Just came home & there was a rattle snake in the road.  The neighbors were all gathered around it wondering what to do.  The neighbors asked if we subscribed to the fire department.  WTH does that mean?  So I called the rural metro people.  They asked if I was a subscriber.  I asked of what?  What am I subscribing to I have no idea!  So the operator said they could come out if I was a subscriber otherwise it would be 500 bucks!  I still did not understand what he was saying.  He just kept repeating you have to be a subscriber & I kept asking of what.  

So I go outside & my husband has killed the snake.  I asked the neighbor what this subscription was & she said you have to pay the fire department to subscribe & if your house burns, they will put it out, otherwise they let it burn because they would be tresspassing.  WHAT??!!  

Can someone please explain this to me?  I thought our taxes pay for this service!  Now not only do I have to pay HOA, I have to pay for fire department?!

py

Do you live in a county island? That's freaking weird.

What is a county island?  I am in a community in Queen Creek.  I guess it is kind of a gray area––people wanted to become independent & become San Tan Valley.  There is a brand new fire station a block from us.  I just don't understand this.  On the web site it does talk about a fee.

You live in an area where your taxes do not pay for a fire dept.
You have the option to pay a private company like Rural Metro a few hundred bucks a year to give you the services and protection that a Fire Dept. provide.
If you don't pay the yearly fee, then you can choose to pay them a one time fee of $500 to come out and perform a Fire Dept. type service.

The oddest thing about this story is the fact that there was thought about calling the fire department over a rattlesnake.

Did you call the fire dept about a rattlesnake?
I don't think they cause many fires.

Was it in need of paramedic treatment?
Because I'm pretty sure firefighters don't do mouth-to-mouth on snakes either.

And a $500.00 snattlerake at that.

Now that makes sense.  I guess the operator I talked to needs to read this, so when idiots like me call-we don't go around and end up in a frustrated circle!

I thought so too, but I heard the neighbor call the sheriff first who said the fire department handles snake calls.  I have not heard of this either being a transplant from Kali.

Exactly what I thought.  After he was dead, my husband picks up the snake by its tail & holds it up, had about 5 or 6 rattles.  All the neighbors go "Oh wow!"  My son (11) says that'd be some good eatin' right there, I tell ya Hwat!  They all said––I'd never eat a snake!  Looks like we will be surviving ok!!  LOL

py

Where I live the FD will come out ONLY if the snake is actually on fire.

Rural Metro is a corporation and like EVERY corporation, they are in "business" to make money primarily, with public safety being of secondary concern. The people that work for RM are good people that want to do what is right, but are bound by company policies and politics. If you are worried about a $500 bill for a snake, you should see the "non subscriber" bill they will send you after your house catches fire.

One of the drawbacks of living on county land and not having to pay taxes is not having a municiple fire department.

I had no idea.  I thought that fire dept was like police.  Guess I need to call & start subscribing on Tuesday!

What happens if you get into a car accident? Do they check to see if you're a subscriber?

I live in San Tan Valley, as well. Rurual Metro is a pay service out here. They bill us about $450.00 a year.

We also have no police department. We fall under the jurisdiction of the Pinal County Sheriff's Dept.

Most people that live out here, are from other cities, and states. I've got a couple neighbors that hunt, and stuff like that, but for the most part, all my neighbors are city slickers. Next time just kill the snake, or I'll come over and do it for you!

[/quote]

Exactly what I thought.  After he was dead, my husband picks up the snake by its tail & holds it up, had about 5 or 6 rattles.  All the neighbors go "Oh wow!"  My son (11) says that'd be some good eatin' right there, I tell ya Hwat!  They all said––I'd never eat a snake!  Looks like we will be surviving ok!!  LOL

py

[/quote]

Um...be careful with rattlers. Kill it by taking the head off, completely.
Do not play with the head - the dead rattler can still strike - seriously.
And there is still venom in the glands.
Dig a hole and bury the head.

I bet we are neighbors!!  Copper basin?

