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Re: Spring Hill fire department is worth protecting, June 2 letter to the editor from Scott Edmisten.
Editor: Mr. Edmisten, you stated that you want to save your career. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Please explain how you feel that consolidation would affect your career. I have looked into many counties that have consolidated, for example Sarasota and Indian River counties, where no jobs were lost.
I am certain that when the county takes over the Spring Hill Fire Rescue District, everyone will keep his or her jobs. Did you forget when Hernando County consolidated the Northeast, Northwest and the Airport Fire services, everyone kept his or her jobs?
By the way, Mr. Edmisten, did you accidentally forget to inform the good people of Spring Hill that you are not only a firefighter in Spring Hill, but you also are vice president of the union for the Spring Hill firefighters?
It seems that every time a firefighter from Spring Hill writes a letter in the newspapers, it's as if he is doing us a favor by coming to work. Last week, Jeff Palmer wrote a letter with the same antics.
Edmisten stated that the newspapers fail to report anything good that is done by your fire district. It seems to me that every other day there is something in the papers in reference to something good performed by your peers.
You need to understand you are not doing us a favor; you are doing your job. You have an extremely low turnover rate in your fire department because of the great salaries and benefits that Spring Hill affords you.
You fear consolidation because you may have to chip in to cover the cost of health insurance like the rest of the world does. Free health insurance for employees and their entire families is unheard of in this day and age. As far as Spring Hill hiring the best firefighters and paramedics - hogwash!
Hernando County Fire Rescue has very fine firefighters, EMTs and paramedics. Besides, you know as well as I do there is one standard and only one standard in Florida. Every firefighter, EMT and paramedic has to pass the same state boards in order to be employed in this state.
Years ago there was a need for a special fire district in Spring Hill. The county did not have paramedics and a private ambulance company delivered the medical services. Now there have been major changes in the county.
Fire and rescue is delivered by Hernando County. A very fine chief, Mike Nickerson, administers these services. The county has a training division similar to Spring Hill. The county has a hazardous materials team similar to Spring Hill's. And firefighters are constantly attending school to become paramedics.
In essence, it seems Mr. Edmisten is concerned that in the event the county took over Spring Hill Fire Rescue, we would not receive quality services. In a guest column in the Times, Chief J.J. Morrison defended the closest-mutual-aid policy by saying that in the event Spring Hill's apparatus is busy in Berkely Manor, then Station 12, which is the county fire department, will cover the Deltona Boulevard area.
Allow me to get this straight: According to you and your peers, if I need an ambulance in Spring Hill and you are busy handling a call outside of Spring Hill (an area that pays nothing into the Spring Hill budget and has chosen to be serviced by the county), then I will receive an inferior service.
The scare tactics need to stop. Your union pulled the scare tactic game in 1992 and in 2002; now you are trying again. The only fear is the fear of your country club falling apart.
Consolidation would be beneficial to every resident of Hernando County. It would save overtime, it would end duplication of services, mutual aid would be much more efficient, no one would be cheated and the firehouse follies in the Spring Hill Fire District would come to an end once and for all.
The people of Spring Hill have no reason to fear or be concerned by the scare tactics. They need to call their county commissioners and tell them they want one fire department in Hernando County. Call 754-4002 and tell your elected officials that you are tired of paying more than the rest of the county for emergency services. Remind your county commissioners that not once, but twice, residents have voted for the Spring Hill Fire Rescue District to be overseen by the county.
County Commissioner Diane Rowden stated that the people have spoken loud and clear and they voted for county oversight. Mr. Edmisten, it is very evident that the taxpayers of Spring Hill do not trust your administration.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The writer notes that she is no relation to Fire Commissioner Richard Martin.
Re: Spring Hill water relief complicated, June 9 Times.
Editor: And the Oscar goes to . . . the members of the Hernando County Utilities Department for the two-hour dog and pony show they put on before the county commissioners on June 8, trying to explain their existence and blaming everything that went wrong on Florida Water Services.
To Kay Adams, Utilities Department director, for telling the commissioners at the May 18 meeting that "We do not have a water pressure problem," and then on May 24 the newspapers quote her saying, "The utility will never be able to satisfy the demand."
To County Attorney Garth Coller for spending $41-million of taxpayers' money to buy Florida Water without doing a complete and detailed inventory of what they were getting and the condition of the utility since "it was a hostile buyout," and "I'm not sure that anyone ever promised anyone a panacea."
To the county commissioners who sit around like five bumps on a log and accept everything their staff tells them and question nothing. Also, for giving the impression that the entire population of Hernando County is better off ignored.
And finally, to County Administrator Richard Radacky for defending the purchase of Florida Water, regardless of the facts because he must justify the purchase.
I was one of the members of the Florida Water Advisory Board for Hernando County for years, and quite often questioned some of the things they fed us then.
Re: Maybe petition sponsor would try another way, June 9 letter to the editor.
On June 13, a letter appeared retracting his caustic comments (Letter to fire commissioner regretable), or could it be Mr. Mezzapelle stuck himself with his poison pen? These comments came at a time when our nation was mourning the passing of our 40th president and when the world was observing the 60th anniversary of the D-Day invasion.
To assume Spring Hill Fire Rescue District Commissioner Richard Martin "served in supplies" and to speak matter-of-factly about it shows a lack of content in Mezzapelle's character. I followed the stories in the newspapers when Mr. Martin returned and if Mr. Mezzapelle bothered to read them, he would know that he served on an Army landing craft. Do you know what that is, Mr. Mezzapelle? Those are the boats that carried the allied forces and equipment ashore during the D-Day invasion. Not quite office supplies, is it?
To give credit where credit is due, you did get one fact correct; you were ill-advised. Smarten up.
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