Fire Protection

Sometimes one feels like the community is jumping from the proverbial frying pan into the fire. This may in fact be one of those times. That controversy abounds in the Timberlake Fire District what with one commissioner resigning and another scheduled to depart prior to his term expiring.

On the one hand we have some commissioners that tend toward the libertarian no taxes mantra, and others that can't see a two thirds majority voting for what would according to some studies, mean a doubling of taxation for the present level of fire protection.

Since it's inception. the department has been riddled with dissention. Several years ago, Chief Graber rented himself out to the forest service, since he was a qualified fire boss. That created a gap in supervision during summer months when fire danger is at it's worst. Then a scandal erupted claiming some firefighters used department computers to access porn. Then a volunteer, hearing the call after having a few drinks,jumped into an EMT unit and raced to the scene of an accident. Unfortunately, he was more of the problem than the solution.

It may well be that we have outgrown the local fire district issue and will gravitate toward a county wide fire district. This will play out as our area grows and experiences growing pains.

*New information reveals that a fire commissioner, Weise, has resigned and a part time consultant also is gone.