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The case of a southern Ontario man who’s refusing to pay for his rescue after an ice-fishing expedition went wrong is spurring a debate about whether billing those in need of rescue will discourage others from calling for help.
The practice is called "rescue billing" and is meant to recoup the costs that cities and towns incur every time they have to rescue someone from a situation that perhaps they should not have been in.
But not all agree with the practice. Neil Robbescheuten, a retired Oshawa schoolteacher says he plans to fight a $5,400 bill that he recently received from the Lake Scugog fire department, after he had to be rescued while ice fishing.
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The Icefisherman who was rescued is a very calm and I think Intelligent Man who I also think will win this Case and if he doesn't there is definately something wrong with the System and I won't be spending my money in the Scugog Township. I also wasn't very impressed with the Representative for the Fire Department and you could see he was uncomfortable with the Knowledge about Ice Safety and Conditions that the Icefisherman put out there.
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I do feel the ice fisherman could have been better prepaid eg compass, GPS, or even a map program like Navionics, he was actually lost not in trouble through the ice. I also think the fisherman may have panicked and which caused more confusion. I do not however agree with the fine levied or the reasons noted by the fireman as to how the amount of the fine was determined. He actually stated that part of the cost of the fine was to cover training costs?????? Are these costs not covered and supported by the taxpayers already? Other costs were applied based on the time or labour required! Well these too are paid for by he taxpayers in the form of what most people call a salary. This is now going too far in my opinion and the fine should be removed. I will note however that everyday lots of people pay for a similar service and you don't hear much about it. If you call 911 and end up in an ambulance, wait till you see that bill. Once you open that door, anyone can step through. Just saying, not advocating for fines to be levied.
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We can beat this one till the cows come home. The way I see it, they've found a new way to tax us by charging for emergency services that our hard earned tax dollars already pay for.
Not that Dolton McGuilty is any better than that self professed lesbian we have running our province now, but from what I see with her plans for us, bend over and get out the vaseline.
I can just see it now, you call 911 and are asked by a computer to enter your credit card number followed with the expiry date before you will be connected to an operator. I'd be willing to bet that in the near future, your 911 calls will be answered in Bungladesh too!
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Don't get me started John, you may have to take moderator action. I just had a fight with the school board about support or "lack of "for my son. Apparently English has to be your 2nd language to qualify for the funding I have been paying into for 35yrs
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interesting points made. i think there might be some validity in charging a lugan that heads out in unsafe conditions BUT should a reasonable man acting in a responsible manner be penalized for needing 911 assistance when he already pays for it through taxes? nope, don't think so.
anyone else see someone doing he bunny shadow beside the FD guys head at the 3:30 minute mark? now that is funny
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One question to the township.........
Who pays for the fire dept rescue team to be on "hot standby" for the annual Bobbie Drew/regional and town council's Polar Plunge at Palmer's Park every Feb?
Yeah, thought so. There's some fat for your rescue budget Mayor.
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I would refuse to pay and do my time on weekends - between now and say May 10th when the pickeral season starts.
I feel for this guy being made an example of, I will think twice before I ever fish Scugog again just as a matter of principal. The dollars lost to the community will far outweigh the $5,400 fine they hit this guy with.
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