Thursday, March 29, 2012

If It Were You, You Would Be In Jail, But The Government Employees, Nah

From Firehouse.com: Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper on Wednesday suspended the use of state prescribed burns like the one that may have caused a deadly wildfire that destroyed dozens of homes near Denver.
The Colorado State Forest Service said the 6-square-mile fire started from a controlled burn last week that was meant to reduce vegetation. Instead, high wind gusts Monday blew embers across a containment line and into unburned forest, sparking the blaze.
"This is heartbreaking, and we are sorry," Deputy State Forester Joe Duda said in a written statement.
Glenn Davis, who said his friends were forced from their homes by the fire, peppered Duda with questions at a news conference and said he wants changes in how prescribed burns are conducted.
"People up here want accountability," Davis said. "Telling me, 'I'm sorry,' doesn't really make a difference."...
As crews dug lines around the fire's perimeter, a search team was using dogs to look for a woman missing in the fire zone. Her home was among 27 destroyed or damaged in the blaze.
The bodies of Sam Lamar Lucas, 77, and Linda M. Lucas, 76, were found earlier this week at their destroyed home. Their cause of death was pending.
Neighbor Eddie Schneider said he's not sure the couple ever received an automated phone call telling them to leave. Schneider left his home after a firefighter knocked on his door.
Hickenlooper said he doesn't blame some of the 900 evacuated homeowners in the mountains southwest of Denver for being angry.
"Their houses have been destroyed. Their lives have been changed forever. It's not their fault," he told KOA radio.
http://www.firehouse.com/news/10684639/colorado-forest-service-apologizes-for-wildfireSo, some government workers start a fire that kills at least two people, destroys numerous homes and burned hundreds of acres of land and all the government workers do is apologize.
If this was a civilian, homeowner or kids playing, they would be under arrest and be facing thousands of dollars of fine and hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars in restitution and pay for the cost of the firefighting efforts.
The government employees get away with it, you and I would not.
What a shame.

No comments:

Post a Comment