GREEN BAY, Wis. — Seven people were rescued from Green Bay — and they’re paying for it.
All seven were fishing on ice that broke free early on the morning of Feb. 27. And they have been billed $840 by the Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Department, according to the Green Bay Press Gazette.
The $840 represents the actual payroll for the responders who came to the scene, and each makes $20 per hour or part of an hour they are involved in emergency response.
The local fire board approved this second winter of charging for services not directly related to firefighting, such as water rescues and traffic accidents.
Fire Chief Curt Vandertie said other Wis. fire departments have inquired about his department’s billing process because volunteer companies must find alternative funding sources due to state cost-containment mandates.