Letters for April 12, 2022
Emergency Medical Service levy renewal
Vote “Yes” for Emergency Medical Services Levy – April 26 – Ballot Measure
Having served as Spokane’s fire chief for 28 years, I have first-hand knowledge of the critical importance of the EMS levy to the Spokane community. The EMS levy helps pay for the essential Emergency Medical Services provided by the Spokane Fire Department every day. In fact, EMS calls make up roughly 90% of the 55,000-plus incidents responded to by SFD personnel each year.
Firefighters trained as paramedics and EMTs deliver outstanding care for all types of medical situations. The SFD has initiated Innovative Service Delivery Programs (such as CARES, ARU’s & Behavioral Health Units) that are constantly improving how EMS deals with medical issues.
Losing the funding provided by the EMS Levy would cripple the SFD’s ability to meet the community’s emergency response needs. A significant number of SFD personnel would be laid off, and a number of SFD units would no longer be in service. This would result in longer response times and deaths or debilitating medical outcomes that do not have to occur if we continue providing EMS levy funding.
Spokane benefits immensely and receives incredible EMS services from the SFD, in a large part due to the EMS levy. Let’s ensure we continue to provide the Spokane Fire Department with the resources they need to help citizens during their medical crisis.
Vote “YES” for the EMS levy!
Bobby Williams
Former Spokane fire chief
The irony of history
During the Holocaust 3 million Polish Jews were murdered including mass shootings by German troops and their Ukrainian and Lithuanian auxiliaries. As of March 27, 2¼ million Ukrainian refugees have gone to Poland.
Charles Brondos
Spokane
Fluoride is harmful
Adding fluoride to our water supply would be a bad idea. Let’s hear more facts before more are misled. MedicalNewsToday states fluoride can lead to bone cancer, thyroid problems, depletion of calcium in bone structure, neurological problems, ADHD risks and many other side effects depending on level of exposure and the individual.
It’s in most toothpaste, providing responsible parents enforce dental hygiene at home. Most kids hate brushing their teeth … I get that. Seniors and folks with health issues don’t need fluoride in the water we shower in, prepare our meals with, water our organic gardens with, bathe our newborns in, let our precious pets drink or whatever we use tap water for besides flushing. Perhaps explore alternatives: add to bottled water/juice, or gummies/sugar-free candies marketed to those who need it, or a class on dental hygiene at schools like boot camp does.
Ask yourself is such a drastic and lazy approach needed? Why the big rush? Who really benefits besides a few of us? Its cost? Or is it free and why? Follow the money.
Remember when dentists told us mercury amalgamate wasn’t harmful to fill cavities not too long ago? Also having lived in large metropolitan cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Phoenix the tap water there is awful and undrinkable, you have to buy it at little stores.
Say no to industrial byproducts in the water. Speak up and protect our delicious ancient glacial drinking water. Rights are being abused when you’re forced to ingest anything, only the ridiculous/obnoxious would disagree.
Tom Brown
Spokane
Russian war crimes in Ukraine
Russian war crimes? I am a bit perplexed about the discussion as to whether Russia is committing war crimes in Ukraine – as if crossing the border, blowing up buildings and killing soldiers and civilians were not already crimes – long before revelations from Bucha revealed an even darker part of the story.
It is as if vandals broke into your house, stole the furniture, set fire to the garage and killed your parents, and were not considered criminals until or unless, they killed your grandfather as well.
In short, the “war crime” debate is a distraction from the fundamental fact that the whole damn business is a monstrous crime!
Bill Youngs
Cheney
Health care crisis
I assist families to find long-term care solutions for their aging loved ones currently. In speaking to my associates about problems we face, staffing is No. 1. We are in crisis mode as a society.
We have qualified, able people who don’t want to work, don’t show up for interviews or shifts, and it comes with little notice. As a director of assisted living, I’ve done every job imaginable as the residents and their well-being always came before admin when short-staffed.
I’m seeing massive burnout from the top down. Our seniors are not getting the attention they need and failing. UTIs and falls have skyrocketed, weight loss communitywide has been an epidemic of its own when we locked our seniors down for protection. This is a tidal wave of negative effects on Medicare, Medicaid and the health care system. We need to be preventive in nature for this to lessen the demand.
If we could encourage people to go to work, to do a good job, make a difference in the lives of others, we could have a tsunami of other positive outcomes. Food on the table, increased self-esteem and a positive impact on the social service systems are all positive outcomes. We would be protecting the sick, elderly and vulnerable of our population.
I am here to help, I am here to assist in any way I can and I have a large group to pull from for aiding in this staffing shortfall.
How can we come together to fix this?
Jessica Yaeger
Spokane Valley
Monsters
Love me, or I will hate you.
Give in to what I want, or I will crush you.
Marry me, or I will kill you.
This is what monsters say.
This is what monsters do.
Children’s books, and history, teach us:
We must destroy monsters.
Daniel Mahoney
Spokane