I got tired of the people across the street dicking around with it & pissing it off.  We went inside for a while to let it & them calm down as he was on our property by then.  About 15 minutes later, we come out with lights & shovel & decapitated.  We didn't bury it, but threw it in the trash.  THe can is empty being just dumped  friday.  Can't get into it unless you tip it over & crawl in.  Think that will be ok?

Shaking my head at the for profit private emergency services. Im sorry to hear about the fire departments lack of willingness to help you/be involved in the community.

I'm still trying to figure out why the snake had to die?  

Didn't want to kill it, but had no way to catch it safely.  There are lots of kids around & there will be puppies around in about a week, I can't afford a $500 rattle, so unfortunately death was the only option.

I'm actually down in the Cambria development, near Ironwood/Ocotillo. Been out here since '03!

This is what happens when politics take over common sense. Pretty common in the greater Phoenix area. We have a lot of transplants from liberal shit holes that bring this nonsense to our state.

I drive that way M-F even though the GPS says that Ellsworth to 202 is faster.  Ironwood is 2 lanes & a much less stressful drive––except for the wankers who like to tail gate, speed around you then cut you off!

Welcome to AZ! We drive fast out here!!

And  most aren't very good at it. Say what you will, the Californios are aggressive drivers, but they're good at it. (Arizonans, not so much)

No odder to me than someone who goes through their daily life ignorant about what goes on in their community and how things work around them.  I feel for the dispatcher who kept having to hear "A subscriber of what?" a half a dozen times.  Who did you call, the fire department or the bloody petting zoo?





OP, educate yourself and become involved in your community.  Learn how things work and what you need and don't need.  You'll find this helps to prevent those unpleasant little surprises that constantly plague clueless people.





Sorry, I don't mean to be harsh, but I have to deal with clueless people every day and it gets old.  The information is out there and it's easy to access, make use of it, knowledge is never a bad thing.





 

In the OP's defense, he won't know he has to pay for his Fire/EMS srvices, until his bill arrives in the mail. They might not mail him one out for months. Nobody comes around and tells you all the rules of living out here. Nobody in my neighborhood really talks to each other, and when we do, it's rarely about Rural Metro.

Rural-Metro has been around in Arizona for 50+ years.  It's always been "pay to play".

Some of you that have been around a while might remember when R/M got into a heap of hot water over a fire, probably 1993 or so.  They had a station at the corner of Scottsdale and Thunderbird Roads.  It was on the SE corner.  There was a Jack in the Box (IIRC) on the SW corner.  It caught on fire.  People were running all over, smoke inhalation injuries, etc.  The guys at the R/M station just came outside and watched, because the store wasn't a subscriber.  It didn't go over well in the community, but what can you do?

If you're not a Rural Metro subscriber, but your neighbors are, they will come out and watch your house burn.  They're just there to make sure it doesn't spread to your neighbors.  They don't care if yours burns to the ground.

Because snakes are the embodiment of pure evil.

That statement is the embodiment of pure ignorance.

no way dude snakes need to be killed with fire

That's why I was saying there was a lack of common sense. For someone to sit back and not help, while a family becomes homeless, seems ridiculous to me.

You don't have police either, you have a Sheriff's department.

This is somewhat surprising. Normally Rural Metro sends out an extortion letter every year threatening to tell you're homeowner's insurance co that you do not have fire coverage unless you "subscribe".

In other parts of the county there is often a volunteer dept. but Rural Metro seems to have a monopoly on this part of the valley.

You live in an area that doesn't have the tax revenue that could support a municipal fire department or a governing body that wants to run it.  Rural Metro actually meets a need for smaller communities in this situation.  They employ mostly hard working well intentioned guys that want to help.  The incident with the jack in the box is an isolated incident the guys should have had more tact than to stand out there and watch.  Emergencies are divided up and life safety issues will be handled and billed for later, if its not a life safety deal then you should be given the option to refuse care and billing.  

