$1200 bill after low-siding in Caledon

[Chaos]

Wow, having to pay when essential services are called. that feels so American. I don't like that at all.

[Green Meenie]

So I guess the deal is that you should notify your insurance that your were involved in an incident where emergency vehicles were called and showed up; even if you're not making a damage claim on your vehicle. That way when you get the bill from the city/region, your insurance will pay it? What part of your insurance policy would that coverage fall under and would your rates go up after a claim like this?

[Ripper]

I've only had experience with an ambulance being called once and it was about three years ago. I became a 911 medical situation out on hwy 6 South and although they came and I was taken inside and tended to, none of the ambulance stocked materials were used. I was released after I signed a form, so I know they had my info (if they wanted to bill me) but I was never charged anything. Perhaps that's because they never had to use any of their supplies? Though I was under the impression if they come out, you get billed automatically. Not sure if I just lucked out or if they've actually changed their policy...

As said before ... "You only get a bill for an ambulance if you are Transported" I could bandage, Ice pack and splint the crap out of you and you wont get charged for that. The minute you accept transport then you will get a bill. (hopefully you need it an don't mind the $90 bill at that point .. which your insurance company should pay if you have insurance)

Fire has reciently started doing this ...I am a paramedic .. I disagree with this aswell. I know they have to recoup the cost of responding even if it is a volunteer Fire service. They still pay the VFD an honourarium to show up and the cost of the fuel and trucks. I don't know for sure if you can cancel fire but whatever you do don't give the Fire Department any of your info if you don't need them. Tell the Police not to release any info to them either. As a Medic I am not allowed to give any personal info to anyone without a written request for Info from police.

I would like to know who gave the OP's info to the Fire Dept.

I will ask my Sister (Fire Dispatcher) if she has any info on cancelling fire before they respond.

[rjm4u]

if they insist you pay go burn something down in caledon and get your moneys worth!

[LMF]

I hate this argument. How about the thugs who always have their hands in our pockets leave instead?

Good response.

[sarky]

i had that once, i was in a car accident, two fire trucks showed up, did nothing and left, i got a 700 bill 350per half hour per fire truck, i gave it to the insurance comp

[IXFe]

...

[infernobuster]

As said before ... "You only get a bill for an ambulance if you are Transported" I could bandage, Ice pack and splint the crap out of you and you wont get charged for that. The minute you accept transport then you will get a bill. (hopefully you need it an don't mind the $90 bill at that point .. which your insurance company should pay if you have insurance)

Fire has reciently started doing this ...I am a paramedic .. I disagree with this aswell. I know they have to recoup the cost of responding even if it is a volunteer Fire service. They still pay the VFD an honourarium to show up and the cost of the fuel and trucks. I don't know for sure if you can cancel fire but whatever you do don't give the Fire Department any of your info if you don't need them. Tell the Police not to release any info to them either. As a Medic I am not allowed to give any personal info to anyone without a written request for Info from police.

I would like to know who gave the OP's info to the Fire Dept.

I will ask my Sister (Fire Dispatcher) if she has any info on cancelling fire before they respond.

LOL.
1. You can NOT cancel Fire once we get the call .. regardless once the call gets dispatched we automatically respond.
Perhaps your new to being a medic, but Police and Fire exchange information freely upon the scene.
Telling the police NOT to share info with Fire will do nothing. We record license plate info automatically, names of occupants etc. And yes .. paramedics provide info to fire/police as well.

It's a new low to see fire fighters being bashed on Gtam. You have to realize its not the FD that implentened this, its the city themselves along with fire administration.

[twinn]

LOL.
1. You can NOT cancel Fire once we get the call .. regardless once the call gets dispatched we automatically respond.
Perhaps your new to being a medic, but Police and Fire exchange information freely upon the scene.
Telling the police NOT to share info with Fire will do nothing. We record license plate info automatically, names of occupants etc. And yes .. paramedics provide info to fire/police as well.

It's a new low to see fire fighters being bashed on Gtam. You have to realize its not the FD that implentened this, its the city themselves along with fire administration.

