Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 11/17/2010 09:09 PM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 11/18/2010 08:19 PM
Expires: 01/01/2015 12:00 AM
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Letter to the Editor~by Cynthia Petersen
Is Angels Camp Safe? The budget of our city, Angels Camp, is in the red (reportedly $354,000.00). The city council's solution is to make a major cut to the ACFD fire department personnel (estimated at $28,800). This one cut will only make a 12% change in the budget debt. 12% for the city budget, but for the lives and safety of Angels Camp's citizens this change is 30%. 30% of the time we will not be covered by the fire department. This could mean the difference between life and death. Instead of the current part-time employed firemen, there will also be volunteers. These volunteers will need to have other full time jobs for their income and may not live in this community. Will they be available for your emergency? Who will come when you call 911? As an Angels Camp citizen I am afraid. ...
Consider these 3 typical 9-1-1 situations: 1 - You crash and roll your car at the intersection of highways 49 & 4. You are trapped underneath your vehicle. Thank goodness someone else is able to call 9-1-1 for you But you do not hear that reassuring siren getting closer. No big red firetruck arrives with firemen jumping out to save you. Why? It is a Saturday and there are no paid firemen on Saturday. 2 - You are cooking on Tuesday. Cooking fires are one of the three leading causes of house fires. Since Angels Camp might have only volunteers on that day will they be available to put out the kitchen fire? How long will you have to wait for ACFD to respond? Should you just sit outside on the curb to watch your entire home burn down? 3 - What would happen if your visiting grandmother slipped, fell and broke her hip? Would you be able to lift her into your own car and take her to the hospital?
12% of the city debt will be eliminated with the proposed cuts to the ACFD. But do you feel safe? Will the visitors to Angels Camp (who came because of the money the city spends on branding) feel safe? Are the visitors safe? Are you safe?
Maybe, just maybe, other budget cuts should be made before our safety and the ACFD budget is cut.
Cynthia Petersen
Angels Camp Resident
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