Measure 24-10Arguments in Favor:Argument in Favor: Measure 24-10 Salem Fire Fighters and Paramedics want you to know why it is important to VOTE YES ON 24-10. Our job is to keep you safe and our ability to do that well is on the line. Measure 24-10 will dramatically improve your safety. Here's why: RESPONSE TIME The Salem City Council adopted the recognized national standard of a four-minute driving response time to be met by emergency crews 85% of the time. To meet that standard, fire station relocations and additions are needed. Scientific research shows that when a person's breathing or heartbeat has stopped, irreversible brain damage occurs after four to six minutes without resuscitation. Survival rates plummet when response is delayed. The same holds true when your home catches fire. A fire doubles in size every minute. A flashover - the moment at which all the contents of a room ignite - occurs within four minutes after burning begins. To prevent this from happening, quick response time is critical. EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS Many of Salem's existing stations are not built to survive even a modest earthquake. It's likely that in the event of a quake, stations will collapse, burying both firefighters and the specialized equipment needed to assist you in such an emergency. Salem emergency personnel ask you to help us dramatically improve your family's safety. Your YES vote on Measure 24-10 will renovate, rebuild, and relocate stations, improving response time and reducing coverage overlap so services are delivered more cost-efficiently. What will it cost? The bond will cost a maximum of $44.00 per year (or $3.67 per month) based on a $100,000 home. Similar public safety investments are underway in Albany, Tualitan Valley, and Eugene, as citizens of these communities recognize the need to upgrade their stations too. Please join your friends, neighbors, relatives and fellow taxpayers - Salem's Fire Fighters and Paramedics - in voting YES ON PUBLIC SAFETY ... YES ON MEASURE 24-10. Your Salem Fire Fighters & Paramedics (This information provided by The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Marion County nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument. Dear Voters: Although we ran against each other in the recent Mayoral election, we both firmly agree that Salem urgently needs to pass the Public Safety Bond Measure 24-10, in September. Here's what Measure 24-10 will give us for our money: 1. Structural reinforcement of our fire and ambulance stations, so they won't collapse during a moderate-to-major earthquake and be unable to respond to the emergency. 2. A new "911" center to handle our emergency calls. Our present 911 Center is located in the basement of city hall. Earthquake experts advise that in a moderate-to-major earthquake the 911 center will be buried in a pile of rubble, unable to function just when we need it most. 3. A new emergency communications system that will allow our police and fire personnel to communicate with each other, regardless of where they are in the city. The current radio system is now failing emergency personnel during life and death situations. 4. We won't have to pay any higher taxes for bonds than we paid last year, because older bonded debt will be paid off as we start paying on this bond measure. We must have at least a 50% turnout and a majority favoring the Bond Measure if we hope to protect ourselves against future catastrophe. Please mark your mail-in ballot "YES" for Measure 24-10, the Public Safety Bond Measure. This is no time for "politics as usual". This is about the safety and well-being of our families. Sincerely, Mike Swaim Ken Sherman, Jr. (This information provided by The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Marion County nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument. July 15, 1998 TO SALEM, OREGON VOTERS: Who doesn't feel more secure when public service officials are properly equipped and at-the-ready for whatever emergency may occur? To insure that Salem continues to be a place where families can safely grow and prosper, it is important that our city's foundations remain strong. Public Safety is a cornerstone of any community. Engineering studies have determined that in the event of even a moderate earthquake, Salem's fire stations and 911 dispatch center could be reduced to rubble. The goal of this measure, if passed, is to assure citizens that our fire stations and 911 emergency services will withstand even a major earthquake. Should the Salem voters have the vision to pass this measure, perhaps it will save your life or that of your child or other loved one. Make no mistake, our public service people see life and death situations each and every day. We have the opportunity to pass a measure that will directly effect improved response for everyday emergencies by renovating, relocating and adding much needed additional stations to better serve Salem. Communications between fire fighters, police officers and 911 personnel will also be improved by voting YES. Currently our fire fighters and police officers do not have the sometimes crucial ability to communicate directly with each other at an emergency scene via radio. Further, there are gaps in our community where radio communications for public safety employees is not possible. This endangers not only those in the public safety sector, but the people of our community for which they admirably serve. Please join me in voting YES for public safety on the September 15th ballot. It's important. Gerry Frank (This information provided by Gerry Frank) The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Marion County nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
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