HomeMy WebLinkAbout08.25.25 Emilia Erickson Public Comment_ FW_ Firestation 38.ATTENTION: This message originated from outside Butte County. Please exercise judgment before opening
attachments, clicking on links, or replying..
From:Clerk of the Board
To:Clerk of the Board; Connelly, Bill; Cook, Holly; Cook, Robin; Durfee, Peter; Jessee, Meegan; Kimmelshue, Tod;
Kitts, Melissa; Krater, Sharleen; Lee, Lewis; Little, Melissa; Pickett, Andy; Ritter, Tami; Stephens, Brad J.;
Sweeney, Kathleen; Teeter, Doug; Zepeda, Elizabeth
Cc:Sjolund, Garrett; Harvey-Butterfield, Briana
Subject:Public Comment: FW: Firestation 38
Date:Monday, August 25, 2025 8:23:37 AM
Please see public comment
From: Emilia Erickson <rubberduckywon@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2025 7:50 AM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Cc: Peggy Moak <pmoak19@gmail.com>; Dot Morris <dotmorris1@yahoo.com>
Subject: Firestation 38
Dear Board of Supervisors Team,
I respectfully ask you to imagine being a volunteer firefighter in a rural area like
Concow. It's a huge commitment and responsibility to empower oneself to be a
trained helper in our own widespread, rural community. But, it's highly needed,
so you work hard at accomplishing this goal. Please imagine, you've worked hard
all day and are sitting down with your family to eat dinner, when the radio starts
blaring codes. You stop chewing, set down your fork and listen carefully. The call
goes out and the adrenaline rushes through your tired body. You know that you
can gear up and get to your vehicle in less than two minutes. You've practiced,
you've trained: it's go time! You recognise the address: a beloved elder who has
lived here your entire life. They only live less than ten minutes away, but you
have to get to Station 37 first, to get the proper medical kit. As you
are barrelling down Concow Rd., you pass Station 38, on your way to Station 37.
The clock is ticking. It's already been five minutes since you got the call. You
can make it to Station 37 in about 10 more minutes. Heart racing, eyes focused,
prayers flying, you skillfully weave down the mountain road and get to the
Station. You're the first one here, so you unlock the doors and prepare to
operate the engine as you've been trained. All is as it should be, equipment
rescue ready, and you're on the road. You wish you could fly this thing, or just
appear at the call. No, that's not how this works. The engine is a huge,
beautiful machine that does not really race and weave like your personal vehicle.
Coursing through the darkness, you look at the clock, and notice you're at least
15 minutes away. Ever hopeful, ever determined, you keep going and pass Station
38, and know that you are only 5 more minutes away. You get to the call and race
inside. Faces are sweaty and tearful, so hopeful that help is finally here.
They've been doing CPR for over a half an hour now..... The patient has a grey
blue coloring. Hope is still in the air as you check the patient and provide care,
hooking up the AED. There is not a scannable rhythm.... It's a sad ending. If
only you didn't have to drive so far to get to your equipment....
What about fire response? Can you imagine having to drive in the opposite
direction of the actual fire, to go get the engine? You have to drive past
Station 38 on your way to Station 37 (9.8 miles of curvy mountain roads, round
trip) only to turn around and drive back, watching the smoke plume grow and
change color as you navigate towards the fire, hoping that the fire doesn't get
too hungry and knowing that likely, a local has already implemented whatever
tools they have to fight the fire. Countless times, local, untrained neighbors
have responded with urgency to help put out the fire, before volunteers or
CalFire can even get there. Concow people, for the most part, do take care of
their own. I have personally dug out miles of ditches on mountain roads to make
them passable. I have helped clean and glue wounds together on many different
people because my neighbors know I am prepared with professional Red Cross
training and first aid supplies. We know how to care for each other in many ways.
PLEASE allow us to have the proper tools needed to care for our own. By housing
the engine at Fire Station 38, we are only improving response times for the
entire community. Maintenance and utilities are being paid for by local
community members and non profits, so this does not pose any fiscal impact.
Another key aspect, besides financial and proximity, is the fact that the
equipment bays are not dependent on PGE power like Station 37 is. Emergencies
don't wait for a PSPS (public safety power shutoff) to be over, or any other
countless reasons the power shuts off.
PLEASE help us help ourselves by housing the engine at Fire Station 38. Time is
EVERYTHING, when you are facing some sort of emergency. I mean, can you
imagine, sitting on the side of the road, after an accident and waiting over 30
minutes for a trained helper to arrive? It's just too long to wait.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Emilia Erickson
--
Dark is not the opposite of light
It is the absence of light