We (Brad Carey and Harold Carey) are each running for fire commissioner of Tahuya District 8.
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Brad Carey is running for position #2
- Harold Carey position #3
We are write-in candidates.
Sample Ballot
This is the second of several letters you will be receiving from us. We believe that upon receipt
and review of these letters you will want to write our names on your ballot thereby ensuring
Positive Change for your Tahuya Fire Department.
Why are we running?
We are concerned about the loyalty to the public the “team” of firefighters and emergency medical
personal Chief Olsen and his wife have put together to protect our lives and our property. We are
concerned that our firefighters, led by Chief Olsen and his wife, have been allowed to operate without
adequate supervisory control, by our Commission, to the point where they call the “shots’; not the
Commission. To the point where they now use the threat of terminating critical public services as a
means of coercing the public into voting for the Commissioners they want. Let us explain.
During the current fire Commission’s most recent meeting of October 13th 2005, Chairman Wampold,
with Commissioner Dodd’s and Gall’s approval, spoke with great passion explaining how all the Tahuya
firefighters were ready to quit at the time he became commissioner in January 2004. The implication
being that his (Wampold’s) election, in which he replaced Commissioner Clark, the subsequent
appointment of Dodd as a commissioner and most recently the appointment of Gall as a commissioner,
has secured the Tahuya firefighters loyalty.
During the latter part of 2004, Brad Carey tried to become a volunteer firefighter. His application was
rejected, according to the Commission, because of “turmoil in the community”. The reason for rejecting
Brad Carey’s application was later changed by the Commission. The reason for rejecting Brad Carey’s
volunteer firefighter application was changed to - all the firefighters will quit if Brad Carey becomes
a firefighter.
Sound familiar?
Does this also sound a bit like discrimination?
During the 2005 filing period for candidates, the word was out in the community that all the firefighters
would quit if either one of us (Brad Carey or Harold Carey) ran for and was elected a fire commissioner.
On September 22nd 2005, some time after the filing period for candidates had passed, we each registered
as write-in candidates for fire commissioner – Brad Carey to oppose Commissioner Dodd and Harold Carey
to oppose Commissioner Gall. Shortly there after, the “word” was being spread by the incumbents and their
supporters (which includes the Tahuya Firefighters Association), if we were elected all the firefighters would quit.
Sound familiar?
Before we registered as write-in candidates we wanted to make sure that all the citizens of Tahuya Fire District
Number 8 (TFDN8) would have fire protection service and emergency medical service if we ran and were elected.
If our candidacy and election would mean that the citizens of Tahuya Fire District 8 would be left without fire
protection services and emergency medical services, we would not run. We would implement Plan B.
Emergency medical service and fire protection matters were extensively discussed with Chief Greene of Mason
County Fire Protection District Number 2 (MCFPD#2). We were assured by Chief Green that in the event all
or a significant number of the Tahuya volunteer firefighters quit, regardless of who was elected, if TFDN8
asked for support, MCFPD#2 would provide support. This commitment provided us with the assurances we
needed to make sure we would not be placing TFDN8 in a position where TFDN8’s citizens would be without
fire protection service and with out emergency medical service. Please refer to an enclosed copy of the letter
from District 2 dated October 12th 2005. If for any reason you question the authenticity of this letter because
it does not appear on District 2 letterhead and is not signed by the author, contact Fire District 2 at
360-275-6711 and request to speak to Chief Michael Greene.
What does it say to the public about the loyalty and commitment of the volunteer Tahuya Firefighters and
volunteer Tahuya Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s) if they would quit because their candidates
(Dodd and Gall) did not win the election?
What it says, is they would rather let your home burn to the ground and let you die than have to work with
two commissioners (Brad Carey and Harold Carey) that would begin to bring to an end the “games’ that have
been, and are being played, in the Tahuya Fire Department. They would rather quit than be required to
participate in cleaning up the mess.
It doesn’t sound like much of a professional organization, does it?
It kind of sounds like a fire department that has gone haywire, doesn’t it?
The following are facts that most TFDN8 voters and citizens are not aware of:
District 2 encompasses the entire Tahuya Peninsula, west to Hood Canal, south to Hood Canal, north to the
Mason/Kitsap County line and east of Belfair to the Mason/Kitsap County line and out the South Shore Road
several miles. This is an area of 96 square miles. The only part of this entire area that is not a part of
District 2 is the 18 square miles of TFDN8.
District 2 has 13 full time firefighters, 7 of which are paramedics. District 8 has no full time firefighters and
has no paramedics. Paramedics are the men and women that are trained to keep the patient living long
enough, and with as little additional damage to the patient as possible, necessary to stabilize and/or resolve
the problem and/or get the patient to the hospital most capable of treating the patient’s condition(s).
