SPC Freelance
WHEN YOU DIAL 911
WILL ANYONE COME?
“I hate to say this, but the best time to submit your request for funding for any emergency service program is during and within the first two weeks
after a major disaster. Studies have shown those seem to be the only times people think about emergency service funding. The rest of the time,
they just assume there will be someone available when they call.”
Comments from mining superintendent during budget discussion with the emergency response committee.
He was right. People don’t give any thought to their local emergency service programs. Or, they give the subject the same amount of thought they
give the spare tire on their vehicle. They simply assume it will be available when an emergency occurs. But, here is something to think about.
That spare tire needs its air pressure checked at least once a month to make sure it is still properly inflated. I learned this lesson the hard way.
One morning I walked out to my pickup truck and was going to drive to work. That’s when I noticed a front tire was flat. I quickly changed tires. But,
my hard work was of no avail. My spare tire was also flat. In the eleven years my wife and I had owned the truck, neither of us had ever checked
the air in the spare tire. We had simply assumed it would be there when we needed it.
Do you view emergency service in Pahrump the same way? You simply assume someone will be there when you dial 911. Well then, here are
some issues for you to think about. First, your fire department was organized approximately thirty years ago. That is well before the phenomenal
growth rate started in this town. It also means your department was set up to serve a community with less than half the population, building density
and service area. And, unless additional long term funding is secured, the department may not progress beyond this current state of readiness.
Chief Lewis is trying to turn the situation around. He has, for example, spent months fighting to get two new fire engines. These units were
purchased with federal funds. They are also the only new fire engines ever purchased by the department.
The rest of the department’s other fire engines and emergency vehicles are old and worn out. The main reason for the condition of these vehicles
is simple. Most of these vehicles were purchased through government surplus auctions. And, as might be expected, every pieces of equipment
sold at these auctions was old and worn out. That is the reason they were offered at auction in the first place.
Why was this type of equipment purchased? Money! These units were cheap and required minimal investment of county and town funds.
However, initial cost savings were soon overshadowed by lengthy down times (units not available for emergency calls) and high repairs cost. It
should also be noted that many of these fire trucks and engines quickly reached a state where they could no longer be repaired. They were
mothballed in the town maintenance yard years ago.
The remaining units will require extensive rehabbing to meet current state and federal safety standards. These standards are not
recommendations. They are laws that must be met. One used fire engine has already cost the town $120,000.00 in retrofits to meet these safety
standards.
The department’s four fire stations also do not meet current safety standards. Indeed, three of the station houses are nothing more than barns
designed to store equipment and vehicles. They were built when the department was an all volunteer department. At that time, the volunteers
would race to the equipment barn nearest the fire. They would then jump into the fire engine stored there and drive to the fire.
This type of emergency response program was adequate when Pahrump was a small community of 6,000 people. But, no more. Especially since
the town’s population now sets at 32,000 people and is projected to reach 56,000 within ten years. These people are also scattered over 400
square miles.
The town now needs manned fire stations to serve our growing population. Currently though, only one station house is manned. This building was
originally a service building used to house the fire department engines and trucks. Several years ago, members of your fire department remodeled
the building and put in living quarters. If it were not for their effort, Pahrump would not have a single manned station house. There is a plan to
convert the remaining fire barns into manned stations. But, again, this will take long term funding the fire department does not have.
Even if all the stations are converted, they still could not be manned. The main reason for not manning these stations is lack of personnel.
Currently, there are only seven firefighter/EMT’s on duty per shift. All seven work out of one station house. Four of these firefighters are assigned
to ambulance transports to Vegas. That leaves three firefighters available to handle emergency calls in the 400 square mile response area. Chief
Lewis has studied the problem and proposed upping the staffing levels to at least ten firefighters on duty. Six would be quartered at the main
station with two each at north and south stations. But, without additional funding for facilities and personnel, this is not likely to happen.
