Why is it when leaders shutdown a police department there is uproar but when a fire department or EMS agency closes there are crickets?

[IHaveRespawned]

I have taken notice of that. If a municipality or county wants to shut down a law enforcement entity, it is like it makes national headlines. When the same thing happens to a fire department, rescue squad, or EMS agency, it is like it doesn't matter. It may briefly be mentioned on a local news station, but that is as far as it goes.

[msc545]

Because people believe, irrationally, that crime is more likely to happen to them than fire or illness. People are much more afraid of other people than they are of getting very ill or of their home catching fire.

[IHaveRespawned]

We have to look at what are fire and emergency services handle:
1. EMS first response (whether that be on a transport or non-transport basis)
2. Motor vehicular collisions, extrication during cases of entrapment or pinning
3. Hazardous Materials incidents
4. Of course a fire departments main function: fighting fires and keeping them from spreading
5. Sometimes swiftwater rescue, technical rescues, and rescues involving structural collapse, angles, and entrapments in machinery and such
6. Disaster response and rescue for natural and man made disasters: tornadoes, floods, landslides, earthquakes, domestic terrorism, etc...

Many want to deviate from decency of federal agencies and rightfully so, but then we neglect our state and local emergency response functions.

[IHaveRespawned]

*Many want to deviate from depending on federal agencies and rightfully so

[exitseven]

Nobody cares about the fire department until their house catches on fire.

[exitseven]

Thanks for the MHO

[Anonymous]

Most people consider police most important. Deal with it.

[Agape93]

Cops arriving is free. Ambulances cost thousands.

[Dargil]

I haven't noticed that.