>>Worst case the city (or whomever the firefighters worked for) should have sent a bill for the $75 fee AFTER putting out the fire - put a lien on the house if needed.
>
>The previous city I lived in had a "Paramedic Subscription" for like $9/month.
>If you did not pay, you would get billed for service at full cost for the trip, AND the cost of maintaining the department.
>
>I got a bill for $376 for a thoroughly uncomplicated visit - the guys questioned me how I was feeling and walked me to their van for a ride to the hospital for a false alarm. I am not sure if the ambulance ride would have been covered in the $9 - the ambulance ride cost almost another $1000 for cash customers like me.
>
>I agree - they should have put out the fire and billed him for the cost.
>
>The "real" cost for a fire department would include all the training and standby time for the men and equipment, and insurance etc.
>The bill would have been far more than $75 - more like several thousands of dollars.
>
>Hospitals let uninsured people make payments all the time.
>And hospitals have no collateral at all.
>The fire department could easily get a lien on the home for any unpaid balance to insure payment.
>
>That fire department needs to fire the knuckleheads who can't figure out how to serve the public in a compassionate and cost effective way.

Public hospitals get indigent funds. It doesn't cover the entire cost of course, but it is supposed to go towards it. They present their costs for indigent care and the federal government determines what percentage they will reimburse the hospital for.

It's usually listed under DSH or HCAP or UCL. (DSH combines state and federal dollars) Each program is for a different purpose.

I don't know if public service (police or fire or ambulance) receive anything similar.