Bravo!  I'm a vol. f/f too.

Sue the fire dept?    For what?  Did they start the fire?  Heck, truth be
known, the owner was probably negligent in not maintaining his vehicle.
After all, how many well maintained vehicles spontaneously burst into
flames at Taco Bell.

 What if he ran into someone and killed them because he was too damn cheap
to maintain the van?   Then what would we be facing . . .

HkS

At 05:51 PM 4/20/99 -0400, you wrote:
>  Eric writes, "I would start by getting a good lawyer and suing the nozzle
>nuts. They cause more damage than the fire
>sometimes. It's a wonder they didn't try to cut the roof on a door post, to
>get in to a perfectly fine unlocked door to get to the fire."
> My wife is a Paramedic who runs 911 calls in Shelby County, TN. surrounding
>Memphis.  Stationed in a firehouse and making the fire scene with
>firefighters she is exposed to all of the dangers attendant to fire fighting.
> A burning automobile is a danger to those who are fighting the fire and
>there is risk of injury.  Those "hose nuts" have a responsibility to protect
>the public interest while at the same time protecting their personal safety.
>They have a responsibility to attack the fire in a manner that is aggressive
>enough to ensure their personal safety.  Unfortunately, that may mean the
>application of more water than may seem appropriate to the average observer.
>There is often more damage from water than from fire.  That is the current
>state of the technology.  If you don't want water damage, don't call the fire
>department.  But, there will be little left to salvage if you don't.
>
>Rico Dagastino
>Munford, TN.