Letters

Deepest thanks to all who helped save home

We would like to publicly thank Spokane Valley Fire District No. 1 and Fire District No 8, the fire districts in the outlying areas and across the state, plus Oregon, the Air Force Fire Department, the Department of Natural Resources, the Spokane Valley Police and the Spokane County Sheriff Department for their professionalism and preparedness during the recent Valley View Fire.

Thanks to them, we, along with our daughter and husband, our son, wife and family, did not lose our homes. Our two neighbors closest to us were not that fortunate. We were in the direct path of the fire, and had it not been for the change in the direction of the wind plus the shovels, picks and rakes of the men in our family and neighborhood and the nine volunteers from housing down below, we would no longer have a home.

Special thanks also to neighbor Steve Presta, a District 8 fireman familiar with our area, who was able to help coordinate a plan for fighting this fire.

The Spokane Valley Police and the Spokane County Sheriff were instrumental in the protection and security of our hillside by patrolling every night. During our evacuation, we noticed a vehicle which looked like potential looters going from driveway to driveway. With a license plate number, they were caught as they tried to re-enter the area.

Since the beginning of the fire, firefighters from many different areas have been working around the clock for any hot spots and reoccurrence. We have had a firetruck in our driveway every night with the firemen working the area around us in the darkness.

We have always supported the Spokane Valley Fire Department and this experience has reinforced our support for them even more. They were well prepared for our area since they had the foresight in 2002 for every station to spend time training here and becoming familiar in case of a fire of this magnitude.

Larry and Janet Sinclair

Spokane Valley