Please refer to page 5 of this document giving an overview of District 2’s full time firefighter and paramedic
manpower.
District 2 has only 4 volunteer firefighters – reason - because it is difficult to impossible to keep their training
and firefighting skills sufficiently current to be an effective firefighter based to today’s standards and requirements.
We have an estimated 14 volunteer firefighters.
If its difficult to impossible for a district the size of District 2 to keep its volunteer firefighters’ training and
firefighting skills sufficiently current to be an effective firefighter based to today’s standards and requirements,
how much more difficult is it for a small fire district such as Tahuya Fire District 8?
District 2 has 42 volunteer EMT’s - some of which are on this end of the Tahuya Peninsula. TFDN8 has 5 EMT’s.
Regarding TFDN8’s 5 EMT’s – we have been informed that one EMT no longer lives in the district, two EMT’s
have physical impairments that substantially limits what they can do, and the remaining two EMT’s have full
time jobs outside of District 8.
What does this mean – Commissioners Dodd and Gall?
It means the citizens of Fire District 8 are almost totally lacking in EMT support. This in turn means that the
citizens of Fire District 8 are at substantial risk regarding medical emergencies.
For years District 2 has been providing the bulk of emergency medical service for the Tahuya Fire District.
Yet our Commissioners, Chief Olsen and the Tahuya Firefighters Association – all have misled the general public,
and continue to mislead the general public, by pretending or representing they are providing the emergency
medical service. Not true. They typically assist. You can be sure that if Tahuya Fire District 8 has an emergency
medical situation that is the least bit critical or complex, it will be District 2 that will be saving our “bacon”!
And it will be a District 2 (sometimes District 5) paramedic and not a Tahuya EMT that is saving our “bacon”.
For years District 2 has been providing fire protection services on fires, within the Tahuya Fire District, of any
significant size or complexity. Yet again, our Commissioners, Chief Olsen and the Tahuya Firefighters Association
have misled the general public, and continue to mislead the general public, by pretending or representing Tahuya
Fire District 8 is providing the fire protection services. Often not true. Again, you can be sure that if we have a
fire of any size and/or complexity, District 2 will either be assisting or taking the lead in fighting the fire! And
present will be at least one District 2 full time firefighter that will be, if not leading the action, monitoring the
action. See attached October 12th 2005 letter from District 2.
Where does all this lead us?
Chief Olsen and his wife Cindy, through absolute control of the Fire Department and the Tahuya Firefighters
Association, are holding the public of Tahuya Fire District 8 hostage. They either get commissioners they can
control or they quit.
If this is the way you want your fire department run, if this lack of professionalism is what you want out of your
fire department, if this is the risk your willing to take with your life and your property, and if your willing to be
held hostage – vote for Dodd and Gall.
If this is not the way you want your fire department managed, if you want real professionalism, if you want to
minimize the risks to your life and your property, if you don’t want to be held hostage – vote for write in
candidates Brad Carey and Harold Carey.
Enclosed a PDF copy of the write-in portion of the Mason County punched card ballot. Please review and
write our names in on your official ballot, when you vote, as illustrated.Sample Ballot You need to write nothing more than
our names. Do not punch out the chad for Dodd or Gall when you vote for us.
Thank you for your support in beginning the process of cleaning up the mess!
FIRE DISTRICT 2 Belfair
Square miles: 96. Approximate population: 9,500 permanent with seasonal fluctuations in Fire District 2, plus 1,500
in Fire District 8 served by paramedic contract. Number of paid personnel: 17. Chief: Michael Greene. Other
officers: Ken Boad, assistant chief; Beau Bakken, Scott Cooper and Howard Harrison, captains; and David Hunt,
Bill Hunt, Keith Langhorn and Carl Ehresman, lieutenants. Paid personnel: Greene, Boad, Bakken, Cooper, Harrison,
Dave Hunt, Travis Beach, Ryan Cleveland, Armadeus Davidson, Bryson Eader, Jake Gillanders, Jeromy Hicks,
Cindy Klugiewicz, Nikki Madsen (administrative assistant) Pat O’Brien, Rob Smith, and Ryan Sommers. Budget
for 2005: $1,786,124 ($1,746,194 in 2004 and $1.6 million in 2003). Fire calls in 2004: 279 (324 in 2003).
Emergency medical service calls in 2004: 1,181 (1,040 in 2003). Stations: Station 21, 460 NE Old Belfair Highway;
also Station 22, North Shore Road; Station 23, Trails End Lake; Station 24, Tiger Lake; Station 25, Twanoh Falls;
Station 27, Collins Lake; Station 28, Dewatto. Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau rating: 6.
Fire hall for rent: Station 21 on Old Belfair Highway, maximum of 30 persons, $25. Fire commission meetings:
Second and third Tuesdays, 5 p.m., main station.
