I believe that it is imperative to pass the Fire Station and Fire Apparatus Levy to rebuild the South end fire station as well as purchase a new truck and equipment. As a former firefighter in a major metropolitan city, we were trained not to become a victim during any given emergency response. If the South end station fails structurally during a major seismic event, we could possibly lose our fire personnel and equipment, adding our would-be rescuers to our victim list. With limited fire personnel on duty (especially at night), the South end station needs to be fully functional during an emergency to respond to the citizens needs on that end of the Island.

With Mercer Island positioned on top of a fault line, it’s only a question of when, not if. It may not occur in our lifetime, but now is the time to prepare. Let’s not put this off any longer, pass this levy and give the fire department the resources needed to carry out their duties.

Gerry Kenny