Dublin City brings in €500 firefighter call-out fee will only encourage DIY firemen..

markpb · 19-12-2011 5:19pm

Turner wrote: »

If the fire has taken hold so much (that the car is a right off) and there is no chance of the fire spreading to buildings other cars or trees...

I guess they don't know until they get there whether there's a fire contagion risk or not.

Paulzx · 19-12-2011 6:36pm

Turner wrote: »

To be honest I dont see why the Fire Brigade is required for a car fire.

If the fire has taken hold so much (that the car is a right off) and there is no chance of the fire spreading to buildings other cars or trees... Whats the point in paying the fire brigade to put it out.

Just let it burn itself out.

The fire brigade arent going to magically save it for you, all they will do is fill it with water, break open your bonnet and disconnect your battery.

Ring your insurance company who will tow the shell, or decide its the councils problem to get rid of it.

It's nothing got to do with saving the car. If a car is on fire in a housing estate and its pumping out filthy black smoke all over the houses people are going to want it extingushed as soon as possible.

If its parked at the side of the road and its ablaze no traffic will be able to pass unless they want their paintwork melted. The smoke is also a visabilty hazard to other drivers.

Nobody in their right mind is going to let a car burn out for a few hours in a bulit up area even if it is not an actual fire risk to any building.

It's a fire. It's the fire brigades job to extingush it.

MagicSean · 19-12-2011 6:47pm

CB19Kevo wrote: »

This will really damage the publics view of the Fire service.
All calls outside of commercial incidents should be free to the public.
Emergency services should never be money earners or charge.......

If some moron starts a fire in his back garden to burn rubbish and it spreads should he not have to pay?

Turner wrote: »

To be honest I dont see why the Fire Brigade is required for a car fire.

If the fire has taken hold so much (that the car is a right off) and there is no chance of the fire spreading to buildings other cars or trees... Whats the point in paying the fire brigade to put it out.

Just let it burn itself out.

The fire brigade arent going to magically save it for you, all they will do is fill it with water, break open your bonnet and disconnect your battery.

Ring your insurance company who will tow the shell, or decide its the councils problem to get rid of it.

There are so many other risks in a car fire than just spreading. Paulzx has mentioned a few. What about keeping the public away or salvaging evidence?

Owryan · 19-12-2011 6:58pm

From a family members experience,I can make this comment. An aunty of mine lives in kilkenny, 2 years ago her daughter left a lit candle in the window. Long story short fire brigade called out to fight a fire in the bedroom.

Some weeks later she got a bil for €750 . As she was on disability the council waived most of it as she was on welfare but she was forced to pay a portion as the cause of the fire was deemed as "negligence".

I would assume it will be a similar arrangement , if you are on welfare or below a certain income the fee will be reduced or waived.

In the event the fire is caused by arson or criminal action then if someone is convicted of thr offence then they are billed.

Thats pretty much how it works in Carlow and Kilkenny,

Dermot Illogical · 20-12-2011 12:53pm

savagecabbages wrote: »

I am also annoyed that people expect something for free when others have to pay for it.

Not half as annoying as people being expected to pay for the same thing multiple times. There should be no charge anywhere for the proper use of any emergency services.

markpb · 20-12-2011 1:02pm

savagecabbages wrote: »

I am also annoyed that people expect something for free when others have to pay for it.

Why? Each county and city can chose to provide whatever services it wants to its citizens. They can choose to charge for them or make them free. Dublin City council choose not to charge for fire services to anyone in the four Dublin counties. If your local authority, run by people you elected wants to charge, that's up to them. You can a) vote out those councillors and vote for people who agree with you or b) move somewhere else. That's how democracy works.

savagecabbages · 20-12-2011 4:23pm

markpb wrote: »

Why? Each county and city can chose to provide whatever services it wants to its citizens. They can choose to charge for them or make them free. Dublin City council choose not to charge for fire services to anyone in the four Dublin counties. If your local authority, run by people you elected wants to charge, that's up to them. You can a) vote out those councillors and vote for people who agree with you or b) move somewhere else. That's how democracy works.

So we can expect loads of people to either leave Dublin or bring down the councilors?

Don't know if people understand the point i was making or not, I'm annoyed that people don't give a crap that fire services charge elsewhere in the same country, but as soon as a similar practice is suggested in their area they are up in arms over it...

Btw I don't think any emergency services should charge anywhere in the country for genuine calls.

markpb · 20-12-2011 4:32pm

savagecabbages wrote: »

Don't know if people understand the point i was making or not, I'm annoyed that people don't give a crap that fire services charge elsewhere in the same country, but as soon as a similar practice is suggested in their area they are up in arms over it...

It doesn't really matter what happens in the rest of the country, fire services are provided by your local authority, not the government.

Btw I don't think any emergency services should charge anywhere in the country for genuine calls.

I agree totally.

dfbemt · 14-01-2012 12:34pm

Covered on the Joe Duffy Show yesterday afternoon.

Decent enough show for Liveline. Some very good points made.

http://www.rte.ie/radio/radioplayer/rteradioweb.html#!rii=9%3A3166793%3A53%3A13%2D01%2D2012%3A

psychward · 15-01-2012 5:40pm

markpb wrote: »

It doesn't really matter what happens in the rest of the country, fire services are provided by your local authority, not the government.

Regardless of the thread topic , Government is ultimately responsible for and intimately connected with the funding for the local authority.