Did y'all get your tax increase notice for fire protection?

Well, we got one up here in Hoover for our Escambia County house.  Having been involved with fire departments for a decade or two, I have mixed emotions regarding increased funding.

Yeah, the new MSBU (non-ad valorem) taxes will fund 12 full-time firefighters at the Ferry Pass and West Pensacola fire stations, and put either 12 full-time firefighters at the Myrtle Grove station or day crews of four firefighters at the Myrtle Grove, Bellview and Innerarity Point stations.

I have experienced the transition from begging for money to having money doled out to the fire department by the County.  (My experience?  I was the President of the Board of Directors of a VFD at the time, EMT and an Assistant Chief.)

We seemed to "make do" with what we had before MSBU funds became available, but much-needed equipment (new fire truck and air packs, etc.) were purchased when MSBU funds were doled out.

Do we really need paid firefighters at each fire station?  It seems that this is the direction we are headed.  It is expensive, and many folks cannot afford the extra levy.  

Whatever happened to the days where folks volunteered to help put out fires in their community?

Whatever happened to folks helping ? The government took that spot. The sheep no longer help each other that's not their jobs. Hell you might even get jailed for trying.