Dear Supervisor Aborn,
   Word from an official source has it that at the supervisors' meeting on June 10th you will be making a motion to negate the CSA 218 election no matter what the outcome. If it passes, you wish to change the wishes of the people holding a public hearing whereby a room full of people may change the minds of the board members and purchase only three engines and one water tender.

   This is a slap in the face to everyone in the county. Who will decide which communities and fire fighters lives are worth less than $80? Do you want to be responsible for making that decision? Do you want to become a fire fighter and drive a 33 year old engine? How about if you can be the one to call the family of a dead or injured fire fighter?

   Getting three new engines and a water tender won't make the insurance problem go away either. The ISO will still decertify the old engines which will no doubt be driven by some fire fighters, as they have the option to put their own lives in jeopardy or not. True, the department did get several new patrol vehicles, but that is not enough to put out a house fire!

   Last Monday evening Judge Parrish's house burned to the ground. From 4 pm to 1:30 the next morning, my husband and many of our friends were there doing their best with what they have. One of the water tender's transmission overheated which caused the engine to shut down. The one behind it lost pressure in the air brakes, and between the two of them they blocked the narrow road leading to the house for over an hour. No one could get in or out!  All that time, all units there ran out of water! What if one of the fire fighters had gotten trapped with no water to help get him out? Also, the engine at our Station 29 Lushmeadows can't hold pressure in the air brake system for more than 12 hours. It takes a long time to recharge them and this cannot be done when time is of the essence.

   I am personally pleading with you to reconsider your decision to make this motion at the meeting. Recalls are very expensive and so are lawsuits…

   I understand that this letter won't make it to the Gazette until after the board meeting, but at least Mariposa County residents will now know how little you think of them.

Lorie Setterberg