I’m a career firefighter and a taxpayer in Fire District 4. I’m writing this letter to let people know why the professional firefighters of District 4 support Steve Towers for commissioner. We feel he will do a better job for taxpayers, and make your fire protection better then it is – by putting career firefighters on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
As of right now, career firefighters work 6:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and part-time firefighters work from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sometimes the part-timers/volunteers leave earlier then that, putting citizens at risk. At times there are no part-timers/volunteers or qualified people at the stations from 4 a.m. to 6:45 a.m. It may not happen that often – but what if it happens during your emergency?
Steve Towers also wants to give paramedics to our district. Currently we get our paramedic services from other departments, which can take up to 13 minutes. The American Heart Association says that if paramedics don’t get to victims within eight minutes, it is considered a failure. Yes, we have heard candidate John McClintock wants paramedic services too, but I ask why didn’t he a few years ago? Does he really want paramedics for this district or to get elected? We interviewed both candidates to see what they knew of the district. Towers knew that the district runs on about $3 million a year. He had concerns that some of your part-timer/volunteer firefighters make up to $35,000 a year, and work up to 60 plus hours per week, at night. Towers was also aware of the other problems in our district. McClintock appeared to have no idea of these problems or of many other issues in the department. If McClintock has been commissioner for 12 years, why doesn’t he know what is going on in Fire District 4? Vote for Steve Towers.
Snohomish
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