VENTURA COUNTY STAR (Camarillo, California) 13 June 08 Letter: Better ways for removing snakes (Rick Freeman)

Re: Rick Bell's June 10 letter, "Killing snakes":

Let me thank Ventura County Fire Capt. Bell for proving my point by providing lame excuses as to why we cannot do things differently when it comes to 911 snake calls.

There is an alternative to this problem. For example, the Simi Valley Parks Department is capturing and relocating rattlesnakes. Since Bell is concerned about litigation, I would love to see statistics on how many relocated snakes actually returned to bite little children. I bet it's none. In fact, rattlesnake bites are rare, and nearly all are nonfatal.

I am astonished by Bell's remark about rattlesnakes not being on the endangered list. Is he suggesting we just keep killing creatures until they become endangered, then suddenly "care" it is endangered and spend thousands of dollars to pass more laws to protect them after we waste thousands of dollars to obliterate them? The bald eagle was just removed from the endangered list. Does that make it plentiful and expendable?

I am shocked he would agree it makes sense to send out a fire engine and three men numerous times a day, which is the common procedure, just to kill one snake. I hope, for the taxpayers' sake, his time could be used more productively, especially since most of the calls are dealing with harmless snakes.

California is in a fiscal crisis. Simi Valley is getting ready to lay off city workers. It is time we start questioning absurd expenditures before we become another casualty of overspending like so many counties around us. We can start by taking a look at all unnecessary services we now have come to expect from our emergency service personnel. Who knows? This might save money and help free up firefighters for their real purpose.

http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/jun/13/better-ways-for-removing-snakes/



VENTURA COUNTY STAR (Camarillo, California) 10 June 08 Letter: Killing snakes

Re: Rick Freeman's June 4 letter, "Don't kill snakes":

I think Freeman needed to add his phone number to his letter so people could call him instead of 911 for snake removal.

I am a Ventura County firefighter and I have not heard that rattlesnakes are an endangered species. Remember, this is a very litigious society. Imagine the cost when someone claims the poisonous snake we just set free bit his child. Imagine the costs to the taxpayers for any firefighter who must take time off due to a rattlesnake bite. I could go on and on.

In risk versus gain, there is nothing to be gained by setting a rattlesnake free. On the other hand, the costs could be astronomical. We get no joy out of killing the snakes. Our only tools are a snake stick and a shovel. We would love for animal control to handle the snakes, but it is not going to happen.

I think Freeman needs to have better answers to a problem before he blames the Fire Department and government for the woes of the diamondback.

— Rick Bell, Moorpark

(The writer is a Ventura County fire captain. — Editor)

http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/jun/10/no-headline---ob9wclets10/

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