This weekend displayed just how quickly a massive catastrophe can occur, but also how quickly it can be subdued.
However, some constituents aren’t as fortunate as we are to have competent and effective leadership, public safety, and fire/rescue personnel as we do in Suffolk.
County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) compared the successful combatance of the brush fires to the less-successful scenario that arose in Los Angeles at the beginning of the year. As much as officials, talking heads, and op-ed writers would like to attribute those devastating fires that created an apocalyptic wasteland in one of the nation’s former-most coveted “promised lands,” the catalysts were simply dereliction of duty.
California and some areas in the Pacific Northwest lagged behind in raking vital areas. Moreover, the homelessness has skyrocketed in places like Los Angeles, with reports of fire hydrant tampering demonstrating the hydrants’ lack of maintenance. Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) contradicted himself on live television within a roughly thirty-second window. He first dismissed President Trump’s (R-FL) claims that the reservoir had been emptied and instead insisted that the reservoir was operational. When the reporter interviewing him brought up the facts, Newsom said, in an attempted “slick” manner, “and that’s why I’m calling for an investigation.”
Which is it? Was the reservoir full or there needs to be an investigation as to why it wasn’t?
Newsom’s clear egotism precedes his and company’s incompetence, with Mayor Karen Bass (D) unable to resist international trips, despite ample warnings of fire weather.
The Los Angeles Wildfires – more importantly, the scope and horror of the damage – are sickening to behold. This can’t be forgotten, and there needs to be perp walks, or, at the very least, tarring, feathering, and running those responsible out of town on a rail.
We use this opportunity to draw a stark contrast. Our leaders were prepared, they were clearly trained excellently, they didn’t engage in double-speak, and they were able to bring a blaze that seemed of uncertain proportions down to full containment by Monday morning. Let the record show that the fires could have been just as bad, if not worse, than the 1995 Sunrise Fire had the flames jumped Sunrise Highway north into Manorville.
Our officials didn’t just respond to an emergency; they diverted us from a major disaster.
Moreover, SCPD Commissioner Kevin Catalina is committed to getting to the bottom of the cause of the fire. While the widely-accepted hypothesis is a backyard fire initiated by an attempt to cook s’mores, it’s possible more leads could arise.
Our question: who in the world cooks s’mores at 10:00 in the morning?
Negligence of the burn bans hereafter should result in criminal prosecution if another wildfire starts. The weather conditions might not spare us next time, even with the best of the best on the front lines. We will not become Los Angeles.
Sadly, when compared to the major failures of other administrations, it’s easy to lose sight of what actual leadership and initiative-taking looks like.
The Messenger sincerely thanks all fire, rescue, and emergency personnel, public safety, elected officials, and the fire departments from across Suffolk who pitched in for the effort, as well as elected officials from outside Suffolk who sent or offered help.
Neither the magnanimity of all parties involved, nor the possibility of what could have occurred, can be understated.
