CVFSA now must pay consequences, reader says
To the Editor,
I am the dad of an LVA volunteer.
My daughter, Penny, has been an EMT for 18 years; my other daughter, Wendy, for two, and my son-in-law Joe for 10.
For the past 18 years I have watched as my daughter rushed away from birthday parties, sat in stunned silence at the loss of a baby and one time let the meatloaf she was making me burn because of her responding to her pager for a call.
I could name countless times when she or her sister, Wendy, weren’t around because of training, meetings, or refreshers. I am sad that what she and all the members of LVA and LVFD have given have been overlooked in pursuit of CVFD’s ego.
I also had a nephew that I thought of as a son, who was a volunteer with LVFD. Corey died the way he lived, recklessly, and doing what he loved, fighting a fire.
So, I know a thing or two about these organizations and sacrifice. I am ashamed that within our town all these folks’ hard work has been ignored so that CVFD and the likes of (some) can make them out to be bad guys for trying to do what is right for our community as a whole.
When I say community, I mean the whole town, not just the Farm to Market area.
If you asked Penny, “Where is LVA’s service area?” she would say “anywhere we are requested to go.” We have talked a lot about this situation. Did you know LVA just celebrated 40 years of service?
Did you know that just the board of directors of LVA alone bring a combined 113 years of experience of their weighty decision making? I don’t take this lightly. LVA tried to save Corey, and cried with us when he didn’t make it.
They took care of my wife, Linda, and I when we had a wreck in fvont of our house. They took Linda to the hospital for the last time. Penny was on call that day. LVFD carried Corey in the antique firetruck to the cemetery, and they still put a flag on his grave every Memorial Day.
I for one am grateful that the Lincoln County Commissioners can see the whole picture and are not being swayed by the pity party Cabinet View is throwing.
The only people getting CVFD dissolved, is themselves. They need to live by the laws, rules, and commands of authority just like the rest of us. Who do they think they are?
They have broken every command by the sheriff, the county attorney and the County Commissioners by self-dispatching.
They have violated the rules of the Department of Health and Human Services by providing care to patients while not licensed.
They violated the rules of the U.S. Forest Service by starting practice fires without permission.
Come on, give me a break, you people pushed the limits, and you just get your consequences.
— Delbert Carr
Libby