Editor:
Wednesday morning, a dump truck with a load of hot tar lost its brakes coming down [steep] Meadowdale Road. He tried to turn southbound onto 75th Place West but swerved, turned on its side, broke a power pole and slammed into a garage. The driver was injured but hopefully he will recover.
The fire and police responded rapidly, moved the driver into an aid car and took him to the hospital. Then the PUD moved in and disconnected live electrical lines that were lying in the road and began to remove the power pole, which completely blocked 75th Place West. Dick’s Towing carefully removed the damaged dump truck; this job which required three cranes. By midafternoon, the PUD was installing a new power pole and our electricity was on by about 10:30 last night.
We were impressed by and commend the performance, effectiveness and coordination of the police department, the Firefighters, Dick’s Towing service, the PUD and any others who participated in this event that I haven’t mentioned. Their concern for the safety of the onlookers was also exemplary. Finally, kudos to the residents of Meadowdale who helped the injured driver out of the cab of his vehicle.
Gerald Bernstein and Sarah Bernstein
Edmonds
In the midst of all the budget scrutiny and calls for massive cuts to help Edmonds right the fiscal ship, it’s great to see a report that highlights the real value of our first responders.
With all due respect, take it from a former brake mechanic and general gear head by nature; brakes do not just fail for no reason and this has nothing to do with people, “calling for massive cuts.” First, brakes virtually always fail because vehicles aren’t properly maintained and the owner of that truck needs to be held responsible for all personal and public financial costs of this fiasco. Second, no one is calling for “massive cuts” in Public Safety. People are calling for smart spending and holding our elected officials and paid Public Safety Management people to engage in smarter spending and economies of scale on what everyone needs at one time or another. No one is questioning the “real value of our first responders.” Their value is undisputed and undeniable.
My first thought was, who originally ok’d permits for a house to be built in that location…?