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Emergency Services Need Support

To the editor:

(Editor's Note: The following letter was addressed to State Senator Joe Scarnati)

Dear Sen. Scarnati:

I am writing in support of four measures scheduled for a vote in the State Senate this coming week.

Currently the laws state that a municipality "may" provide funding for fire protection, but there is nothing that states a municipality "shall," nor is there anything in place requiring the funding of Emergency Medical Services.

Many communities are going without adequate funding and, in some cases, without these vital services.

Locally, many departments are struggling to stay alive. If it were not for the fish fries and chicken barbecues, they would be forced to shut their doors.

The number of firefighters in Pennsylvania has dropped from nearly 300,000 in the 1970s to less than 70,000. Just as an example, when I graduated from high school in 1980, Second Ward Hose Company in Ridgway had 50 members with a waiting list. As of 2004, that same company was down to 28.

Fewer members not only means fewer people to respond in time of need, but fewer to conduct fund-raisers.

Today our citizens and government expect much more of us. We have many regulations covering training (166 hours for a firefighter and 130 hours for a basic EMT); control of hazardous materials, and many other facets of our work.

We are involved in water rescue, high angle rescue, hazardous materials mitigation, vehicle rescue and confined space rescue, just to name a few.

Our emergency medical services have evolved to an emergency room on wheels, and in many cases are now having to also travel much farther to reach a medical facility.

Our members and their families give much of themselves for their communities. All we ask in return is that the people we serve provide us with the funding we need in order to help them in their time of need.

I ask you to please support the passage of HB1131, HB1133, HB1134 and SB987.

Michael D. Healy Sr.

First Asst. Chief Tri-Town Fire Co.

Ulysses 'Hunting Is Barbaric'

To the editor:

Occasional news stories tell of hunters wounding deer and being unable to recover them.

A recent study in New Jersey found that deer hunters retrieved 43 percent of the deer struck by arrows. So, hunters failed to track down 57 of the wounded deer. This speaks volumes about the warped ethics of sport hunting.

The practice of slaughtering animals for recreation should not be tolerated by a civilized society.

We welcome your support for our cause of eliminating sport hunting by calling 845- 256-1400, or visiting our Committee to Abolish Sport Hunting (CASH) website, at all-creatures.org/cash.

Joe Miele New Paltz, N.Y.