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Man Gets Billed for a Fire He Extinguished Himself
Detroit Free Press via YellowBrix
October 26, 2009
BELLEVUE TOWNSHIP — A Bellevue Township man was charged for the work of 13 firefighters last July, though only two firefighters showed up to check on a brush fire he’d already doused.
John Villeneuve said kids playing with fireworks near his home in Eaton County, northeast of Battle Creek, caught a bush on fire in his front yard. Though a neighbor called 911, Villeneuve said he had the fire out before firefighters arrived and called to cancel the run.
Nonetheless, two plainclothes firefighters from the township’s volunteer department arrived in their personal vehicles to check on the fire, Villeneuve said and Bellevue Township Supervisor Bernard Otto confirmed. Villeneuve said the men were there fewer than 10 minutes.
Weeks later, Villeneuve received a bill for $375 — a charge that included a fire truck run and one hour’s pay for 13 firefighters who were on duty at the station at the time, despite the fact only two had responded to the house.
After months of phone tag and haggling, Villeneuve got the township to admit a paperwork mix-up put the fire truck charge on the bill, and that was removed. But the $195 for the 13 firefighters remains. Because the bill remains unpaid, the township said the bill will go to a debt-collection agency.
“It’s a little bizarre, I’ve got to say,” Villeneuve said. “I wouldn’t ask to be paid if I wasn’t working.”
He said he’s willing to pay for the two men who responded, but not the 11 others.
Otto said Villeneuve was treated the same as any other township resident. The 22-person department serves Bellevue and Assyria townships, as well as the village of Bellevue in Barry County and Convis Township in Calhoun County.
“It’s not the township; it’s the fire board’s rules and regulations,” Otto said. “They adopted it years ago that any firefighter who interrupted their life and took their time to go down to the fire station would get paid for an hour of their time.”
jpduroche
21 days ago
20 comments
I agree with smb, the homeowner was protecting his property that neighboring kids had put in danger with the fireworks, he was not at fault, and is not Liable, the Parents of those kids are !!!
smb
21 days ago
12 comments
If the resident didn't call 911, and the services were not needed, and the FF's did not perform any duties at the scene then it should be written up as a false call. The resident did not request 911, and did not need 911, and was not imposing a risk on anyone else. Bill it to the parents of the kids playing with the fireworks or to the neighbor that called and requested the fire dept.
firechix55
28 days ago
10 comments
when we bill the personel on stand by at the station are paid as well. and trucks are billed by the hour. the guy should just pay the bill or turn it into his insurance co. just think how many calls fire department run and don't get paid. just think my neighboring department automatically bills for 3 hours for each call.
CPLNessa
28 days ago
106 comments
I agree with the homeowner on the fact that he would pay for the 2 vol. fire personel but refuses to pay for the 11 other personel. I also agree with the homeowners statement of "I wouldn’t ask to be paid if I wasn’t working.” This statement is so true. With our department if we get toned out as an "ALL CALL" All personell that arrive at the call get paid for the time that they were on scene + mileage from the station theyre assigned to until they arrive on scene and return to the scene. The fire district board members have battled over this for yrs that i know of.