— from Tamara Joyner —
With my attention and prayers focused on our neighbors in Snohomish County’s Oso community, I am urged to ask you to vote yes in supporting the fire levy. As I see the devastation of the slide and listen to the response team leaders speak about the recovery process, I am grateful for the Incident Command System and how paramount it is when a community is hit with an unforeseen horrific disaster.
As a public health nurse, I participate in ongoing training in this system and understand its effectiveness in providing the best outcome for as many people as possible in a dire situation. Law enforcement, public health, fire and rescue departments all must be skilled, well equipped, and thoroughly confident in this system to be able to work together as efficiently as possible, across agencies. Continued training, strong leadership, and practice are needed to keep these coordinated skills sharp.
Orcas Island is more remote than the Oso community, and any major disaster recovery resources from outside our county, would take additional time to reach us. Our usual island mode of rolling up our sleeves to individually help our neighbors would quickly be outmatched and exhausted. Passing the EMS fire levy will ensure our island has resources and trained responders, ready to serve us. Please join me in voting yes for the fire levy.
It leaves me speechless when I hear folks rave against the levy in order to save themselves a few dollars! We have such an incredibly valuable resource here we must protect it! Merry
Thank you, Tamara, for nailing one of the numerous justifications for a YES vote on the District 2 levy. The heartbreaking devastation in Oso reminds us that such a disaster is not unthinkable here on Orcas.
It’s also important to point out that the new levy is, essentially, a continuation (or replacement) of the existing levy. Not an increase in our taxes!
Than you, Tamera and very well said.