7700,Sweetbrier-Wy
Sacramento, Calif,
August 7, 1980
Lorraine Magan
City Clerk
City Hall, 915 "I" Street
Sacramento, Calif ° 95814
Dear Ms. Magans
As representatives of the Meadowview Manor Community,
located in City Council District Eight, we would like
to be placed on the agenda for Tuesday, August: 12 1980.
The issue to be presented will deal with the hazardous
fire threat our community has experienced. And, the
lack of fire protection allotted to us.
Yours Truly,
Henryne A. Hines
Community Representative
RUED
By the City Colincil
Office of the Ciiy
AUG 1 2 1980
Representatives of the MeadowviewManorside Community
7700 Sweetbrier Way
Sacramento, California 95832
July 31, 1980
Honorable Lynn Robie
City Council
City Hall, 9th and Eye
Sacramento, California 95814
Dear Coundilwoman Robie:
We, the citizens of the Meadowview-Manorside Community, located in
City Council District Eight, fervently protest against the lack of
adaquate fire protection. As victims of probably the most dangerous
fire threat unforseen, we recollect the episode of Wednesday, July 9,
1980. The fire department recieved calls from the following neighbors:
At approximately 105 P.M. Mrs Ruth Ervin, residing at
7689 Sweetbrier Way .i. called the fire department to report
a fire occurring in the middle of the field, ajacent to her
house.
Mrs..Delores%Thompson, :residing at 7645 Sweetbrier Way,
repopted the fire at III5 or 1:25 P.M.. The fire department
informed.herthat they had already responded to the call.
Mrs. Thompson oomplained that her hou gb felt suddenly hotter
and when she stepped outdide at 2s00 P.M., she did not see
or hear a fire truck.
Mrs. Seretha Mull, residing at 7649 Sweetbrier Way, phoned
the fire department at 1:15 or 1:30 P.M.. The fire department
responded'to.her call by informing her it had already been
reported.
ids,lienryne,4LinesresiAing at 7700 Sweetbrier Way, said
afterxeSpOTiding:to'llinock on the dOor by a stranger who
inform4takL-that_her;house was on fire. Mr. Hines ran out
the?front;:doorand:fspotted.a water truck in the middle of the
_XiciI d e,4911e-Zfiroat Ahat time, was three inches away from
414girchvithifils.iltinesiushed in the house and called the
*i004:601tment-..J114ttime ,-was-approximately 2100 P.M.. The
-*04/10$p#C4heveraaiM01,'to4adthinister to the fare that had
iiiiiiibery-And part of their lawn. The neigh.,OagaggdAtiii6eaVg
,
borspentdtheztfkr it':2from :spreading and burning dtihil
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Narie,Napper,called:4he-:fire department and requested a
firettr!iidogOPMVo;her;.4neighbors e .house at 7673 Sweetbrier
Way. 'the-ifffiO440diitment informed her that her house was not
the only:;=house.:Involved.
The firemen made no immediate 'attemptto extinguish the fire near
the populated residential-area. Further eyewitness repOt indicated:
The firemen did not arrive on the scene, near the dens6ly
populated residential area .until after the neighbors 1110
smothered the fire on-their property.
Chester-Napper said the water truck was on the scene, but was
making no effort to put the fire out.
(page 2)
When the firemen decided to stop looking at the fire, they got
on the truck and went over a mile out into the field to chase
the fire toward the residential area.
The firemen made no attempt to extinguish the fire from Walsh
Way back to Sweetbrier Way until after the fire was put out
midway in the field. Noting, there are no lives or property
involved in that portion of the field.
Jeanie Ervin asked the firemen to put out the fire near her
house and the firemen got on the truck and left.
Mrs. Ruth Ervin witnessed the water truck in the middle of
the field before she called the fire department at 1205 P.M.
The firemen did not put the fire out until 3100 P.M.
Battalion Chief Harold Redgate informed neighbors who had:been
fighting the fire that it was not a "controlled fire".
