Watching it burn?

An incident last month in Obion County, Tennessee, has thrown a harsh light on what happens when a rural homeowner doesn't pay for fire protection services.

A family's home burned to the ground while firefighters watched from their truck (they had been summoned to protect neighboring homes, whose owners had paid a $75 fee).

The incident sparked an outcry and became a cause celebre amongst political pundits. But the circumstance in which the Tennessee family found themselves is not that unusual in rural areas - and some residences in the Sisters Country are similarly vulnerable.

According to Sisters Fire Chief Tay Robertson, there are "quite a few" residences that lie beyond the boundaries of the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District and are not covered by any municipality or other district.

In the Tennessee case, the homeowner had not paid for protection as required in an agreement with the local municipal fire service. Robertson said the Sisters district has "had some experience with homeowners who do not pay."

Homeowners of residences outside district boundaries can contract with the Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD for fire protection at the same rate (2.73 cents per $1,000 of assessed value) as taxpayers pay within the district. If they do, they're covered. If they don't? What happened in Tennessee is unlikely to happen on the Sisters Fire Department's watch.

"We'll never watch something burn," Robertson said.

Robertson noted a recent episode during the Rooster Rock Fire. A residence lying outside the district was under threat and the homeowner had no protection. The homeowner readily agreed to the contract and the house was protected.

Robertson acknowledged that "technically" if a homeowner simply refuses to pay, the fire department isn't supposed to fight a fire. Under such circumstances, or if no one was home to make a decision, the fire department could fight the fire and bill the homeowner - a cost far beyond that of a contract.

"It's a difficult decision for us," Robertson said. "Basically, it's the homeowner's responsibility to provide fire protection, not ours, if they live outside the district. All of the rest of the district pays their fair share; why should somebody get it for free? It's an equity issue."

Robertson notes that by far the easiest course for everyone involved is for non-district homeowners to sign a contract in advance of any emergency, pay the necessary fee and be assured of coverage.

For information, contact the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District at 541-549-0771.