Excerpts from the herald-news.com:

The Joliet Fire Department on Jan. 1 will begin charging fees for services provided at fires, car accidents, and hazardous material incidents. The city council approved a contract with Fire Recovery USA, which will collect the money that is expected to total between $100,000 and $150,000 a year. Insurance companies will be billed for the services, and Joliet residents will not be required to pay any amounts not covered by insurance. There is an exception for incidents caused by reckless behavior. Out-of-towners, however, will be billed for any amounts not covered by insurance. The fees range from $594 for a Level One response to a car accident, which includes hazardous materials assessment and scene stabilization, to more than $6,700 for a top-level response to a hazardous material incident. Fires will be billed at $455 an hour per engine on the scene and $568 an hour per truck on the scene.