Hartford's (new) 911 policy, cash or credit.

911 Operator, can I have your name, address, nature of emergency and credit card information please?

Something I just had to share. Lead story on the 11:00 news is that the Hartford Fire Department is going to start charging for calls involving auto accidents and spills, anywhere from $350-$1,000 and up. Purported to be the busiest department in the nation, the simple explanation presented was that there were two options, start charging for calls or raise local taxes. The plan is to not charge individuals, however, but rather to send the bill to our insurance companies. A sound theory? Sure! I mean, we know that everyone driving on the streets and highways around us is a licensed driver (honestly, who has ever heard of an uninsured motorist). Not to mention insurance companies will be more than happy to eat these additional expenses, it would be out of character for them to try and pass costs back to policyholders. Speaking as a citizen that drives through the city often enough, I know I'll feel safer that the city fire department has found an unimpeachable source of additional revenue... but I'll keep my CC with me just in case.