September 2006

As a SeaTac firefighter, I have a personal investment in the Fire Proposition that is on the September ballot.

It won't give me a raise, it won't give me better benefits-this truly, isn't about that! What irefighters will see from the passage of this Proposition is the ability to do our jobs better.

At the moment, we are operating with the same number of

firefighters on duty that we had 15 years ago, but we're taking about 67 percent MORE emergency calls with the same resources.

South King Fire and Rescue, formed when the Federal Way Fire Department and King County Fire District 26 (Des Moines) merged on Jan. 1, covers 40 square miles of area, protects approximately 150,000 citizens, and responds to nearly 16,000 emergencies each year.

We handle all types of fires, all emergency medical incidents, hazardous materials incidents, specialized rescue incidents and marine emergencies in Puget Sound.

The SeaTac Fire Department operates three fire stations that were carried over from the previous fire district. All are over 45 years old and don't meet seismic code regulations. Analysis has shown that replacing these stations is more cost effective than trying to upgrade them.

Proposition 1 addresses this and other issues for fire protection and aid calls for emergent help.

The City of SeaTac held several public meetings and recognizes this problem. The city is currently replacing Station 46 headquarters by using $5 million from the reserve fund.

Three names were left out of last week's story on the B-Town Ballers girls basketball team and its championship victory in an all-boys league.

The grades 6-8 team that draws from Marvista and Sylvester schools in Burien also included Alana Lopez, Amber Caughron and Sofia Locklear.

Highline used some good saves from their keeper, Brianna Lemarr, to go along with always-there scoring and the powerful presence of striker Kaitlyn Heinsohn to beat West Seattle, 3-0, at Highline Memorial Thursday.

It was a close game actually. The first half was pretty even in shots on goal 11-7, favoring the Pirates. And, self-admittedly, if not for a couple lucky bobbles of play favoring Heinsohn, her goal she scored may not have happened. That would have made it 1-0 instead of 2-0 at halftime.

Mount Rainier quickly destroyed an under-manned, less than a dozen suited up, Tyee team, 9-0, in girls opening round Seamount League soccer action at Highline Memorial Field Thursday.

The Rams improved to 1-1 while Tyee remains winless.

The Rams lost, incidentally, to Enumclaw 6-0, for their loss, but that is all OK because head coach Jerry Capodanno knows how to get a team better as the season goes along and also he is missing a couple players, including perhaps his best player in junior Sarah Martinez.

"We are missing Sarah, she was our second leading goal sc

On Aug. 31, SeaTac Fire Department units were dispatched to a fire along I-5 at the South 178th overpass.

Upon arrival, crews discovered a fast moving brush fire threatening 25 homes along 51st Avenue. A second and third alarm, along with a three-engine strike team, was requested. Units protected the homes with an aggressive attack. No homes were damaged. One homeowner complained on chest pains and was transported to a local hospital.

Units from Tukwila, Renton, Kent, Seattle, South King County Fire, and King County Fire Dist.

I am strongly urging the voters of the city of SeaTac to vote no on Proposition 1, which will substantially raise your taxes and be on the ballot Sept. 19.

We all want good fire service and I believe we have had it in the past and will have it in the future. Our firemen are highly trained, well paid and a credit to our community. Our fire service has received many accolades and few complaints.

I am writing in support of Proposition 1, a levy that will help SeaTac firefighters respond to emergencies and be better prepared for natural disasters.

Since 1992, the number of emergency calls in SeaTac has risen 67 percent, yet public funding for firefighting has only increased 1 percent per year.

We need to make sure the people of SeaTac are protected by investing in fire station upgrades and new equipment that will make emergency response more efficient, and by hiring new firefighters to respond to growth in the city of SeaTac.

I urge you to vote yes on Pr

I am writing in rebuttal to the City of SeaTac's Proposition 1 ballot mailing and its contents that was created, generated and mailed with city funds.

One: The number of on-duty Firefighters (10) has not increased since 1991.

In fact, the city has hired 27 additional firefighters since incorporation. There are now 15 firefighters assigned to each shift.

Two: Position of Fire Marshal and Public Educator vacant since 1996

In fact, the fire marshal position was filled until February 2003.