In the boom we had a huge influx of transplants that weren't aware of this sort of thing and it's a shame that realestate agents weren't telling people all of the aspects of living in sprawl communities.  The firefighters on the trucks can only do what they are allowed to.  I assure you if the guys on the trucks could they would go to every fire they could get to and help "Mrs Smith" at every opportunity, but because of the economics they can only do what they are allowed to.  If they take a truck to where they aren't sent and attack a fire using their bosses $500,000 truck with their $5000 personal protective equipment (thats per guy).  A standard house fire, if tis such a thing, starts out with 3 engine companies a ladder truck and a Battalion Chief to coordinate the operation.  Thats 18 personnel that need to be at the station ready to go 24 hours a day.   Its a little over a million dollars a year to operate an Engine Company  the Ladder Company is a little more with the $900,000 apparatus and rescue equipment.  

Firefighters all want to help but if a crew goes rogue and tries to put out a house fire they could face all kinds of problems like stealing from their bosses (misusing company property),.  If a crew member gets hurt the Company officer could be held civily responsible for endangering his crew.  

Another aspect that needs to be considered in this issue is if you choose to live in a rural community a level of self sustainment is essential.  You also have to realize that if a fire happens at your house and you live in a community that has fewer civil services you will have longer response times and that can result in more property damage than you would have in a more urban setting.

[/quote]In other parts of the county there is often a volunteer dept. but Rural Metro seems to have a monopoly on this part of the valley.[/quote]


If you can get someone to donate property and facilities and training materials and equipment.  Then you get enough people to "volunteer" their time to ride the trucks and deliver services, then you can determine what services you will have.  

I would volunteer one day a month

I agree. Its an irrational fear, but they are the only thing I'm afraid and the best way to watch me scream like a little girl and run away is to show me a snake.

One would think that if R/M went out and put out a fire at a non-subscribers home, that otherwise would have resulted in a total loss, the homeowners insurance company would obligated to pay some amount to R/M for their services. It seems fairly logical... but thats probably why it doesn't happen.

Say said house was valued at 200k. R/M puts out fire, resulting in 50k in damages instead of a full loss.  Insurance company pays out 25k to R/M, 50k for repairs, and are still out less than half what they would have been if R/M had sat outside and watched to make sure the neighbors house didn't burn.

There's probably too many "if's" in that scenario though. The insurance company would say that their service didn't prevent any further damage, and that the fire would have gone out on its own. They might even say they caused additional water damage. The private fire departments would say that every fire they put out would have resulted in total loss, and expect to be payed accordingly. Too bad, seems like if everyone could pay nice together, they'd all profit.



Eh... I'm all for live and let live, but if there's a rattler in my driveway, I would (and have in the past) remove its head. I have little ones to worry about. Now, if I was walking through the desert and walked up on one, I'd let it go about its business, because at that point I'm in it home.

If you subscribe to Rural Metro Fire your house will burn down anyways! I've seen them on fires before and often wonder how 2 guys can get 3 trucks to a fire???? Then they run around wondering where to start first. By the time everyone shows up and they have a plan, guess what your home is GONE!!! As far as the snake goes, why would you call 911 for that anyways????????? People just dont think for themselves anymore and want someone else to decide for them, your a grown adult figure it out for yourself.

Rural Metro Firefighters have no ideal who are subscribers or not. They respond to all fires just the same, even if the house or business is known to not be in their jurisdiction but know that they can beat the other fire department there. The previous post holds some truth. But, consider that Rural Metro does in essence the same service as a municipal department at a mere fraction of the cost. And if you think that a municipal fire department is not for profit, ask that to someone you just recieved a bill after getting transported to the hospital. I wish I didn't have to pay the taxes. I would fork over the few thousand dollars in installing a residential fire sprinkler system.

Perhaps the incident I described earlier changed the way they operated.  In the past, they DID know who was and who wasn't a subscriber and didn't respond to non-subscribers.

That's funny. So I guess I can't count on you for help on cage cleaning day?!?  

Rural Metro is a "private" fire department. If a fire breaks out near Saguaro Lake for example they pull their engines from Queen Creek & East Mesa. Sometimes they send an engine from Litchfield Park. I am sure you can figure the response distance from Queen Creek to Saguaro Lake..during that time their coverage is 1-2 engines down. If they pull a tender that may be staffed by volunteers. Going off that idea you can figure their response time for additional calls.