Thanks for clearing that up, so it is just another cash grab by cities.

[CBRJOHN]

It's a new low to see fire fighters being bashed on Gtam. You have to realize its not the FD that implentened this, its the city themselves along with fire administration.

No kidding, Considering the vast majority of Fire Fighter servicing the areas where all the best riding roads are, Are Volunteers !!!
And they are located in area with small populations and tax bases. You think gas and trucks are free ? Should the local residents of small rural areas pay when you decide to crash ripping up the twisties ?

[munch]

Is it true what they say for ambulances though....if you can walk you will be charged if you cant walk in or out the ride is free?...

[silverbullet132]

not true, i could not walk after my accident last year and i was charged $45

[psycho44]

we pay taxes for these essential services but when we use them or not we have to pay for them as well? Sounds like double taxation on a used bike.

[mjavor]

$1,200? That's rather expensive, can you take your business elsewhere?

[johnp]

On the other hand cities were probably getting ripped off tons by people calling 911 as if it were a taxi service.

I think in TO the city will start billing you if your home/office alarm system keeps going off. That seems reasonable.

[turbodish]

we pay taxes for these essential services but when we use them or not we have to pay for them as well? Sounds like double taxation on a used bike.

Fire services are paid for out of local property taxes. If you need fire response within your local municipality, there is no charge because you have paid towards those services through your local property taxes (or through your landlord's property taxes).

If you do it up on some twisty in another municipality, you are consuming their fire dept resources even though you have paid nothing into the local tax base that pays for them. This is why you now get a bill if you crash away from home and fire services are called to your crash location.

[Flashmonkey]

On the other hand cities were probably getting ripped off tons by people calling 911 as if it were a taxi service.

I think this is the cause of this problem LOL. It serously wouldn't surprise me if this was the case. I think the pendulum has swung a little too far for my liking, though. I'm gonna ask my insurance company about this stuff regardless.....just to make sure I know how I'm covered if I managed to get into a car accident the next time I'm out in Waterloo. The rest of you nuts should probably do the same :P

[1fast6]

Whomever called 911 called on your behalf. Fortunately you didnt need assistance, however had you you would have been very grateful that they had. Your being billed under the presumption that a good Samaritan thought you needed help. sucks that they need to bill you for this service, but ultimatly your responisble for it. im sure refusal to pay will only result in it going to a collection agency and bad credit.

[beverage]

Fire services are paid for out of local property taxes. If you need fire response within your local municipality, there is no charge because you have paid towards those services through your local property taxes (or through your landlord's property taxes).

If you do it up on some twisty in another municipality, you are consuming their fire dept resources even though you have paid nothing into the local tax base that pays for them. This is why you now get a bill if you crash away from home and fire services are called to your crash location.

Sorry, I don't get your logic. I get assistance in your municipality, someone from your municipality needs assistance in mine. We all pay taxes for these services, so they should actually be billing my municipality. Or better yet, not bother, because it would all even out in the end and they could save the administrative costs. What they do now is just a straight up cash grab.

[turbodish]

Sorry, I don't get your logic. I get assistance in your municipality, someone from your municipality needs assistance in mine. We all pay taxes for these services, so they should actually be billing my municipality. Or better yet, not bother, because it would all even out in the end and they could save the administrative costs.

Maybe, maybe not.

Let's say I come from a small town with population of say, 15,000 people paying into the local tax base. Let's also say that the town is a mecca for motorcycle riders who visit in large numbers daily, and who may even crash on local roads on a daily basis. Why should those 15,000 local residents have to bear the brunt of the cost of dealing with those crashes caused by large numbers of people coming in from other places?

This is the reality of many places outside the GTA that are tourist or activity draws. Small populations and small property tax bases having to support emergency services that cater more to visitors than to locals.

How many local Belfountain residents do you think will need emergency services outside of Belfountain each year? Compare that to how many riders will go down on Forks of the Credit Rd each year. I doubt the two numbers will be even remotely comparable.

If you find yourself in such a situation with a crash-related fire services bill, just hand it off to your insurance company. That's what insurance is for.