On Sunday, the 27th of February, my wife and I were onboard our boat at Shilshole Bay Marina, when at 11 a.m. we heard the first of a long, series of sirens. Twenty minutes later there were a total of, at least, 17 response vehicles: seven that seemed to be lieutenants or chiefs, four medic vans, and six fire trucks, some of which even had ladders.
They were on-scene at a 30-ft boat from which smoke was escaping. Where there is smoke there is fire, but not in this case. The boat was for sale and had no one on board. As a captain and a trained firefighter, I know that marina fires are nothing to take lightly. But when the first, second or even the third crew on scene had to have reported the situation under control and no lives at stake, I would call this excessive! The other response vehicles should have turned around.
So I ask, why were fifty men and thousands of dollars used to confirm the situation...just a slow day? Hog wash! Right now during this great depression is not the time to waste money on any level of government. If they want to waste money lets waste money on our schools!

Captain Joseph Mactavish