Dear Editor,

On Oct. 3 at approximately 7:30 a.m. I was traveling thru Knights Ferry when I noticed a private vehicle parked in front of the firehouse on top of the “KEEP CLEAR” sign. I approached and asked the individual (a fireman) if he could park on the site street approximately 25 feet away from the side door to unload his gear. This would give the engines free and clear access to the road. This is standard procedure in any other fire dept. I worked 10 years in fire for the U.S. forest service and if this happened there that employee would have a new job kicking rocks down the road. Perhaps if Oakdale Rural employees are so far out of shape they can’t pack their gear 25 or 30 feet we should add handicap parking for them in front of the firehouse. How can you possibly pick up a firehose and run with it. Initial attack response time is a critical element in controlling a fire. Any one of these private vehicles can stall, have a computer malfunction or steering column lock problem and be impossible to move without a tow truck. What happens then. Hope this problem can be resolved before my next installment of fire taxes is due.

Tom Gookin