Letter to the Editor

NOTE: Accessmilton.com encourages letters to the editor. On behalf of staff, we would like to thank Mrs. Chambers for sharing this wonderful story with us.

Subject: Milton Fire Department

I am not quite sure who to direct this E-mail to, so I am sending it toeveryone I can think of who has some involvement with the Milton Fire Department.

Prior to the incorporation of Milton, I had a VERY bad and scary situationwith Fulton County 911 – over 30 minute response time and after thatincident I was very vocal about my concerns. Now, with the completeopposite experience with Milton Fire Department, I think I need to make itclear how impressed I am with the whole process and how my situation washandled. Please note that I am in no way criticizing the individual rescueworkers who worked for Fulton County in the past (at the time of my priorexperience) - for all I know the individual people may be the same people-but it was the Fulton County System I took issue with.

I would now like everyone to know what an incredibly great experience I justhad with the 911 System and The Milton Fire Department. One of my greatest concerns over the past 4 years has been rescue service and response time.Well, this new Milton Fire Department on Thompson Road has reallyre-established my faith in the system.

On Friday, August 10th at about 4:00 pm, my upstairs carbon monoxidedetector started going off. It was a strange beeping pattern so I figured it was a faulty sensor. I then went down to our basement to do some workand I heard what I thought was the basement carbon monoxide detector goingoff as well. At this point I decided I needed to call 911 and get some help.

The response time was incredible. We had a house full of kids over playingand by the time I got everyone gathered up and out of the house, we couldhear the sirens and knew the fire truck was close. When they got to ourhouse, I had 4 of the absolute nicest and politest firefighters greet me(this is coming from someone who comes from a long family line of NYCfirefighters and it takes a great deal to impress me – I hold high standardsfor these guys).

I really can not put into words how professional and thorough they were.They checked out my upstairs laundry room and basement and found no readingsfor carbon monoxide and assured me that their equipment was the newest andbest on the market (and kept saying thanks to us, the tax paying residents,for that) and that the readings were correct. We realized that my hearingthe alarm in the basement was through my baby monitor from upstairs and thatit was only 1 detector going off, not 2. The men then insisted uponchecking every area of my house that carbon monoxide could possibly becoming from. They insisted (even though it was not necessary) on going upinto my attic and checking the readings up there since I have a heating andA/C unit up there as well. Keep in mind it was over 90 degrees outside andI can only imagine how hot it was up in the attic. I am by nature a “worrywart” and I was actually able to sleep that night with not 1 concern ofcarbon monoxide.

The whole experience was reassuring to me that our firefighters areprofessional and the best out there.

On a side note, I also want to mention that the humility of these guys isincredible. This past Friday, August 3rd, I drove through the intersectionof Highway 9 and Windward parkway a few times. Some Milton Fire Fighterswere there soliciting donations. I naturally assumed they were solicitingdonations for their fire house (which I’m sure they need money for). I hadmy checkbook with me and decided that this was a great time to make a nicedonation to the firehouse. I went to put the check into his boot and I said“this is for the fire house on Thompson Road right?” He responded, “Oh No,we are raising money for Muscular Dystrophy!”. I stopped and could notbelieve that these guys, who I’m sure can use charitable contributions themselves for their fire house & their needs, were out in this unbelievably hot weather trying to raise money for another great cause -Unbelievable!!!!!!! I commended the man on his fundraising, but I said Ireally wanted THEM to have the money. He clearly felt awkward aboutaccepting money for the firehouse when that is not what they were out thereto do. I finally told him that if he did not take the money for thefirehouse, then I was not leaving it. I support Muscular Dystrophy, but that was not what I wanted to do that day. Finally he told me the name onthe checking account for the firehouse and I wrote my check out to them directly.

These guys are great and their hearts are in the right place. I really want them to get the positive feedback they deserve.

Thanks,

Tara Chambers
The Hermitage Subdivision
830 Barberry Drive
Alpharetta, GA 30004

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