BI needs copter

To the editor:

Watching the media cover the Southern California fire disaster, I recognized that part of the problems can be attributed to lack of preparation. I recalled a Bainbridge Island Fire Department board meeting I attended years ago when I strongly suggested that it consider acquiring a helicopter.

I cited the convenient fact that we already have a helipad that is centrally located at Madison Fire Station. I also pointed out that BI’s uneven geography, coupled with it being heavily forested, could precipitate a catastrophic fire, much like what happened in California. Many years ago, I witnessed a crest fire sweep up a forested slope in a matter of seconds.

Another factor is the scarcity of fire hydrants in remote areas. A quick response to a fire is obviously desirable, particularly in a remote area. Some areas do not allow for motorized access, and a fire can be easily started by lightning and not observed until it has spread.

All of that points out the need for a rapid response. That can be provided by having a helicopter equipped with firefighting equipment available at moment’s notice. There is a very important secondary advantage for having a helicopter on hand. It would provide transportation for medical emergencies. BI lacks a hospital, and some medical emergencies require an immediate response. And finally, a helicopter may make the difference between life and death, if we lose our Agate Pass bridge during an earthquake.

Fred McGinnis

Bainbridge

Support farms

To the editor:

In 2024, our group of farmers and advocates at the Kitsap Farmland Preservation Coalition (preservekitsapfarms.org) attended public planning meetings and in-person meetings with our Board of County Commissioners as a voice in support of farmers and farmland during the Comprehensive Plan update.

Ultimately, the county made the decision to focus on areas within the Urban Growth Areas in 2024 and committed to having 2025 be the “Year of the Rural.”

We are now in the Year of the Rural.

County residents have the opportunity from now until March 7 to submit comments to the Department of Community Development. These will be taken into consideration as the county develops its vision for rural and farmland for the next 20 years. There will be other in-person opportunities to contribute this year. We encourage community members to reach out via our website.

Our group wants farmland preservation and food security centered as the most essential components of a resilient community. We need local farmers feeding our people, and we want to see these farmers supported in meaningful ways in the Comp Plan.

Our vision is thriving farms of all sizes, improved access for young/new farmers + BIPOC farmers, thriving farmer’s markets and functional mechanisms to transition aging farmers in equitable ways so that younger generations can build upon those legacies.

To provide input, go to http://www.kcowa.us/ruralsurvey

Stacy Marshall

Poulsbo

Vote for SB 5291

To the editor:

I am increasingly disheartened and alarmed as I watch the new Federal Administration target safety net programs that I have spent my career protecting. As the state director for the Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging, it’s been my responsibility to advocate for older adults and people with disabilities. So many critical services are at risk these days.

Fortunately, I live in a compassionate state that has also been a leader in helping people age with dignity. The new WA Cares Fund, our state’s long-term care benefits program, is the latest example of that.

Last year, when an initiative that would have bankrupted WA Cares went to the ballot, Washington voters defended the program. Now, the state legislature has the opportunity to continue investing in this program by passing Senate Bill 5291 to make some simple, but necessary, upgrades.

This commonsense bill would allow workers in Washington who previously opted out of the WA Cares program to opt back in, give people more flexibility in how they qualify for the program, and create a pathway for insurance companies to offer plans that can complement WA Cares coverage.

Last session, legislators took the important step of making WA Cares portable so Washingtonians could take their benefits with them if they move. These new upgrades are similarly sensible, making WA Cares benefits available to more people who need them.

I hope Sen. Drew Hansen and Reps. Tara Simmons and Greg Nance will vote yes on Senate Bill 5291.

Cathy Knight

Bainbridge

Nation in sad state

To the editor:

I write to express my deep disgust and sorrow at the state of our nation.

Remember Richard “I am not a crook” Nixon? When his crimes were exposed, there were many Republicans who chose to prioritize their country over their party, honoring their oath to defend the Constitution. That led to Nixon’s resignation.

Today, we face an even greater threat in Donald Trump—a convicted felon, pathological serial liar, toxic narcissist, corrupt businessman, power-hungry con artist, and wannabe dictator who is alarmingly out of touch with reality. Republicans had the chance to stop him twice, yet failed to act.

And then there is the foreign-born, unelected Elon Musk, who has openly confessed to suicidal thoughts and struggles with substance abuse. He is actively dismantling the very structure of our federal government. His reckless actions are creating mass confusion, endangering lives, destroying careers, and posing serious risks to our nuclear and other safeguards.

As for the complete incompetents appointed to Trump’s cabinet, that motley assortment of unqualified sycophants, all of whom are clear and present dangers to the Republic? Words fail.

You took an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States, yet you have completely disregarded that commitment. Chaos reigns across our nation. Your betrayal deserves the strongest condemnation. Stop this madman before he destroys all of us.

Not even God Almighty will be able to forgive you.

Paul Sanders

Bainbridge