Police and firemen in Alameda, California watched a man drown on Monday after realizing they did not have proper certifications for water rescue, leaving them open to possible lawsuits if they attempted to save him.
The drowning victim, 53-year-old Raymond Zack, was apparently suicidal, according to a report from the scene. He waded out about 150 yards into cold waters off Crown Beach in Alameda and took about an hour to drown himself.
A crowd of about 75 gathered to watch the bizarre scene, which saw police and firemen just standing at shoreline watching helplessly. After the man had drowned, authorities couldnt even go into the surf to retrieve the body. They instead recruited a passer-by for the job.
City officials reportedly blamed the incident on budget cuts and said they would have a discussion about why Alameda, an island city, does not have proper authorization to rescue people from the waters surrounding it.
This video is from ABC 7 in San Francisco, Calif., broadcast May 30, 2011.
Here's the real headline: Government bureaucrats allow their customer to die.
Fire and rescue services can and should be privatized. There are many private rescue / ambulance services in the country and even some private fire services.
As a general rule, they do twice as good a job (using very measurable statistics) at half the cost of government services. In other words, they are 4 times better. Same with trash collection.
There is no reason whatsoever for the government to monopolize these things. Doing so puts us all at risk.
Fire and rescue services can and should be privatized. There are many private rescue / ambulance services in the country and even some private fire services.
Right, and folks should have to pay if they want service. Remember that house that was allowed to burn down because the guy hadn't paid his dues? That's the kind of country we should strive to live in.
Collapse in the street, haven't paid your fire/rescue dues, tough luck. Just carry the leeches out to the trash.
Show up at an emergency room. Aren't insured? Too bad, go out on the street.
Elderly and can't afford you care? Life sucks, and it's time for you to die.
Have a child with severe birth defects that you can't afford to care for? Sucks to be you, put them out in the trash.
That, my friends is the conservative vision for america.
Were huge numbers of old people dying in the streets before Medicare and Medicaid? No they weren't.
Were people's houses just allowed to burn down when virtually all fire departments were voluntary fire departments? No they weren't.
Your version of America is akin to an incompetent version of the SOVIET Union where...
15 government bureacrats get to make life and death decisions for all 310 million of us.
Government bureacrats get to keep lifelong jobs even though they are destroying our kid's futures in the government monopoly schools.
On and on...
No thanks.
In a free society, the overwhelming majority of people will take responsibility for themselves and their family members. Government has destroyed that. It has to be restored -- not by government force and not by government incentive programs. Rather by eliminating most of the government and allowing people to regain their sense of humanity.
15 government bureacrats get to make life and death decisions for all 310 million of us.
right, we're all much better off when private companies make life and death decisions. We're all better off say when insurance companies get to rescind policies or deny coverage for those who become unprofitable.
No. As a free person in a free market, you have a choice on which companies to deal with and what type of service you are willing to pay for. Companies will compete on cost, service, or both.
Government has ruined this truism in healthcare and education. The result? Escalating costs and plummeting services.
What gets blamed for government's disastrous policies? The "free market".
It's sick and wrong. Someone has to stand up for the truth.
Government has ruined this truism in healthcare and education. The result?
So like with all "services" provided by the private economy those with more money should get better and more health care and education. And if you can't afford it you are sh** out of luck. Is that what you are sayin?
The current private system has failed with 50 million uninsured. I guess you want to add to it by getting rid of the government's role.
And yet he admires Singapore's health care system in whigh government plays a significant role.
* There are mandatory health savings accounts: Individuals pre-save for medical expenses through mandatory deductions from their paychecks and employer contributions Only approved categories of medical treatment can be paid for by deducting ones Medisave account, for oneself, grandparents, parents, spouse or children: consultations with private practitioners for minor ailments must be paid from out-of-pocket cash
* The private healthcare system competes with the public healthcare, which helps contain prices in both directions. Private medical insurance is also available.
* Private healthcare providers are required to publish price lists to encourage comparison shopping.
* The government pays for basic healthcare services subject to tight expenditure control. Bottom line: The government pays 80% of basic public healthcare services.
* Government plays a big role with contagious disease, and adds some paternalism on top: Preventing diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tobacco-related illnesses by ensuring good health conditions takes a high priority.
* The government provides optional low-cost catatrophic health insurance, plus a safety net subject to stringent means-testing.
* Almost all care is subject to significant co-pays.