Heroic Actions Cited

On Sept. 12, several of us stood with a neighbor and watched while her home burned to the ground. What took the Ventura County Fire Department so long to respond? The nearest fire station is only three minutes away. But it seems that all its men and equipment were busy elsewhere at a training drill.

Once they did arrive, more time was wasted as they suited up and prepared hose lines. From our observation, no aggressive action was taken to suppress the fire, only to confine it to that structure. Why?

The adjacent home was spared through the heroic efforts of a neighbor, an off-duty city fireman, who stayed on that roof watering it down until the Fire Department had hose lines going. He sustained first-degree burns on his face, arms and chest.

Our hearts go out to our homeless neighbor. We’re thankful she escaped unharmed but are very angry at her loss. This anger is not directed at the men and women who risk their lives fighting fires, but at the system that dictates how they do their job. It is a chilling and sobering thought to know that in time of need, help will be too little, too late.

ANITA CHURPEK, JOAN PADILLA,

SHARON WILLIAMS, LISA VAN EPP,

PRUDENCE JAY VAN EPP

MARTA NELSON, HENRY E. NELSON

JOHN S. and GLENYS HOOK, JENNIE TAYLOR

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