Battalion Chief Lardie did not appear on the scene until
the fire Was almost out.. While members of the community were
trying to relay to Battalion Chief Lardie, their eyewitness
account of the "too close for comfort" fire danger that had
momentarily threatened our lives and property, Mr. Lardie
responded be merely questioning our integrity and letting us
know, in so many words that we were too irrational for him to
communicate with. His sadistic., attitude was irreproachable
to the lowest level of human existence.
John, the switchman, saw five children starting the fire behind
General Telephone Companys' Central Office switchroom. The
telephone company first called the fire department.
The firemen first started fighting the fire from the tail end
of the fire.
The fire department took a long time to respond to the first
call.
The fire department appeared to be more concerned with the
empty .houses. under construction than the densely populated
residential-area.
In Conclusion, we specify evidence such as a lack of investigation
of arson, questionable existence of the light green water truck
sitting inactively in the middle of the field, and other substantiated
evidence lead us to suspect Whether the fire department is trying
to sneak in "Controlled Fire Burning". The fire departments reply
to Mrs. Napper, that her house is not the only house involved,
strengthens our belief that the fire department realized the danger
our houses were in. Nevertheless, the firemen did not give first
priority to the health, safety and welfare of the densely populated
Meadowview-Manorside Community. To add insult to injury, we had
to deal with Battalion Chief Francis Lardie inability to relate to
Black people. It appeared that Mr. Lardie felt it was unnecessary
to demonstrate any human virtues nor sensitize himself with the
safety and welfare of the densely populated community.
•
(page 3)
Briefly, the fire department took a long time responding to the
various calls. The fire department gave first priority to the empty
field and vacant houses under construction. We can earnestly
say that the emotional aloofness of the fire department concerning
the survival of our community is intolerable. Therefore, the
representative of the Meadowview-Manorside Community will not be
satisfied until our demands, requiring adequate fire protection are
met.
We anticipate seeing you during the meeting scheduled for 700 P.M.
on August 6, 1980 at the Freeprot Elementary School.
(1.c)kk;",,,
cc
s Walter J. Slipe, City Manager
John Garamendi, Senator
Norman Waters, Assemblyman
Phillip Isenberg, Mayor
Jerry Brown, Governor
William Powell, 'Fire Chief
PETITION OF DEMANDS
We, the undersigned representative of the Meadowview-Manorside
Community having stated inadequate fire protection conditions
tragic to the survival of our community, submit this petition
of demands on behalf of the entire Meadowview-Manorside Community.
We believe it is mandatory that the following demands be
adhered to:
I. Since the Fire Chief William Powell is responsible
for developing an adequate fire protection program
for the City of Sacramento, we give him our vote
of incompetence and summon Fire Chief Powell to
voluntarily submit his resignation in the name
of humanity and the citizens tight to recieve
sufficient fire protection.
2. We further demand the removal of Battalion
Chieves Francis 1.,ardie and Harold Redgate from
employment as fire fighters in our community and
surrounding areas of the community whose fire
protection we have to rely upon. Once again we
give them a vote of incompetency and human insensitiveness to health, safety and welfare of
residents in the Meadowview-Manorside Community.
3. We demand an immediate investigation of the
frequent malicious burnings in the field, adjacent
to Sweetbrier Way and Manorside Drive and extending
to John Still Junior High School.
4. The negligence of the fire department caused
fire damages that should not have occurred. Therefore,
we demand that the city financially reimburse
members of the community for damages to their property
caused by the fire in question.
5. We further demand that the owner(s) of the
vacant field be compelled to install continual
fire breakers around that portion of the field
adjacent to the residential areas.
6. We urgently necessitate the City of Sacramento
to organize a volunteer fire department in the
Meadowview-Manorside Community. The volunteer fire
department would operate in conjunction with the
established city fire department.
7. In the final address, to satisfy the conditions
of these demands, we find it essential for the city
to schedule further meetings with communitty
representatives to conclude the final transaction
of the stated demands.
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