Emergency response fee

In the United States , an emergency response fee, also known as fire department charge, fire department service charge, accident response fee,^[1][2] accident fee,^[3] Traffic Infraction Accident Fee,^[4] ambulance fee,^[5] etc., and pejoratively as a crash tax^[6] is a fee for emergency services such as firefighting, emergency medical services, environmental response, etc., performed by a local fire department, EMTs, police department, etc., at the scene of a structure fire, wildfire, traffic collision, or other emergency, billed afterward to the surviving property owner or owner(s), operator(s) of the vehicle(s) involved, and/or their insurance companies.

Many states and localities have approved these fees. Many states and localities prohibit these fees.^[7]

Some fire departments charge small and large fees for firefighting.^[8] Some bill the survivors, some bill the insurance companies of the survivors.^[9]

Some fire departments charge an advance fire subscription fee for fire protection. They often do not fight fires that are not covered, refusing offers of back payment.^[10][11]

The fees are controversial, with multiple arguments for and against.^[12]

References

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