Florida City to Charge Fees for Firefighter Help

Oct. 17, 2007
If firefighters are called and put out a fire at a home, the owners will be billed $500 under the ordinance.

MINNEOLA, Fla. --

A controversial ordinance in Minneola that charges residents in need of help from firefighters or other emergency workers was passed Tuesday night.

If firefighters are called and put out a fire at a home, the owners will be billed $500 under the ordinance.

And motorists who crash and are injured could be charged as much at $1,800 for receiving emergency help. Ambulance fees are not included, the Local 6 report said.

The emergency-response fees will be sent to insurance companies.

The plan was proposed to offset rising costs of sending firefighters to fires and crashes, according an Orlando Sentinel report.

It was not known whether people who pay taxes that fund the services will still have to pay a separate fee if they use them.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.

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