JASPER, Tenn. — A firefighter was shocked to find out that his new neighborhood has no fire protection when his car caught fire.
Times Free Press reported that Edward Moriarty, a career firefighter, called 911 when his car was on fire but no fire services arrived.
“No fire truck,” Moriarty said. “No fire support whatsoever.”
Police came, and when deputies called in the fire again, the dispatcher told them that no one was coming.
“I’ve never known a place where you couldn’t pick up the telephone and get help, whether it’s police or fire service,” he said. “My car burned to a cinder. It was a total loss.”
He said his new house will be completed in December and said his insurance will probably be steep without fire protection.
Phillip Graham, an insurance agent with the Farm Bureau office, said the difference in annual insurance premiums is significant. There are several areas in the county that are fire-response “no man’s land,” Graham said.
Mayor David Jackson said the Foster Falls (Tenn.) Volunteer Fire Department covers some areas, but voted last year not to cover the area where Moriarty will live.
Other nearby departments won’t respond to the development, because it is in an area not covered by a mutual aid agreement.
Moriarty said the lack of fire coverage there was “a pretty well-kept secret” when he was purchasing the land, according to the report.
Officials said the development’s best option is to form its own fire department. President Dane Bradshaw said a building that can house a fire truck is nearly complete and a fire truck purchase is in the works.
Bradshaw said the community is growing rapidly and the importance of fire protection is understood.
Officials were surprised departments didn’t respond to the car fire, Bradshaw said.
“We’re not blaming them for not responding; they restricted the area they serve,” he said.
As it stands now, if there is a house fire in their development, no fire departments would respond.