Tuesday, March 10, 1998

Firefighters' help

Abilene firefighters have begun their drive to buy equipment they feel is essential to save lives. They are out at the mall and other places asking us to reach into our pockets to help buy something they obviously can't get through normal procurement channels. And the city is sitting on a budget surplus of $1 million.

Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this picture? Where are our priorities?

While the city is buying street signs and paying for advertising at the Expo Center, the firefighters are in effect begging for donations to buy essential lifesaving equipment. Isn't this part of the responsibility of the city?

Where is our city's leadership when the firefighters need it? Why hasn't the mayor, city manager or one of our council representatives done the obvious thing? Why hasn't someone said, "Wait a minute, this isn't how we equip a fire department. The citizens pay taxes to ensure their fire department is fully equipped and ready to respond with everything it needs. They shouldn't be asked to pay twice when we have a surplus. Let's find the money to buy these lifesaving tools out of our surplus!"

With 28 years as a firefighter, my view could be biased. Maybe street signs and gym floors and computers are more important than lifesaving tools for firefighters. Maybe $75,000 is too much to take from a million-dollar surplus to try to save a life. Maybe, but I don't think so.

FRED OWENS

Abilene

Via e-mail

March of Dimes

The March of Dimes participated in the 1997 President's Summit and has made a commitment to double the number of our youth leaders by the year 2000. As a result of this commitment, the March of Dimes was one of four organizations recently recognized in an announcement in the Abilene Reporter-News by Colin Powell, chairman of America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth.

The Big Country Division of the March of Dimes is taking this commitment seriously. Members of the Program Services Committee are organizing Chain Reaction, a high school leadership program that involves youth in education and community services. The program enables high school students to strengthen their leadership skills while helping to prevent critical newborn health problems - birth defects and low birth weights.

I encourage any organization that is interested in investing in the future of America - our youth - to join the Big Country March of Dimes in organizing Chain Reaction.

DAVID BAUM

Big Country March of Dimes

Better in Abilene

It is wonderful to know that Abilene does not have the problems with its public schools that are being experienced by the rest of the nation. (Re: AISD Superintendent Charles Hundley's March 8 response to Cal Thomas' March 2 column.)

Having lived in Abilene and West Texas in my younger years, I try to keep up with the happenings in my favorite part of the U.S.A. My daily perusal of the Abilene Reporter-News via the Internet confirms that, indeed, people are "kinder and gentler," moral standards are higher, and the quality of life is better in Abilene. In some ways maybe not quite what it could be, but way ahead of whoever is in second place.

Sad to say, though, Mr. Hundley, the Abilene schools are the exception, not the rule. You should be proud of the excellent job you and your community are doing. The people of Abilene, I am sure, are thankful to the Lord for being able to raise their children in such a fine community with a top-notch school system.

Pray for the rest of us and continue to set the example. The schools in the rest of the country are, to quote Cal Thomas, "in the toilet."

BRYAN BOSS

Canton, Pa.

Via e-mail