Chief Lewis’ findings are also in line with three separate groups that did an extensive review of emergency services in Pahrump. Each one of these
groups was commissioned by the town board to make the study. And, each group reached the same conclusions. The fire department is under
staffed, poorly equipped, lacks adequate facilities and is under funded.
These are the issues you should be thinking about before you have to dial 911. There is nothing you can do after you have to make that call
except hope someone will be available to come to your aid.
Published in 2007 in Pahrump Valley Mirror
WILL ANYONE COME?
“I hate to say this, but the best time to submit your request for funding for any emergency service program is during and within the first two weeks
after a major disaster. Studies have shown those seem to be the only times people think about emergency service funding. The rest of the time,
they just assume there will be someone available when they call.”
Comments from mining superintendent during budget discussion with the emergency response committee.
He was right. People don’t give any thought to their local emergency service programs. Or, they give the subject the same amount of thought they
give the spare tire on their vehicle. They simply assume it will be available when an emergency occurs. But, here is something to think about.
That spare tire needs its air pressure checked at least once a month to make sure it is still properly inflated. I learned this lesson the hard way.
One morning I walked out to my pickup truck and was going to drive to work. That’s when I noticed a front tire was flat. I quickly changed tires. But,
my hard work was of no avail. My spare tire was also flat. In the eleven years my wife and I had owned the truck, neither of us had ever checked
the air in the spare tire. We had simply assumed it would be there when we needed it.
Do you view emergency service in Pahrump the same way? You simply assume someone will be there when you dial 911. Well then, here are
some issues for you to think about. First, your fire department was organized approximately thirty years ago. That is well before the phenomenal
growth rate started in this town. It also means your department was set up to serve a community with less than half the population, building density
and service area. And, unless additional long term funding is secured, the department may not progress beyond this current state of readiness.
Chief Lewis is trying to turn the situation around. He has, for example, spent months fighting to get two new fire engines. These units were
purchased with federal funds. They are also the only new fire engines ever purchased by the department.
The rest of the department’s other fire engines and emergency vehicles are old and worn out. The main reason for the condition of these vehicles
is simple. Most of these vehicles were purchased through government surplus auctions. And, as might be expected, every pieces of equipment
sold at these auctions was old and worn out. That is the reason they were offered at auction in the first place.
Why was this type of equipment purchased? Money! These units were cheap and required minimal investment of county and town funds.
However, initial cost savings were soon overshadowed by lengthy down times (units not available for emergency calls) and high repairs cost. It
should also be noted that many of these fire trucks and engines quickly reached a state where they could no longer be repaired. They were
mothballed in the town maintenance yard years ago.
The remaining units will require extensive rehabbing to meet current state and federal safety standards. These standards are not
recommendations. They are laws that must be met. One used fire engine has already cost the town $120,000.00 in retrofits to meet these safety
standards.
The department’s four fire stations also do not meet current safety standards. Indeed, three of the station houses are nothing more than barns
designed to store equipment and vehicles. They were built when the department was an all volunteer department. At that time, the volunteers
would race to the equipment barn nearest the fire. They would then jump into the fire engine stored there and drive to the fire.
This type of emergency response program was adequate when Pahrump was a small community of 6,000 people. But, no more. Especially since
the town’s population now sets at 32,000 people and is projected to reach 56,000 within ten years. These people are also scattered over 400
square miles.
The town now needs manned fire stations to serve our growing population. Currently though, only one station house is manned. This building was
originally a service building used to house the fire department engines and trucks. Several years ago, members of your fire department remodeled
the building and put in living quarters. If it were not for their effort, Pahrump would not have a single manned station house. There is a plan to
convert the remaining fire barns into manned stations. But, again, this will take long term funding the fire department does not have.
Even if all the stations are converted, they still could not be manned. The main reason for not manning these stations is lack of personnel.
