This letter is being written in response to the June 15 article entitled “Mineral County to approve fire department billing.” It has been brought to our attention that some local fire departments within our county are considering billing insurance companies when services are rendered during a structure fire or motor vehicle accident. The County Commission has stated that this new procedure will be entirely voluntary for the involved departments.
While the costs of equipment, training and daily operations are high, we the following Mineral County fire companies -- Short Gap, Fort Ashby, Ridgeley, Patterson Creek, Wiley Ford, Tri Towns and Elk Garden – are adamantly opposed to the idea of billing citizens for these services. All of the above listed fire departments earn income with the help of our communities through donations, fund-raising, Mineral County Fire Department Levy funds and with the help of our state government. We see no further need to financially infringe on our citizens.
Structure fires and motor vehicle accidents are damaging and costly enough without the added strain of a bill from a local volunteer fire department. It was our understanding that the county's Fire Levy was used to offset costs of fire department needs and expenditures, by dedicating a portion of money included within a citizen's taxes to fire departments.
The county has made it clear that only “at fault” parties would be billed at a uniform maximum cost of $500. However, questions arise about billing out-of-state residents during motor vehicle accidents, single-car accidents due to weather, or other uncontrolled circumstances. Would fire companies who choose to bill be allowed to do so if called to assist a company on scene who doesn't? Would a person be given a bill from each fire company that responds to a scene, as often more than one company is generally called?
Structure fires are also said to have a uniform maximum fee of $500, as long as no hazardous materials are involved. How will uniformity be kept if the bill should be less than the required maximum? It has been stated that under no circumstances will citizens ever see a bill for our services, but will their insurance premiums rise once billing begins?
Many unanswered questions remain on this topic. While the idea may help to alleviate the heavy costs we all incur through running organizations of this nature, it is our belief that doing so in our area would only cause to strain relations between fire departments and the communities we serve. We as volunteers risk life and limb on a daily basis to aid citizens of our area in their time of need. In return, fire departments are given donations as thanks. The purpose and motto we strive to live by is: When in need, we will be there, and no thanks are needed. It is simply what we are trained to do
Everett Metheny
Fire Chief
Short Gap Volunteer Fire Co.
On behalf of the below listed fire departments and their members:
Short Gap Volunteer Fire Company
Fort Ashby Volunteer Fire Department
Ridgeley Volunteer Fire Department
Wiley Ford Volunteer Fire Company
Patterson Creek
Volunteer Fire
Department
Tri Towns Volunteer Fire Department
Elk Garden Volunteer Fire Company
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This letter is being written in response to the June 15 article entitled “Mineral County to approve fire department billing.” It has been brought to our attention that some local fire departments within our county are considering billing insurance companies when services are rendered during a structure fire or motor vehicle accident. The County Commission has stated that this new procedure will be entirely voluntary for the involved departments.
While the costs of equipment, training and daily operations are high, we the following Mineral County fire companies -- Short Gap, Fort Ashby, Ridgeley, Patterson Creek, Wiley Ford, Tri Towns and Elk Garden – are adamantly opposed to the idea of billing citizens for these services. All of the above listed fire departments earn income with the help of our communities through donations, fund-raising, Mineral County Fire Department Levy funds and with the help of our state government. We see no further need to financially infringe on our citizens.
Structure fires and motor vehicle accidents are damaging and costly enough without the added strain of a bill from a local volunteer fire department. It was our understanding that the county's Fire Levy was used to offset costs of fire department needs and expenditures, by dedicating a portion of money included within a citizen's taxes to fire departments.
The county has made it clear that only “at fault” parties would be billed at a uniform maximum cost of $500. However, questions arise about billing out-of-state residents during motor vehicle accidents, single-car accidents due to weather, or other uncontrolled circumstances. Would fire companies who choose to bill be allowed to do so if called to assist a company on scene who doesn't? Would a person be given a bill from each fire company that responds to a scene, as often more than one company is generally called?
Structure fires are also said to have a uniform maximum fee of $500, as long as no hazardous materials are involved. How will uniformity be kept if the bill should be less than the required maximum? It has been stated that under no circumstances will citizens ever see a bill for our services, but will their insurance premiums rise once billing begins?
Many unanswered questions remain on this topic. While the idea may help to alleviate the heavy costs we all incur through running organizations of this nature, it is our belief that doing so in our area would only cause to strain relations between fire departments and the communities we serve. We as volunteers risk life and limb on a daily basis to aid citizens of our area in their time of need. In return, fire departments are given donations as thanks. The purpose and motto we strive to live by is: When in need, we will be there, and no thanks are needed. It is simply what we are trained to do
Everett Metheny
Fire Chief
Short Gap Volunteer Fire Co.
On behalf of the below listed fire departments and their members:
Short Gap Volunteer Fire Company
Fort Ashby Volunteer Fire Department
Ridgeley Volunteer Fire Department
Wiley Ford Volunteer Fire Company
Patterson Creek
Volunteer Fire
Department
Tri Towns Volunteer Fire Department
Elk Garden Volunteer Fire Company
