Because the number of fires in California are increasing every year it has started a new industry. Private firefighters hired by the rich and the insurance companies of the rich to protect mansions.
California rich to hire private firefighters.
- Thread starter Razorhawk2
- Start date
Seems like an impossible task. When you have a huge fire coming at your neighborhood unless you have unlimited water and hundreds of firefighters, there isn't much they can do.
What I guess I wonder what happens when you contract with these private crews and your house still burns down.
What I guess I wonder what happens when you contract with these private crews and your house still burns down.
That's full circle then. Last year for our neighborhood block party we had the fire department bring one of their large trucks for the kids to check out. I was talking to one of the firemen and he said about 80 years ago if you didn't have a plaque on your door which meant you paid for the firemen service, they wouldn't put out your fire. They would just watch it burn and make sure it didn't hit your neighbors house who did pay for the service.
This is not new. Insurance companies, particularly those that insure the affluent (Chubb and AIG) have done this for 10 years or longer. Essentially they have the homes they insure plotted on a map and when the fire gets within a couple of miles the private fire fighters are deployed. They manage/remove fuel for the fire, spray homes with gel or other retardants, set up sprinkler systems, etc.
There was a case I was involved in where the entire neighborhood benefited, not just those with the right insurer. The neighborhood backed up to an open field of highly flammable brush and the private team was able to bring in equipment to dig a fire break in the field which saved the whole neighborhood, when the company had just 1 house to protect.
It makes sense. If the insurance company contracts with the private fire fighters for say $2M per year and save just one house they are way ahead in the profit margin and the owners of that one house don't have to go through the devastation of losing (and replacing) everything they own. Clothes, furniture, etc. are easy to replace; photos, family heirlooms, and keepsakes not so much.
There was a case I was involved in where the entire neighborhood benefited, not just those with the right insurer. The neighborhood backed up to an open field of highly flammable brush and the private team was able to bring in equipment to dig a fire break in the field which saved the whole neighborhood, when the company had just 1 house to protect.
It makes sense. If the insurance company contracts with the private fire fighters for say $2M per year and save just one house they are way ahead in the profit margin and the owners of that one house don't have to go through the devastation of losing (and replacing) everything they own. Clothes, furniture, etc. are easy to replace; photos, family heirlooms, and keepsakes not so much.
I believe they make suggestions for survivability, such as more fire retardent roofing materials and make a contingency plan for resources as well, such as how many gallons of water are in the pool and is there a lake on the property. Some properties in CA are building underground water cisterns. So you dig a big hole, line it with rubber EPDM (rubber roofing material), and then fill with with stacked plastic milk crates. Then you have a way to capture roof water, and overflow drain, pump system, cover the bins with more EPDM, rocks dirt and grass. You can use this to water plants, or fight fires.
Older than that. Ben Franklin started an insurance company in the Society Hill area of Philly. Some of the old row houses still have one of those plaques on the front.
Hell, my grandparents had one of those in Davenport from back in the late 1800's.
Still goes on.
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/39516346/ns/us_news-life/t/no-pay-no-spray-firefighters-let-home-burn/
In Charleston, insurance companies were the firefighters. If you didn't have the right insurance emblem on your property, they'd just watch it burn.
And, just as I say that and do a google, apparently its a myth:
https://historymyths.wordpress.com/tag/charleston-fire-marks/
You are probably right. I don't remember the exact time. He might of said 100 or so years ago.
Sounds like the firemen were an early version of the Sopranos.
The GOP federal government is actively worsening the climate disaster.
By all means let the free market zealots fend for themselves.
This likely has more to do with the private firefighters being cheaper than paying out for destroyed homes.
