City, county fire units already work together
Regarding the editorial, "Now's the time to assess future firefighting needs," (Jan. 19): I've worked with city and county governments as a consultant in evaluating fire and rescue services.
You have a unique situation in Guilford County with fire departments adjacent to the cities of Greensboro and High Point. You have county and city fire departments already sharing fire stations. Merger has already occurred in some areas.
Citizens that reside and work in these sections cannot tell one department from the other. You have firefighters from city and county working medical calls and fighting fires together.
Average response times in any county or city fire department are very similar unless it is a rural area requiring longer travel distance.
Most volunteer departments have paid firefighters in the stations during daytime weekday hours to supplement the volunteers. I believe the money paid for fire protection in the county fire districts is the best service received for the tax dollars in Guilford County.
Merger would be very expensive. The departments (city and county) are doing a great job of providing the best service possible for our citizens.
Richard Trexler
Colfax
The writer is retired chief, Colfax Fire Department.
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I totally agree with Barbara Whitener but guess what. Bush used those that voted for him based on what they believed his stand on homosexuality and gay marriage to be just like he intends to use the younger generation to go along with his Privatation of Social Security while he fails to tell them they will have to pay for the program out of their account at retirement. Bush is slick, that's for sure. Doubt he has ever played a simple game of cards without stacking the deck first.
Rebecca Thompson
Burlington, NC
Posted on February 8, 2005 12:32 AM