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RSOLD "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" 10- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, April 25, 1995 WE WILL NOT KNOWINGLY BE UNDERSOLD | LOW PROFIT HIGH VOLUME 2 DEALER DOES IT AGAIN! '05 SPIRIT OR ACCLAIM BE UNDERSOLD - 4 99%, OR $2000 REBATE JTOSHIANN 389 ATONIMONM LON TIM WE WILL NOT KNOWINGLY IMONX LON TIM 3M QT0SH3ANN 39 Al Priced to low to advertise! PN yf WN SCUGOG'S PRE-OWNED VEHICLE SPECIA = | SW . 16 SPIRITS J PRE | INTREPIDS |, Yom us \4 OWINGLY BE UNQERSOLD : WE WILL NOT KNOWINGLY BE UNDE > a bi Fully 71 Equipped |; | 1989 1) PLYMOUTH Pax] Sundance ; 4 door, PS, PB, auto, AM/FM radio, air, red. 2 TEMPO L EAN PS, PB, air auto, | _ ead AM/FM radio, white $5,695. 1994 1988 5th |JAVENUE 18 cy., auto, rear dr., PS, PB, | PWI. Windows i &locks, air, od AM/FM, cass. iB Ps PB PW, PL. ak, 7 pass., p auto, tik, cruise, AM/FM cass., air, rear defogger, bucket seats, bal. of new car war. avail. J i $12,200. PS, PB, auto, air, [*, Ti, cruise, Air, i cruso, AM/FM » =) X indows, rey cassette, Lt. blue Ls ogger, gre : | 55,995. P $4,295. 55 500° ~ ONE WEEK ONLY - 3 we NEED usep caRs & TRucks SCUGOG CHRYSLER HWY. 12-7A 5c0606 || 5 PORT PERRY MANCHESTER dover] | PORT PERRY wr 7A 985-7354 OR 404-8220 WHITBY OSHAWA LR RAS LE ITER S Ho, our readers Criticism of firefighters unfounded To the Editor: A short while ago an event occurred near where I live that happens all too often: A house caught fire, and a life was lost. As soon as an alarm was raised a chain of events be- gan. All over the Caesar- ea, Nestleton, and Black- stock area beepers went off, and a large force of men and women stopped playing with their chil- dren, cooking family meals or watching a good game on T.V., and dashed from their homes to go in harm's way to protect us. When I read the atticles and letters and began to hear the small town gossip mill call their actions on this night of tragedy into question it angered me. And I found out talking to others that many of us were angered by the stu- pidity and ignorance of those Monday morning quarterbacks who seem to follow things of this type (i.e. police shootings) like critics in a movie review column. Saying you're sor- ry or you didn't under- stand all the facts after the accusations have been hurled does little to sub- due our sense of range. All of the critics would do well to remember that these men and women who are the first line of de- fence to this community go out and risk their lives for us not for money (because remuneration -is small by anyone's estimation) but because someone has to take that responsibility. Their suits are not heat proof and anybody who has not been in a smoke filled room would not know that an oxygen tank and mask is not 100 per cent protection against smoke. The heat from hundreds of degrees of a burning building would instill mind numbing fear in most, but their training kicks in and they do their jobs, and doit damn well. From the facts I have learned of that night, it was only the firefighters' training that prevented injury or death because they had to be sure noth- ing more could be done than what was done. If any gallows humor . was heard by the rubber neckers that car acci- dents, fires, suicides and shootings always seem to attract it is only because this type of stress manage- 'ment is common to the likes of firefighters, police, doctors, soldiers under fire and ambulance atten- dants, all people who hold others' lives and fates in their hands on a daily ba- sis. Firefighting is a danger- ous, dirty, and physically demanding job at best. These people deserve our highest praise and most of all our united support. Some of them are your friends and neighbors, some coach your kids' hockey and baseball teams, some fix your car and some are someone's mother. Each and every one of them will be there for youor your family. Next time you see one of them, let them know they've got your support. And as for those who would still question the ac- tions of firefighters on that sad night: Get a life, get a brain, or better still, get an application for the volunteer fire depart- ment. I'm sure your keen insight and ability to make snap judgments, un- inhibited by facts or expe- rience, would be invalu- able to them. R.W. Davie, Nestleton To the Editor: positive manner. 'They're volunteers In response to the article written about the recent fire and resulting death of a woman in Caesarea. First off, this woman contributed to her own death on two accounts: careless smoking and having no smoke detectors in her home. Those people who are not satisfied with the depart- ment's efforts should take note. All our firefighters are volunteers - men and wom- en like themselves - willing to spend their time in training to help people in the community in whatever . crisis may occur, for minimal pay and are ready at the flick of a switch to put their lives on the line. I defy any of these unsatisfied people to do half of what our firefighters do towards our community in a The day one of their lives is saved by "one of their neighbors" they might start to see the light, rather than being burned to death by it. Ken Pickard Scugog Island. Fire death needn't be in vain To the Editor: I am writing this letter in response to the letter "Probe of Department is Needed," in your April 18 edition. What a "to do," after the fact. It seems to me that the outpouring of care by so many people comes just a little too late. Where were all these concerned people when Mrs. Boehm was alive? Human nature being what it is, it is so easy to criticize and complain. Perhaps the people who are so critical of the fire- fighters might consider joining the volunteer fire department if they think they could have or can do a better job. If the experienced fire- fighters knew that Mrs. Boehm was already dead, why in the name of com- mon sense would you peo- ple want them to risk their lives in a lost cause? I was not there and if the volun- teers were laughing and joking, as these people claim, then I do admit that was not very appropriate behavior, under the cir- cumstances. However, I believe that it is a known fact that evenin an operat- ing room, jokes have been bandied about, only as a way of relieving some of the tension and stress. Could this have been the case here? I am certain the Mrs. Boehm will be delighted to know that she was so well thought of. Too bad that all the efforts being put forth in criticizing were not channeled in her direc- tion to help her when she was alive. Did any of you take the time to visit her? Did any of you take the time to phone her and ask how she was and if she needed any- thing? Perhaps not; that might have been too diffi- cult. It is much easier to stand around and criti- cize! I do hope that in the fu- ture, if any of you good citi- zens know of a senior who is living alone and could perhaps use a kind word or a helping hand, that ou will offer it. Then Mrs. oehm's death will not have been in vain. By the way: I may not live in your area but I sure hope that the volunteer firefighters are there when I need them and also when you need them. Keep up the good work, firefighters. I. Erachere, Bowmanville