Volunteers are not above the law, they maybe should have researched a little more of what was involved in being a volunteer fireman, it is not about fellowship but being there to help those that cannot help themselves. They are called to and depended upon to help you not come watch a fire and tell you you are bad because you did not pay for whatever reason.
I have heavy equipment and fully know what it costs to operate and maintain them. I am on the Oregon Department of Forestry's' call list of operators for forest fires and have worked on some of the largest forest fires in Oregon and I assure you we put fires out not watch them for financial reasons. I work about 60 to 70 hours a week in my business and then at night when needed I fix them. The biggest joke is watching local volunteers run or leave a forest fire when it crowns, have you ever worked a crowning fire? had to run when the wind switched, cut down burning snags that are 200' tall with hot embers landing on you or someone spraying you with a hose to keep you from burning while cutting? I have done these things and am still alive and when I hear about some firemen sitting watching a house burn for 75 dollars of unpaid fees I have no excuse or way to defend that action as I view it as a different issue than the people not paying. Punishment for not paying is an enforcement issue not something you decide when there is a fire.
Volunteer positions are usually used as a way to get hired into a paid position around my part of the country. Very few volunteers stay.
Quote:
I do have to ask..... How many homes have you volunteered to put out? How many hours a week do you spend working on old equipment when you could be home with your family?
These people are doing a full time job that they should be payed for but they are paying out of pocket to do it. They made a hard choice. One only they could make. My opinion, no one but them has any right to second guess them.
