire departments in the area next year, reports Time. The county's mayor says it's the only way fire-protection services can be extended to cover all residents. It's "probably the best we can do," he said.

Time provides an overview of the problem—with the cheapest of fire trucks costing $150,000, it's near impossible for rural communities to pay for coverage with bake sales and community pot-lucks. But one local fire chief fears more houses will burn as a result. "It's a public-safety issue," he says. "Subscriptions should be left to newspapers and magazines." (More firefighters stories.)

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