Some wealthy property owners in California are hiring private fire crews, which can cost thousands of dollars a day. Demand for private firefighting has been rising as wildfires have grown in ferocity and frequency over the past several decades.
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Gee I wonder why fires are growing in intensity hmmm I'm sure it's nothing after all climate change is clearly fake the world is flat and dinosaurs are not real. For more of my truth as the last free thinker plz follow my YouTube channel on..
What the hell is going on over there? Why don't you use public funds to finance a powerful fire department?
Is that stupid neoliberalism? (Translated with AI)
For all the thoughts and prayers for the California climate disaster, is literally nobody talking about addressing climate change?
Y’all think giving dimes to the Red Cross is the answer??
Yes and taking resources away from the larger community. So don’t pay taxes, create personal space programs, buy a presidency and suck the government dry.
The rich undermine public institutions because they have the means to do without them, even if it costs more and isn’t as good. Why? There’s less motivation to fix your soul when your belly is full.
Is it extra hoarding... to retrofit an existing house with a sprinkler system? Extra hoarding to fire-proof your residence with cement fiber siding or concrete walls? Why does hiring a private company to protect their assets mean they're not paying taxes? Lol bruh
Private company has to be licensed and insured... And would have to have a fire hydrant use permit or else they face serious fines which would negate the money-making aspect of it all. Not sure about the ponds and lakes stuff tho homie.
Yeah, just looked it up. Looks like income over $1m ends up taxed at 13.3%. That said, that only covers what the state can do, and if have to think we need national involvement in disasters like this. The state tax rate looks pretty decent, but the federal is way too low still.
This is wrong and unethical!
This privatization of fire protection services will take away vital trained and experienced resources from the public pool of responders.
Coordination of response risk versus private profit driven response
Maybe if the wealthy paid taxes we would have enough public funding that they don't have to spend 100x more instead on private services. Raise all taxes for corporations and the top 20%, and collect them.
Does it have to come to this, that the state-owned firefighters in the world's most powerful country is unable to deploy effective mechanism to protect against fire outbreak?
They won't pay taxes. But they will pay for private clubs, private hospitals, private education, private roads, private security/police, private fire fighters, private parks, private restaurants, organic food...when they are the victims they talk about solidarity.
I'm against this practice in a big way but I'm getting a little disgusted with the NYT.
Whatever it takes to drum up controversy and "outrage."
The tail is wagging the dog hard and fast around these fires.
Maybe it's all that time on cement. Go touch some grass nerds.
There is an art to building something that will stand up to earthquakes (flexible like wood) and something that will stand up to wild fires (nonburnable like concrete).
Are these private units using public resources? Are they drawing on public water & water delivery systems? Are they blocking roads so that public firefighting equipment can't protect the public? Those with the money to always think they are entitled to more than their fair share of public assets!
yes, in days gone by a national tragedy got an American "all for one and one for all response." Not anymore. Wealth is fine but there is no trickle down. We all use same roads, water etc. This tragedy exposes how far down we have gone.
Does anyone know if these private fire fighter crews use the same city water hydrants & water? If so, do they reimburse the city and taxpayers for water used? Or do their trucks supply their own tanks of water?
Hey that picture times is most likely from water trucks that work in the film industry in Hollywood 📽🎬, picture taken most likely on a set, not a private firefighter thing
In Trump’s America there will be no common public goods and only the rich living in gated communities will be able to afford police and fire protection. But this is how much of the rest of the world already lives so …
Oh my god. Shut the fuck up. Ok they’re doing that. Fine. Ok. We lost our fucking home and I would do the same if we could afford it. Firefighters in my family. Film people too. Just shut the fuck up. Just shut the fuck up!!!!!!
You are missing the whole point of the criticism here mate. You said it yourself, you couldn't afford it... but rich people can, doesn't that ring a bell? Higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations could properly fund firefighters so you don't have to bid on a bloody essential service.
I’m yelling into the abyss here at the New York Times after we ran for fucking lives. You don’t have to comment on my comment, just let people be complicated and angry. Im a thoughtful person and agree that the fucking rich ass motherfuckers don’t deserve more than anyone else
Mr.Whole Heart thinks he's a better person because his house burned down. Reality check: you are not, you are despicable, willing to outbid others for a public service as long as they save YOUR house. Keep yelling to the abyss, it's working wonders mate.
Did that occur to you that while firefighters were paid huge sums of money to save a billionaire's third home, they could have been working for the public instead, and would have been saving YOUR home?
Yes, but it won't make things better. You know what would? Rich people paying taxes. You don't realize that you are the victim here, defending people who harm you.
The rest of ours. Read about those pistachio and almond buyers for a little extra 🤌 righteousness.
They're looting california and they'll never get in trouble for it. Not even a bit.
Where do these firefighters come from? Are they retired? Do they work for movie studios? As long as they're not using public equipment or taking anything away from the public firefighters, I don't really have a complaint. Must be nice to be able to afford it, though.
It's true of medicine too. People pay flat annual fees for concierge doctors or to see specialists bec. in-network MDs are too backed up or insurance prohibits treatment. Those with $ pay out of pocket for expenses govts pay for everywhere else. I'll never understand 49% chosing this.
where do private fire cos get their resources? did bring it from Arizonia? whose lakes and ponds did they use? did they deplete the city resources before the pools?
How does that work? Save my house but not the house of my neighbour so my house catches fire again so save my house but not the house of my other neighbour so my house catches fire again so save my house but not the house of my backyardneighbour so my house catches fire again?
Capitalism is out of control! We've got such economic disparity that some people can pay thousands of dollars a day for a fire crew and some can't even afford to eat. America should be ashamed!
These fires are a gold rush for people who couldn’t get a property but have millions to spend.
They just need to find the desperate folks and families to pray on desperation.
And with the knowledge the incoming cabinet will know a lot about plannings and rebuild.
Sounds like there needs to be a firefighter income tax. Any money beyond that paid by public sources is taxed to death. Avoid having rich people hire them all away from the public work.
These so called “Private” Firefighters should work for the county/city to serve everyone in need NOT the RICH who own multiple properties around the USA and the WORLD… SHAME
Reminds me of a scene in the movie “Gangs of New York”, where rival firefighting companies from different parts of the city fight each other for the right to put out a fire—and to loot.
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Is that stupid neoliberalism? (Translated with AI)
Y’all think giving dimes to the Red Cross is the answer??
@tommykrappweis.de @hoaxmistress.bsky.social @hoaxmaster.bsky.social @tentakelkaiser.bsky.social
This privatization of fire protection services will take away vital trained and experienced resources from the public pool of responders.
Coordination of response risk versus private profit driven response
Mark Twain
Whatever it takes to drum up controversy and "outrage."
The tail is wagging the dog hard and fast around these fires.
Maybe it's all that time on cement. Go touch some grass nerds.
They're looting california and they'll never get in trouble for it. Not even a bit.
And it’s the future 49%+ of voters and even more non-voters chose on behalf of the rest of us.
*starts an LLC*
*demands 💰💰💰 upfront*
😈
They just need to find the desperate folks and families to pray on desperation.
And with the knowledge the incoming cabinet will know a lot about plannings and rebuild.
Cards marked, shuffled and dealt.
same question but for the almond farmers and golf courses