Letters for Jan. 24, 2022
Ban space heaters
Our fire chief, Brian Schaeffer, is asking our City Council to retrofit older buildings with new fire prevention equipment.
A cigarette lighter caused one fire and a space heater the other. Both are a tragedy, but taking a knee-jerk approach is not the answer. If our fire chief was so concerned, why wait so long after our own tragedy to propose retrofitting older buildings? How about starting by banning space heaters that have and will continue to create fires. There are other types of heaters under $50 at big box stores that are safer and cost less to operate. They look like old steam heaters and work far more safely than space heaters.
Spokane, take the lead – stop the sale of space heaters starting in 2022. Stores will have time to get rid of stock.
Marilyn E. Calkins
Spokane
The Theranos disaster
The persona of Elizabeth Holmes is without honesty and integrity. Lacking that in one’s character makes anyone a fraud. The warning signs flashed in red to any investor who should have inquired about the legitimacy of her claims. A trustworthy lab welcomes inspections and prepares with open books. The people who deserve sympathy are not the money losers, but the patients getting false results, who have not had enough emphasis. You want to think you’re not pregnant when you are? Or take comfort in thinking your cancer test is negative when it’s positive? Her duplicity was indeed criminal.
As a lifetime medical technologist working in hospital labs, I can tell you we take pride in accuracy, reliability and honesty in our work. We are an important part of the health care chain. Holmes ought to be ashamed of besmirching the fine reputation many of us have worked to build. Patients come first, and with correct answers.
Roz Luther, MT/ASCP
Spokane