Firefighters Assn. and Volunteerism

* Your July 26 editorial “Volunteer Firefighters” misstates the position of the Orange County Professional Firefighters Assn.

The association objects to a fire department delivery system that plays “Russian roulette” with the lives and property of the citizens of Orange County. It is patently unfair that some citizens receive the very best in fire/paramedic services while citizens in an adjacent ZIP Code “roll the dice” in the hopes that their fire protection might or might not respond, that they may or may not be emergency medical technicians.

These volunteer firefighters that you refer to are actually part-time firefighters who are compensated for their time. They work within a complex professional firefighting system, while their system is as antiquated as the steam fire engine.

Their ranks are continually stripped each year by a 30% turnover rate as they leave for full-time firefighter employment elsewhere, generally outside Orange County. The Orange County Fire Authority and the taxpayer then foot the bill to train approximately 120 new part-time firefighters each year.

Your editorial states that “full-time firefighters respond first to a call.” That is not true. There are currently eight Fire Authority fire stations that are empty.

These fire stations rely exclusively upon this part-time firefighter system to provide initial fire/rescue services to their respective jurisdictions. We believe that this program is very dangerous and not cost-effective for the service received.

The firefighters’ association does not oppose any citizen donating time and effort in the pursuit of enhanced community safety. In fact, we believe it is admirable. However, volunteerism of any sort should never interfere with the public’s safety.

JOE KERR

President, Orange County

Professional Firefighters Assn.