THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 30, 1996 TAG: 9606290115
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 94 lines
I would like to respond to the letters to the editor in The Clipper June 23 regarding the Fire Department and its current conflicts.
My husband is a firefighter in this city, and we are residents here. I grew up here and have raised three sons here.
When I read Patricia D. Chappell's comment that she didn't recognize the names of people who wrote letters expressing their concerns about the fire department, I thought: How arrogant to think that if the fire marshal's secretary doesn't know your name, your concern must not be valid.
How selfish and short-sighted to think that this is only an inter-departmental matter. This affects the entire community!
All the firefighters and EMS personnel continue to mourn the loss of their comrades and will continue to do so for many years. This was a tragedy of insurmountable proportions, one that can never be fully verbalized.
It is true that much of administration spent extra hours after the tragedy with investigations and arrangements. It is also true and should be noted that many firefighters and EMS personnel spent long hours with arrangements and support of the families. Their time was given out of love and a sense of family, not because they were expected to do any of it. What has kept them focused has been the community's response. The men and women who respond to your daily emergencies appreciate all the prayers and support of their community.
What the emergency personnel and the citizens are asking for is the truth. Why is this met with such hostility? Is there something to cover up? Why the consistent smoke screen about second-guessing Frank (Young) and Johnnie (Hudgins)? That has never been a concern of their fellow workers. These men were doing what they had been trained by this chief's department to do.
OSHA's two-plus-two guideline was brought to Chief Bolac's attention a year ago. Yet he refused to maneuver appropriate personnel at that time to meet the standard.
In the aftermath of the tragedy of March 18, Chief Bolac immediately initiated a policy which put the Fire Department in compliance with OSHA's two-plus-two guideline. Why did he wait until after two firefighters died and then comply immediately? Why does he now say that the state didn't tell him how to comply until April? This is the fire chief of a major city. Why does he need to be told how to comply?
To say that more manpower and better communications equipment would not have made a difference in this fire is to play God, and I don't think even Chief Bolac has the power to do that.
I think there is one question he has never had to answer, and I think this is the question that continues to linger over the department like a black cloud. So, let's bring all of this to a halt. We can end the speculation in a matter of minutes.
Chief Bolac, as a citizen of this city, I ask you: Why did you not comply with the standard? And why, since this tragedy where two men had to die, have you hurriedly adjusted policy and procedures to now comply? The firefighters, EMS and families deserve an explanation. If you think they don't, we, the citizens who pay your salary, certainly do!
Terry Wells
Maple Drive Each opinion counts
In reply to Patricia Chappell's letter of June 23, let me assure her I am indeed not a member of her ``Fire Department family.'' But my name as well as the names of many others she does not recognize are members of a much larger family. The family of citizens of Chesapeake which encompass many friends, relatives and neighbors of Chesapeake firefighters.
Let me assure her that the opinions of each of these individuals do matter. Whether your point of view agrees with mine or not, as a concerned taxpayer of Chesapeake, each and every opinion matters.
I would hesitate to call anyone who disagrees with me ``ignorant.'' Perhaps just misinformed. I would hope Ms. Chappell did not acquire her lack of tolerance from her employer, Fire Marshal Thomas H. Cooke. But it does sound a great deal like ``My way or the highway'' from Chief Michael L. Bolac.
As to Mrs. Cooke's assertion that there exists a personal vendetta hidden within the firefighters' union, this is something that neither I nor the general public would know about. What we do know about is an obvious divisiveness within the fire department as her letter and others have indicated. What we do know about are the statements of discord made before the City Council. What we do know about are the statements we read in the newspaper, such as June Arney's reports of low morale, lack of confidence in a person in leadership whose reply to criticism is, ``If you don't like it, sue me.''
This is not a question of playing a blame game. It is a question of good management. As a concerned citizen who pays taxes, I believe we can do better and deserve better leadership in the Fire Department.
Let's forget for a moment that politics are involved. Let's say the Fire Department is a private business. You discover major discord between your chief executive officer and 50 percent of the employees. Whom do you replace?
Each citizen of Chesapeake who pays taxes, pays the salary of the firefighters, the police and other services the city provides, whether you express your opinion by casting your vote or by writing a letter to the editor, I say to the friends, relatives and neighbors of the firefighters, it does indeed count.
Betty J. Coburn
Broadnax Circle by CNB