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Politics and Public Safety

June 13, 2002
By Juan Mendez

The Berger Group spent two years and $250,000 preparing the Klingle Road Feasibility Study, yet did not consult public safety officials. Since the Study's release, numerous public safety organizations support restoring Klingle Road, including DC Fire Battalions 4 and 5. First Responders and career firefighters such as Battalion Chiefs Johnson and Drumming, Captain Jeffery, Lt. Conway, Deputy Fire Chief Mauer, and Assistant Fire Chief Thompson informed Chief Few that Klingle Road access is needed to fight brush fires in the valley, basement fires in bordering apartment buildings, and fires under the Taft Bridge.

Chief Few initially backed his rank and file, then bowed to political pressure from the Mayor and abandoned his troops in favor of the Study's unsubstantiated conclusions, which Few's officers refute. Not only would Engines 21 and 28 from Battalions 4 and 5 use Klingle Road, EMS ambulances also would use Klingle Road 24/7, a way around Cleveland Park traffic, and the most direct route between the many homes and schools in Woodley Park and the Washington Hospital Center.

Why are we playing politics with public safety and emergency preparedness? And for what? So that we taxpayers can spend $2M on a half-mile jogging path in a lonely, secluded valley for the Klingle Valley Few? For my money, let's fix the road, put back our street lights and build a sidewalk. We'd all be that much safer.


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