Indiana

RESCUE FEE

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

As Indiana deals with some of the worst flooding in decades, I have to give credit to state and local responders for “keeping their heads above water” in all this. There is a lot of good coordination taking place across the state and last I checked there was only one fatality and one person missing (keep checking your local news for updates). To be honest, I am surprised there were not more.

On Saturday there was report after report of people who drove around barricades on flooded streets who later had to be rescued from standing water. I honestly don’t know what part of “don’t drive through standing water” that some people not understand. I had a state trooper tell me a story about an idiot who tried to make it by a viaduct on Emerson Avenue in Indianapolis and ended up getting stuck under the viaduct and nearly drowning. The problem with natural disasters is usually the civilians who don’t pay attention to the news and tread where wise men refuse to follow.

Maybe the state and local governments should start sending these people bills. I’m not talking about someone caught in a set of circumstances beyond their control, but if you through your own folly end up somewhere you have no business being and then state and local officials have to come bail you out, the least the government can do is send you a bill. Maybe that you will make you think twice next time, but at least because of first responders, you will get to have a next time.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on June 08, 2008 (boomark / email).