Guest Commentary: Measure D necessary for community's safety

I would like the opportunity to clear up some misinformation about Barstow’s public safety officers and our efforts to protect our community.

A fire is a fire and a bullet is a bullet. Whether you die in a fire or are shot by a suspect in Barstow or San Bernardino, you are still just as dead. Your family is still cheated out of a loved on. The true fact is, that firefighters and police officers are at a higher risk of injury and death because they serve in Barstow, where there are not enough firefighters to meet minimum federal safety standards from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

We currently have six firefighters on duty each day protecting a community of approximately 45,000 people and more than 150,000 traveling through Barstow. Does that concern you? It does me.

Because of the danger of the job and the environment we work in, police officers and firefighters will be lucky to reach 25 years of service. In the 20-plus years I’ve been with the Fire District, I have seen far more firefighters leave because of a career ending-injury than I have seen retired with 25 years or more of service. As a matter of fact I only know of four!

Our retirement plans are equal — or less than — most other departments in California. We must be able to retain the few highly qualified and experienced police officers and firefighters we have in Barstow and attract more.

In fact, in comparison to San Bernardino County, which contracts with the cities of Hesperia, Victorville, Adelanto, Silver Lakes/Helendale, and Station 46 at I-15 and Harvard Road, twenty miles to the east of us, Barstow firefighters are 33 percent behind these neighboring communities. When compared to San Bernardino city we are 67 percent behind them in pay and benefits.

Without the additional public safety improvements, Barstow could end up seeing itself on the list of dangerous places to live. Is that what we should plan for, or should we do all we can to make sure Barstow continues to be a safe place to live and attract good job opportunities for our families?

The City Council and the Fire District Board of directors should be commended, not condemned, for placing Measure D on the ballot. They have made some very hard decisions to try to improve safety for us all. Without Measure D, they simply do not have the needed funds to accomplish the job.

In my opinion, negative editorials and letters to the editor seek to detract from the real issue. They risk all of our safety, just to sell a few more newspapers and they discourage prospective developers who might have brought good, well-paying jobs to the community.

The police department and the fire department will continue to put your safety as our number one priority; however we ask that you review the real facts about Measure D and the funds it will generate to hire more police officers and firefighters to improve public safety in Barstow.

ABOUT THE WRITER
Darrell R. Jauss is the Barstow Fire Protection District fire chief.