Chopmist's Justin Gaffney reproached by North Scituate's Rocky Vaughan

The citizens of Scituate owe Justin Gaffney a huge debt of gratitude. Not for his "use" of the fire apparatus belonging to Scituate's taxpayers, but for providing such a good example of what is wrong with the once great fire company.

In a few short paragraphs he subtly exposes the overriding corrupt philosophy that forced the Town Council to take the protective measures they have in his letter titled "Chopmist Hill firefighter speaks out." (Oct. 22)

"In my opinion, the Scituate Town Council should be thanking me for using town fire equipment, to complete my senior project," he wrote.

Justin rails against the Scituate Town Council for ruining his senior project. Do all of the approximately 120 seniors struggling to meet this requirement have access to town resources on the scale he did?

He was a member of a privileged group of citizens trusted with special access to community-owned assets to perform important public safety functions for everyone's mutual benefit. So it would seem to me that his railing against the elected representatives that have supported and justly protected this "privileged" status is patently dishonest.

How many 17-year-old youths are allowed to even ride on a fire truck, much less respond to emergencies and help their neighbors? It seems to me that this shows a lack of humility and perspective.

Young and misled Justin throws the biannual gratuity granted to us by the taxpayers in the face of both the volunteers and Town Council.

A few dollars a call or for rescue coverage is not designed to compensate us for our time nor does it replace the time spent away from family or other sacrifices we have made over the years - things that "pure volunteers" simply regard as part of the "job." It is simply a nice gesture of thanks. If the taxpayers of Scituate see it fit to remove any and all compensation, you will still find us on the fire trucks or rescues because we care about the community, not the dollars.

I and the many others alike ask nothing of the Town Council or the taxpayers they represent other than the privilege of serving them in their times of need. This idea that Scituate taxpayers, a fairly elected council, or anyone else owes him anything is simply reprehensible.

Rocky L. Vaughan

North Scituate Fire Department

Scituate