Attention Mariposa,
Are we being told the truth or are we victims of scare tactics!
Our Fire Chief Jim Wilson made the statement in writing that
”The current apparatus is unsafe to drive—they risk your lives and those who share the roadways with us” WHY ARE THESE PIECES OF APPARATUS STILL ON THE ROAD!  I feel there is probably nothing wrong with the trucks but they are OLD.
Chief Wilson are the units UNSAFE? If so how many? It cannot be all of them! If they are all unsafe, you are telling us that your mechanic does not know what he is doing!

SOURCE: MARIPOSA COUNTY FIRE DISPATCH NEWSLETTER
by Dennis Buck,     Public Safety Dilemma
Revised NFPA 1901 standard effective January 2009
THESE ARE ONLY IN DRAFT FORM AT THIS TIME  and still need to be voted on by the NFPA.
I cannot find anything in the NFPA about any black box’s that will raise the price of the apparatus by $20,000.00, please Mr. Buck show us the paragraph that lists this.
Mariposa County is exempt from smog laws, please show us where the EPA will change the emission laws on diesel units and raise the costs by $22,000.00 on each unit!

National Standard DOES NOT DEFINE MAXIMUM AGE OF FIRE ENGINES AT 20 YEARS it states that with regular maintenance they may be used longer.
You state “ With out NEW fire engines many of us would most likely lose our Insurance Service’s Office (ISO) current ratings, and our homeowners insurance would become very expensive or in many cases unobtainable. As an example Yosemite West’s ISO rating is 10 and few insurance companies will issue policies.”
ARE YOU UNINFORMED MR. BUCK? NEW ENGINES WILL NOT CHANGE ANYTHING, BUT THEY WILL BE NEW AND HOPEFULLY SHINY! To change Yosemite West’s 10, a fire station will have to be built!

DO WE NEED NEW ENGINES  YES!
BUT NOT AS THIS IS PROPOSED!
THEY ARE STILL TALKING 12 ENGINES WHEN THE Chief has one or two paid for by other means. Are we going to have GRANDE FIRE STATIONS? 
As money not spent on engines must go for buildings!
Many people here think that these engines are for brush fires they are NOT!
They are for structure fires, and are they Cal Fire compatible?
Why is the County of Mariposa putting the cost of these units on property owners when the BOS throws monies away and could pay for them?

Again do we need new fire apparatus  YES!
NOT like this!
YOU MUST VOTE!  AND VOTE NO!
A very concerned resident,
Bob Larson