LETTERS: Herald Irresponsible For Not Seeking True Veterans Input

To The Editor:

We are the two most 'veteran' on-call members of the Groton Fire Department; each one of us has almost 40 years of service. We would like to make it clear to you and the townspeople of Groton that our opinions were neither solicited by you nor offered to you for your front page article: "Some Veteran On-Call Firefighters Protest Work Environment" in your May 23rd publication of The Groton Herald.

We find the tone of your article insulting to our combined 80 years of dedication and service to the town. In our opinion, to loosely use the term 'veteran', when the actual true 'veterans' of the department were not asked for their input is irresponsible.

We would like to reassure YOU, as well as the taxpayers and residents of Groton that our first priority is now, and always will be, YOUR life-safety. We are dedicated to providing the best possible firefighting and emergency services to the residents of Town of Groton; rest assured that will not change.

Respectfully,

Deputy Chief Clarence E. Jefferson

Captain James Emslie Jr.