It's all more tenuous than you think

We like to go about our business believing that things are working as they should — and they seem to, mostly.

Until they don’t.

That can be when we have to realize some foundation of stability in our experience just wasn’t so stable after all.

Take our local police forces and the way our firefighting infrastructure is set up.

Yesterday’s wildfire at Sunbanks in Electric City (actually outside town at the moment) was prolonged due to — well, that’s uncertain at this point.

But a nearby firefighting helicopter sat on the ground at Grand Coulee Dam Airport instead of fulfilling its mission in the local community. Fire chiefs were frustrated, but got air support through the Bureau of Land Management in time to keep the fire out of homes in Electric City.

Relations between local police departments have always been a bit strained. Perhaps that’s just due to the nature of two ultimate authorities bumping into each other’s business routinely. But they’re still mostly cooperative and professional.

That last part is under review. The two department heads are not comfortable together, and one has decided to not be around the other agency, whose interim chief has filed a professional complaint against him.

Their mutual aid agreement is at risk, which shouldn’t make you feel safer. Mayors, and the city councils who check them, should have something to say about the agreements they’ve made with other towns. The police chiefs have a duty to abide by those legal agreements.

It’s another problem you didn’t think existed but that needs a solution sooner than later.

Scott Hunter

editor and publisher