For instance, there’s an article in the North Coast Journal this week that discusses the serious shortfalls of the Arcata Fire Department to respond to fires and emergency calls. (Weinreb, Elaine. “Chipping Away.’ NCJ, Sept. 1, 2022) Assistant Chief Sean Campbell cites a host of grievances from a shortage of staff and equipment to lack of funding and adequate training with absolutely zero capacity to respond to fires in high-rise or mid-rise buildings (6 to 8 stories). The district doesn’t even have a ladder truck!
So this begs the question: Why are you forging ahead with higher stories when you don’t have a plan for this?? Also, we greatly admire our brave firefighters who put themselves at great risk to protect us. Why make their job more difficult and dangerous? Why endanger the lives of people stuck in those tall buildings. You need a plan for how to fund our fire department, and can’t necessarily expect to rely on taxpayers, because the property taxes (or going to taxpayers heart in hand), may not be sufficient.
Why aren’t you listening to your own experts?
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