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Setting The SHFR Record Straight; Reasons To Vote 'Yes'

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 23, 2008

I am writing this letter to you in response to a letter printed in your paper Wednesday, Oct. 14. The letter in question was from Raymond Hughes, who made some remarks I do not agree with. I will put his remarks in a question format. I will attempt to answer to the best of my ability as a retired firefighter/paramedic.

First: He made a remark the Spring Hill Fire Rescue board is a 4-to-1 board with each and every meeting when they vote.

Second: He said that each firefighter/EMT and paramedic does not deserve the pay or benefit.

Third: He stated that the district's vote on the Taj Mahal (Station No. 3) was a 4-to-1 and cost $1.4 million.

Fourth: He made reference to the $800,000 useless ladder truck.

Fifth: He wants to support Fire Commissioner Rob Giammarco for voting "no" for every line item voted on at each meeting.

A little biography about myself: I have been a resident of Spring Hill for 33 years. I worked for SHFR beginning in 1977 for about four years and retired disabled from City of Largo Fire Rescue.

This is in my opinion and an attempt to answer Hughes' remarks.

•The 4-to-1 vote every meeting that I attended Mr. Giammarco voted no.

•Each firefighter in the SHFR deserves more than they are now making. The district has finally caught up to some of the surrounding counties. Example: Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough.

•The Taj Mahal - the repair bill for that station cost $1.4 million. The reason from what I know is that the original builder cheated the taxpayers because it was not built to county specifications.

•The ladder truck did not cost $800,000; it was purchased for about $650,000, and it is not useless. A ladder truck is used for all house fires - be it single or multilevel apartments. The ladder truck in some cities, towns and counties can be used at an auto accident as a heavy rescue. It would carry rescue equipment if that district does not have a separate heavy rescue vehicle. In most cities and counties, first response to a structure fire is one rescue, two engines, one ladder truck, one district chief and a heavy rescue truck, if they have one in service.

•Lastly, what I feel most about is Fire Commissioner Rob Giammarco, who was appointed by the county commissioners. My personal opinion, he was placed here to disrupt this district so the county can take over our fire department. What my understanding is that a county merges with a fire department it cannot have separate taxing districts; it must be one. This is why I am voting "yes" on Nov. 4.

Lawrence J. D'Acunto

Spring Hill

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