I've always been suspicious of these fire departments...

Even before I studied the prevalence of fires within the documented historical context... Their frequency defies statistics.

It's another means of control - yet another authority that hides information, doesn't tell members of the community what's going down or what really occurred - even simple/benign situations where knowing the whole story about what happened in YOUR neighborhood wouldn't make any difference.

That's not to take anything away from hard working friends that keep us safe and risk life and limb in genuinely dangerous situations...

And the money laundering...they get a good bit from the budget - yet they're always short equipment or in need of something to do their job. Like I've said many times before - the fraud, waste and abuse goes from your one horse town all the way up to the federal govt and back down again...Taxed enough to afford the best, but everything looks like a rummage sale - don't get me started on streets and roads ...

I didn't even mention how many bored guys start fires just to have something to do...