In cities with fulltime firefighters, it makes sense to take the truck out in Non-Emergencies just to be sure everything is functional for when an actual emergency happens ... a routine patrol/check. Do the ladders extend smoothly?

I think it's sweet, and unique.

The truck, the men, their salaries, they all would have been paid for anyway without this incident. In general, it's a necessary job that most people take for granted - if there's a fire, the firefighters will come and put it out, without thought as to the expense, the training, the physical fitness and the hard work intermixed with odd hours, moments of boredom and moments of intense stress.

Happy firefighters are presumably better firefighters, and if this one minor incident makes people happy, and makes them think well of firefighters, I see no harm in it, as long as it doesn't become a routine occurence/expense.

If anything, you can take the gas money for the truck's round-trip out of his check, if you really want to "make him pay," or have him visit one extra elementary school to do a "fire safety" class to make up for it.

JMHO