Privately Run Fire Department

[The Judge]

The City of San Carlos California at the very moment is considering whether or not to privatize the Fire Department. This is under serious discussion.

First the Prisons now the Fire Department, what's next?

[newtothegame]

and?
Not sure where you're going with this.
Pro? Con?
Link?

[mostpost]

Originally Posted by newtothegame

and?
Not sure where you're going with this.
Pro? Con?
Link?

Not to speak for The Judge, but there are some functions which should not be run by private industry for profit. Some things ought to run for the common good. Those would include Police Departments, Fire Departments and even prisons.

[Tom]

Suppose that the service provided by the private companies is vastly superior to the gubbermint version, like, oh, say, Fed Ex and the Post Office!

[lsbets]

Originally Posted by mostpost

Not to speak for The Judge, but there are some functions which should not be run by private industry for profit. Some things ought to run for the common good. Those would include Police Departments, Fire Departments and even prisons.

In many ways Police Departments are run as for profit enterprises. Look into the differing standards needed to confiscate assets (including cash) and what is needed to convict a person of a crime. PDs are rewarded very well for aggressively seizing assets from people who might never be convicted of a crime.

[The Judge]

that nothing is out- of- bounds and no job is safe

Private prisons made money because so many people were sent to prison because of drug related offenses . The trend now is away from incarceration or at least away from prison for drug use offenses.

How does a Private Fire Department increase its profit?

[highnote]

Does anyone remember the story about the judge in Pennsylvania that was sending a lot of kids to a for-profit detention center in Pennsylvania? He was getting kickbacks for sending kids to the prison!

This is one of the dangers of for profit companies -- greed. There aren't many things lower than a judge who is willing to send innocent kids to prison just so he can line his own pockets -- except maybe the person who owns the prison and is giving the kickbacks.

Plus, what happens if the fire department is not profitable? Will it go out of business? Will it cut corners and buy cheaper equipment? Cut staff?

I wouldn't be totally against the idea of a privately owned fire department, but I'd like to know more about how it operates.

We have a volunteer fire department in our town that does just fine. So I don't see the benefit of a privately owned fire department, but I don't know a lot about them, either.

[mostpost]

Originally Posted by swetyejohn

Does anyone remember the story about the judge in Pennsylvania that was sending a lot of kids to a for-profit detention center in Pennsylvania? He was getting kickbacks for sending kids to the prison!

This is one of the dangers of for profit companies -- greed. There aren't many things lower than a judge who is willing to send innocent kids to prison just so he can line his own pockets -- except maybe the person who owns the prison and is giving the kickbacks.

Plus, what happens if the fire department is not profitable? Will it go out of business? Will it cut corners and buy cheaper equipment? Cut staff?

I wouldn't be totally against the idea of a privately owned fire department, but I'd like to know more about how it operates.

We have a volunteer fire department in our town that does just fine. So I don't see the benefit of a privately owned fire department, but I don't know a lot about them, either.

Private means profit trumps service.
Public means service and no question of profit.

A fire department is a service not a profit making opportunity.

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by mostpost

Private means profit trumps service.
Public means service and no question of profit.

A fire department is a service not a profit making opportunity.

What the heck do you know about fire departments?

If there are no high rises, fire departments are overpriced and wasting money. Now in cities like NY and Chicago where there are tall buildings, there is a need.

As someone who has seen many a suburban Dept and how they are run, outsourcing a fire Dept doesn't bother me one bit.

Mosty, take a guess at what a fire truck costs nowadays........and don't use google........it might surprise you

[mostpost]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

What the heck do you know about fire departments?

If there are no high rises, fire departments are overpriced and wasting money. Now in cities like NY and Chicago where there are tall buildings, there is a need.

As someone who has seen many a suburban Dept and how they are run, outsourcing a fire Dept doesn't bother me one bit.

Mosty, take a guess at what a fire truck costs nowadays........and don't use google........it might surprise you

without using google, my guess is over half a million dollars
ETA after googling
Chesterton (Indiana I think) paid between $800,000 and $1m in 2007
Harbor (Ca?) paid $529K
Vista (Ca?) paid $479K)
Answers dot com says between $500K and $1M

[Tom]

Private means profit trumps service.
Public means service and no question of profit.

That is total BS.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by The Judge

How does a Private Fire Department increase its profit?

The old fashioned way - cut costs, improve efficiency, reward suggestions and incentive....you know, all that stuff unions frown upon.

[Robert Goren]

I know because we had a problem with the purchase of one a couple of years ago here. Lets just say it is a lot of money.

[Black Ruby]

Is a privately owned fire department more likely to respond to a trash can fire at the fire department owner's house, or to a house fire in a low income neighborhood, if the amount of fire-fighting resources are limited?

[Tom]

That would depend on the contract they have with the city.
You sound as if you know the answer for all private departments.