Benefiting others

Here are the only things I know for sure about what’s going on up in Prescott.

First I’ve never met Juliann Ashcraft, the widow of Hotshots firefighter, Andrew Ashcraft. I never got to know Andrew, but I would have liked that. I would have asked him what possesses a man with a wife and four kids to sign up to walk into any area that’s burning to put out the fire.

I suppose it’s to protect other people with wives and kids. I’ve never met Prescott Mayor Marlin Kuykendall or any of the City Council either, but it sounds like a thankless job where you’re always going to make somebody mad… and you have, Mr. Mayor — you and the rest of the council.

You’ve upset people because a lot of us, by you adhering rigidly to the absolute letter of the law when it comes to firefighter benefits, a lot of us wonder where the compassion is. Full time, part time, seasonal — all meaningless categories when daddy’s dead.

If it’s the law, change it! Take a chance on being a Hotshot.

I’m Pat McMahon.

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