Off Happy Valley & 7th Ave is a county island, their closest response is Cave Creek. If its a medical call they will pull the Cave Creek engine & rescue = no Cave Creek coverage..Carefree does have an engine & rescue..what happens if they are also on a call..well Scottsdale has to fill in the gap.



Rural Metro does assist Phoenix / Mesa with mutual aid but most of the time Phoenix or Mesa has to respond to their calls and is usually their before RMFD.



Phoenix & Mesa will NOT staff a Rural Metro station when all of their units are on a call



Going to city fire departments, Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Daisy Mountain, Black Canyon City, Mesa, Sun City, Scottsdale, Tempe they function as ONE DEPARTMENT although all the agencies are dispached by Phoenix except Black Canyon City who uses Sedona Fire & Mesa who dispatches themselves.



If a huge fire breaks out in Tempe resources are sent from many different agencies. During the event the Tempe stations could be staffed with units from Mesa, Glendale, Scottsdale & Phoenix. If an accident happens on Northern and 51st Ave units could be sent from Glendale & Phoenix unless the dispatcher see's a closer unit by GPS say a Tempe or Sun City engine close by maybe in Glendale for training, then they will be dispatched. It is not uncommon for Black Canyon City to dispatch a rescue to Anthem for Daisy Mountain. It is not uncommon when Black Canyon City requests Daisy Mountain for a fire or rollover for the dispatcher to also send Phoenix units to Black Canyon City to ease the dispatched units from Daisy Mountain or send units from Phoenix to cover the Daisy Mountain stations.



I would NEVER live in a RMFD subscriber area..Their firefighters & medics are trained well however usually staffed less than city departments. How would I know there would always be a unit at the station, even if I lived 3 miles from it. Its the feeling of dying and knowing someone is 3 miles away but no one is home and the closest unit is 30 miles away.. that is not the case if you are within the Phoenix mutual aid system under a city department.

Sorry you have to deal with clueless people like me who are new to arizona.  Let me tell you a little about me––I have lived in this house a total of 3.5 month.  I have lived in AZ since Feb. 2010 & the majority of that was in a hotel because of a brother in law who went full retard....

Becoming involved in my community?  I try probably not hard enough because my time was limited because after we moved in, I got laid off from the job that re-located us here & had to look for work.  Now that I am working again, I am working 10-11 hour shifts & have about a 2 hour commute ( I am not in a hurry to get to work & to tired to speed coming home).  When I get home, it is dinner, husband, kids, dog (pregnant) & bill juggling that brings me to about 11pm.  

Coming from CA, you need fire dept you call, they come.  You call police/sheriff, they come.  I never knew that there are private fire companies.  I bet there are alot of people who don't know either.  I don't talk to any neighbors because I don't see them.  

Being a Nurse of almost 15 years, I too have to deal with clueless people––like the people who tell their parents who have end stage cancer and having 10/10 pain not to take morphine because they will become addicted.  I have to continously educate & re-educate, families, patients & staff.

Believe me, Knowledge is not a bad thing, I have a ton of info packed into my pea sized brain, but if I don't know something exists how can I look it up?  That is why I posted the event here.  I knew someone would be able to shed some light on it. And Z1500 was the first to give an answer I could understand!!




P.S. you don't sound harsh, you sound like my Dad!!

Thank you!

If you subscribe to Rural Metro Fire your house will burn down anyways! I've seen them on fires before and often wonder how 2 guys can get 3 trucks to a fire???? Then they run around wondering where to start first. By the time everyone shows up and they have a plan, guess what your home is GONE!!! As far as the snake goes, why would you call 911 for that anyways????????? People just dont think for themselves anymore and want someone else to decide for them, your a grown adult figure it out for yourself.

[/quote]

Give me some credit!  I called the non-emergency number.  

Not so much. I have no idea why I'm afraid of them either. I have never had a bad experience other than some overcooked rattlesnake a few years ago that was a bit chewy!