Currently, there are only seven firefighter/EMT’s on duty per shift. All seven work out of one station house. Four of these firefighters are assigned
to ambulance transports to Vegas. That leaves three firefighters available to handle emergency calls in the 400 square mile response area. Chief
Lewis has studied the problem and proposed upping the staffing levels to at least ten firefighters on duty. Six would be quartered at the main
station with two each at north and south stations. But, without additional funding for facilities and personnel, this is not likely to happen.
Chief Lewis’ findings are also in line with three separate groups that did an extensive review of emergency services in Pahrump. Each one of these
groups was commissioned by the town board to make the study. And, each group reached the same conclusions. The fire department is under
staffed, poorly equipped, lacks adequate facilities and is under funded.
These are the issues you should be thinking about before you have to dial 911. There is nothing you can do after you have to make that call
except hope someone will be available to come to your aid.
Published in 2007 in Pahrump Valley Mirror
NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS
Who is the patriot?
Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.
- Adlai E. Stevenson -
How do you define patriotism? A simple answer might be love of and devotion to our country. But, is this enough? I present the following moments
in history to help you answer this question.
Timothy McVeigh’s concept of love of country led him to blow up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. 168 men, women and
children died in the explosion. 800 others were seriously injured.
Abolitionist John Brown considered himself a staunch patriot and believed that all slaves by right ought to be free. He subsequently led a raid
against a federal armory in order to get weapons to arm the slaves. He killed seven of the men that were defending the armory. One of whom was a
recently freed slave. Brown and his men then carried out several more raids in the South. They killed five white slave owners during these raids.
Brown was subsequently captured and hanged for treason.
A soldier deployed to Iraq was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. He died defending the rest of his team against attack by a large enemy
force. He was declared a true American patriot.
A grieving mother was arrested for protesting the war that took her son’s life. Despite her beliefs about the war, she still considers herself a patriotic
American.
Some people believe that protesting government policies is unpatriotic. Yet, our founding fathers believed that protest was the one way to maintain
our democratic republic.
The Yankees baseball club is the only MLB team to play God Bless America at each game played in their stadium. During this time, fans are
forbidden from moving about the stadium. According to Howard J. Rubenstein, spokes person for the club’s principle owner, the policy is an
expression of patriotism.
Arthur Eisenberg, of the American Civil Liberties Union, has a different view point. He is looking at filling legal action against the ball club. He
believes the club owner’s actions violate the civil rights of Americans by forcing the owner’s view of political correctness upon the fans.
Many years ago, I was a deputy sheriff in Arizona. Our sheriff at the time decided the American flag on our uniforms detracted from the overall
appearance of our uniforms. He subsequently ordered deputies to remove the flag.
One of the most vocal opponents of the sheriff’s policy was a deputy I’ll call Jim. Jim stated that he was a patriotic American. As such, he felt that
removing the American flag from his uniform was akin to burning the flag.
Two months later, Jim moved back to his hometown in Alabama. He stated he could not adjust to living in a state where Whites and Blacks were
considered equal. This concept just went against the natural order of things he was taught as a boy.
I learned a different concept of patriotism from my father. He believed all men were created equal and that America was worth fighting for. Yet,
anytime one of his sons discussed joining the military, he actively tried to talk us out of joining.
One day I asked him why he so apposed us serving in the military service. Especially, since he served in World War II and was awarded a Purple
Heart. His answer was quite simple. He would be the first to have us fight for our country. But, his son’s were not state property to die in somebody
else’s war. He also felt that since the politicians start wars they should be the first ones sent to the front lines. Maybe then they would be more
incline to negotiate peaceful solutions to global conflicts.
So who is the patriot? Is it the man who takes up arms, or the one who takes up the plow? Are you a patriot because a few times a year you fly our
flag and set off a few fireworks? Or, are you a patriot for defending the civil rights of others. Are you a patriot because you support our president
without question? Or, is questioning what the government does the patriotic thing? I ask you to take a few moments to consider these questions as
we approach the celebration of our nation’s 231’st birthday. Now ask yourself this question. What makes me a patriot?
Published June 28th, 2007 in the Pahrump Valley Mirror
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