Your right, Hueb. You shouldn't have to pay for a service you don't use. But you would probably be the first one to sue the fire dept when they refused to come put out your house, or cut you out of your car because you hadn't paid your dues. I've been a fire fighter, and I've seen how the system works. The people that don't donate, don't volunteer, and don't pay dues, are most often the very ones that EXPECT service when they need it. They are the ones that complain about how long it took to get there, or the amount of damage that was caused. So unless we can come up with a system that will let people who don't want to contribute, and think they don't need the service, to opt out and release the dept's of any and all liability, then you'll just have to be inconvenienced like every one else.
And, if you have such a problem with being asked to donate money once a year, then maybe you would be willing to volunteer your time and join your local department for a few years instead. I've always believed that if you live in an area covered by a volunteer dept, every able bodied person ought to serve for 3 years, which would make manpower problems nonexistent. It would also help you understand what you are paying for each year, and appreciate the personal sacrifices that each and every firefighter, emt, etc. make to help their communities. You might have a better understanding of the time spent on meetings, trainings, washing and working on trucks, running calls, cleaning equipment, maintaining the station and everything else these people do to provide a necessary service to their respective communities--all for no compensation. I sincerely hope that you never have to use the services of your local fire dept, but if and when you do, maybe your attitude will be a little better