I write this not just as the union president but as the voice of the men and women who stand between our community and disaster — your firefighters. We are the ones who run into burning buildings when others run out, we are the ones who answer calls in the middle of the night, in the worst weather conditions, and in the most dangerous situations, often with little more than sheer determination and a commitment to serve.
It is with deep frustration and concern that I must address the recent failure of the maintenance and operations levy. Let’s be clear: This failure means we face the possible loss of firefighters. Those firefighters are people who are willing to put their lives down for this community and they could be gone, leaving us understaffed and overburdened. This isn’t just a number or an inconvenience; it directly threatens our ability to respond when our community needs us most.
Your firefighters make sacrifices daily. We miss our kids’ birthdays, school performances and holiday celebrations. We often miss our own meals to help someone in need. These are the sacrifices we willingly make because we believe in our mission to serve others. What we don’t believe in is bashing each other on social media, spreading negativity, and allowing internal divisions to weaken us.
I want to address recent statements made by commissioners on social media. Frankly, they’re a distraction from what’s really at stake. We are fighting to keep our community safe, and we need every ounce of focus and energy directed toward that goal, not tearing each other down publicly. The more divided we are, the more we fall apart, and our community pays the price. We cannot afford that, and neither can they.
When we respond to emergencies our individual differences enhance our team and strengthen us, with each person playing an important role in the successful outcome of that call. This board has a responsibility to set aside personal differences and come together for the greater good. The failure of this levy is a wake-up call. We must act with purpose and with unity, or we risk losing the very people who keep our community safe.
I urge you to remember why you chose and were elected to serve on this board. It wasn’t to engage in petty disputes; it was to ensure the safety and well-being of our community. Let’s move forward, focused on solutions, on rebuilding trust with our residents, and on ensuring that we have the resources we need to continue providing a critical service to the people of the Key Peninsula. Our firefighters work hard to have our community’s back every single day. It’s time this board shows it has ours.
Doug Gelsleichter, president of Key Peninsula Firefighters IAFF Local 3152
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