Tennessee “Firefighters” let homeowner’s house burn. Why?

Perhaps an alternate title of this entry could be “Whoops… we screwed you… again, and again, and again.”

Why?

It’s not the first time it’s ever happened. In fact, it’s the third.

Last year, firefighters in Obion County Tennessee twice purposely REFUSED to attend to a housefire, and allowed the house to completely burn to the ground. It was nationally – even internationally -reported as a “no pay, no spray” issue.

Why?

The owners had not paid a $75 annual fee to the Volunteer Fire Department. Especially insulting was that the firefighters responded… not to attempt to extinguish the fire, but rather, to prevent fire from spreading to a neighboring house… whose owner had paid the fee.

Fast forward to December 2011.

Same song, third verse. Third verse same as the first.

Have people simply gone mad? Where’s their sense of humanity?!!

Be sure to read the stories from last year’s incident. I’m not certain why – or if – the Tennessee State Legislature dealt with that issue. If not, they should.

Fire Chief Doug McClanahan in neighboring Blount County had this to say about the issue:

The Mute, Poignant Ironies of a Life Well Lived

Ironies are rarely mute.

It’s just that they choose to speak afterward.

They’re kinda’ like God.

It’s sometimes said that, “Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.” Or, as a dear friend of mine once put it, “I don’t believe in coincidence. I believe in God-incidence.”

Thanks be to God, I’ve recently accepted an offer of employment in my field, and will shortly be relocating to be more near that job. For me, that means an out-of-state move. I am thankful… IMMENSELY thankful, for the opportunity, in so many different ways.

As part of my expression of thanks, I had written a note of thanks to one of my Flickr contacts recently, and wanted to share the essence of that letter with you all.

So, with little editing, what follows below represents the gist of the idea I shared in the message.

And before you read further, be aware that this note contains very poignant irony.

Enjoy!