Fire chief job specialized, dangerous

4/10/2007

On 9/11 when the World Trade Center buildings were destroyed by terrorists, 343 New York fire fighters were killed, including the fire chief and a deputy fire commissioner.

On June 10, 1961, when a gasoline truck overturned, exploded, and burned on the Anthony Wayne Trail in Toledo, many fire fighters were burned and four fire fighters were killed, including Deputy Chief Ewald Bode.

This is typical of fire chiefs throughout the United States. During their careers these men work fighting fires and giving emergency services as they advance through the ranks and study command, and when promoted they have the experience, leadership, and management skills necessary to be a fire chief.

I understand not having a fire chief is a budget-cutting matter, but the morale and safety of our fire fighters are too important to be compromised by not having an active titled fire chief.

Police Chief Mike Navarre is a great police chief who admits he knows little about fighting fires or leading fire fighters. The Toledo Fire Department already has an excellent assistant fire chief who has the experience and leadership necessary to do this highly specialized and dangerous job as the fire chief of the City of Toledo.

RICHARD HUNT

Deputy Chief/Operations (Retired) Toledo Fire Department

In January, my brother-in-law, who was never married and never had any children, died.

I called Social Security to inform them and I asked about the $255 benefit toward his burial. I was asked if he had a wife or children and when I answered no, I was told then there is no benefit.

When I started to work, I was told that when the time comes, and if I worked and paid into Social Security, there would be this burial benefit.

No one told me that I had to be married and have children to receive this tremendous amount of money to help with burial expenses.

No one expects to die, but when someone does that money would surely have helped to pay the expenses, whether they have a wife/husband or children, no matter how little the amount.

Everyone better start thinking about getting married or having children or start saving for the funeral.

Sharon Rainwasser

West Sylvania Avenue

A recent letter writer stated that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in a lamentable display of ignorance and distortion of the facts typical of this administration, just recently made reference publicly to Congress (nonexistent) declaration of war against Germany at the start of World War II.

The letter writer, eager to attack the administration, demonstrated either ignorance or willful distortion of the facts.

It is true that Germany declared war on the United States first. However, on Dec. 11, 1941, Congress responded with a declaration of war against Germany.

Congress voted 393 for, none against, 36 not voting, and there was one abstention, that of Rep. Jeanette Rankin, who had earlier voted against the declaration of war on Japan. This is readily verifiable by anyone who chooses to check.

John Cunnings

Perrysburg

In 2006 the first wave of the Baby Boom generation turned 60. In the very near future, the largest generation in history all 77 million of them will come into their retirement years.

The sheer numbers of this generation suggest that there will be a tremendous increase in the need for nurses, especially those who work in home care. With this group already in short supply, the question is: Where will America find the home-care nurses it will so desperately need?

Here are some thoughts.

The face of the new worker is over 65. One of the most fruitful avenues will be to attract back nurses who retired.

We should look to create a career ladder and promote those who have worked as home-care aides. Most of them would love it if, through some combination of education and experience, they could be elevated to the status of nurses.

We must make home care the preferred profession. Nurses who work in institutional settings will very quickly see the advantages of working in home care. The question should be: Are you good enough to be a home-care nurse?

We should give preference to nurses through our immigration laws. We should give preference to those who are trained, who have the right work ethic, caring, and professionalism to work in home care.

The shortage of good teachers is what limits the number of nurses that can be trained and graduated by our schools of nursing. Top-flight home-care nurses should be recruited to teach what they know in schools of nursing.

Val J. Halamandaris

President National Association for Home Care and Hospice Washington, D.C.

In his March 29 letter to the editor, Mario Goveia stated that the troops need our absolute support.

I couldn t agree more. That s why I long ago joined a weekly protest group that wants our troops to come home.

If I could trust this administration to care for our fine servicemen and women, then I might be a bit less adamant in my protest.

But Bush/Rumsfeld/Cheney and Co. didn t seem to mind sending them into a conflict that should never have happened in the first place.

The same cabal wasn t all that concerned that our troops didn t have the necessary equipment to fight this war built on lies. And if they should die in conflict, photos were not to be taken when they arrived back in the states, always in the dark of night.

If our serving men and women were injured, maimed, or suffering from post-traumatic stress disorders, what assurances were they given that they d receive the best of care once they arrived home? None!

There is obviously very little respect for the returning injured troops, and it is an affront to their dignity as individuals and a betrayal of their acceptance of the risks of military service.

Because of the Bush Administration s total incompetence in preparing for this shock and awe and subsequent aftermath (not to mention the untold billions of dollars that are being lost or misspent) American troops in combat have suffered. The injured troops and veterans are the butt of disrespect and betrayal.

Support the troops ? You betcha!

And because I cannot trust this administration to take care of those who fight for our freedoms, I want them home.

Sybil Diccion

Morenci, Mich.

The Division I college athletic system is based on a fraud.

The NCAA and the universities carry on an elaborate pretense that all of those football and basketball players are not performers who are hired to represent the schools on the field or the court, but rather just ordinary students who happen to play a little football or basketball on the side.

They receive scholarships as if they are admitted as scholars.

Even the Ivy League schools and the service academies have lower admission standards for athletes.

And now, the authorities who administer and perpetuate this fraud are suddenly shocked shocked! to find that there may be dishonesty in college athletics.

Bruce Dunlavy

Bowling Green

Cedar Creek Church Sucks, the sign says. This does provoke thought. How clever. How obnoxious. As a high school English teacher in the Toledo Public Schools, I attempt to guide students to make wise word choices in any instance where they want to be taken seriously. Is this even good marketing?

Too bad we cannot ask the devil if he wants to be quoted this way.

Jennifer A. Rogers

Kingsford Drive