After a quick trip to town, Bivaldo Rueda returns to find his auto repair shop in flames. The Monett Rural Fire District is called to the scene, but does nothing to put the fire out.
Instead, Bivaldo fights the blaze with a garden hose and bucket. "They asked for a membership, but I don`t have it," he said.
That membership is a yearly fire protection fee for residents living in that district; 95 dollars for the first year, and 60 each year after that.
But Missouri law says these contract departments don`t have to respond to non-members. "It pays for equipment, it pays for training, we can`t respond to everything," says Chief Ronnie Myers.
Other departments in the state can choose to respond to a non-member fire and charge the owner, at a pretty hefty rate. But that's something Monett rural says they can`t afford to do. "We can`t afford to sit in court and try to get our money," says Myers
But for Bivaldo, who has no insurance to cover the shop, that answer isn`t good enough. "If you`re not a firefighter, and you see someone who needs help, you stop and help."
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