Editor,

I’ll be voting “yes” on the levy lid lift for Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue because the men and women of that department care deeply about this community. I know this firsthand not only because they treated my mother with compassion and respect on multiple occasions when she needed help, but also because I ended up joining the department afterwards as a volunteer to try to serve the community the way they served my family during a time of need.

I now see, as a volunteer, that the department is stretched thin and needs our help to overcome staffing shortages and other challenges that directly affect response times at a moment when demand for their services is really at an all-time high. I am voting “yes” for the department but, more importantly, for the community they serve.

Jake Keating

Coupeville