
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, July 29, 1990                   TAG: 9007310325
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

UNITED EFFORT SHOULD BE NORM

AS A THREE-time participant in fires at Shenandoah Homes, and as chaplain of the home since 1976, thank you for your July 13 editorial ("City-county fire accord: Big deal!") recognizing the progress made by the city and county fire departments in developing a coordinated fire-response system. City Fire Chief Quarles and County Fire Chief Fuqua are to be commended for working out this plan - a first step, to be sure - with other improvements in the service forthcoming.

The loss of nine residents in our three fires is indeed tragic. How many more we might have lost is problematic, but we at Shenandoah Homes are thankful to all the fire and rescue crews and efforts that have been extended to us, and for the Red Cross, the rink owner, and the lady bus drivers who were available to us the morning of Dec. 14.

To know that our valued fire departments are coordinating to improve their services indicates increased vision and concern for citizens' safety. This is a step in the right direction, and the "big deal." However late, let us have more rather than less simultaneous response as a visual as well as real demonstration that united effort is the norm, and a way to make this lovely and progressive Roanoke Valley a great place to live. R.C. WILSON ROANOKE

by CNB