Editor,

This letter is in response to Jill Smith’s letter to the editor in the Aug. 14 edition of the South Whidbey Record.

Mrs. Smith, while I can understand your feelings, you are significantly misinterpreting what you saw.

Photos posted on social media do not tell the whole story of any emergency event. I’m not sure which photos you saw or who posted them, but I know what the firefighters were doing in them, and I will explain.

First, you need to know that there is not a member of this organization who is happy at the outcome of such significant losses, be they people or property.

Two of the common character traits of the men and women of this organization are empathy and compassion. We are called upon every day to respond to and solve a problem not of our making.

Sometimes we can’t solve the problem in the best possible way because it is too big, or someone is too sick, or we aren’t as efficient as we could have been.

Never are we happy about that. Quite the opposite.

The photo that so disgusted you showed our firefighters during Rehab, a process we use to protect the health and safety of our team.

Firefighting is an exhausting and dangerous task and takes a physical and emotional toll. The recent fire of which you are speaking lasted 10 hours and exhausted everyone there.

During Rehab, members receive a medical evaluation, a chair to rest in, food and water. The purpose is to ensure they can continue to work safely and reduce the stress of their tasks.

I have no doubt some are smiling, but it is not “arrogance and a lack of regard for people’s feelings and self-worth,” as you believe. They are smiling for many reasons: that everyone, pets included, got out of the house, to be uninjured by the exploding propane tank or building collapse, to get a rest and food generously donated to us. Happy that their brothers and sisters are safe.

You ask what happened to the “good firefighters?” The members of this organization, no matter what their role is, are good, decent men and women. They take this job seriously and put themselves at risk for you willingly.

They are the good firefighters.

We are certainly not immune from criticism and receive our share. We use it to improve and become better at our jobs. Your criticism is no different.

Chief H.L. “Rusty” Palmer Fire Chief, EFO

South Whidbey Fire/EMS

Langley