The Final Word: Fire Fighters Condemn South Fulton, Tennessee Decision to Let Home Burn Down

[Better Believe It]

For Immediate Release
Contact: Tim Burn
October 5, 2010 202 230-7167

Fire Fighters Condemn South Fulton’s
Decision to Let Home Burn

Washington, DC – International Association of Fire Fighters General President Harold Schaitberger
today issued the following statement on the September 29 fire in Obion County, Tennessee:

“The decision by the South Fulton Fire Department to allow a family’s home to burn to the ground was
incredibly irresponsible. This tragic loss of property was completely avoidable. Because of South
Fulton’s pay-to-play policy, fire fighters were ordered to stand and watch a family lose its home.

“Everyone deserves fire protection because providing public safety is among a municipality’s highest
priorities.

“Instead, South Fulton wants to charge citizens outside the city for fire protection. We condemn South
Fulton’s ill-advised, unsafe policy. Professional, career fire fighters shouldn’t be forced to check a list
before running out the door to see which homeowners have paid up. They get in their trucks and go.”

The International Association of Fire Fighters, headquartered in Washington, DC, represents more than 298,000
full-time professional fire fighters and paramedics and is the leading advocate for health and safety of first
responders in North America. More information is available at www.iaff.org
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http://www.iaff.org/Comm/PDFs/SouthFulton.pdf