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Paul Hands: Dear City Council

I suffered a chimney fire Nov. 28 at my house on Routt County Road 38A. Thanks to your expert, professional fire department’s prompt actions, the fire, although on the roof, did not penetrate the interior of the home. No one was injured, except the fireman who stepped on a nail. God bless him or her. The residents actually slept in the home after the firefighters, who were there for some 3 1/2 hours, had left. They even put up plastic to protect the property from snow or water damage.

The two or three trucks, along with 14 skilled firefighters, arrived within eight to 10 minutes of the 911 call. The damage, limited to the roof and the chimney chase, could have been a thousand times worse than it was.

I’d like to extend special thanks to Fire Marshal Jay Muhme and Fire Chief Ron Lindroth, who expertly directed the seven firefighters on duty that night, as well as the other seven, who were not on duty and who left their families and lives behind to aid in battling the blaze. If there had been even one less firefighter there, my outcome no doubt would have been less safe and more costly.



Please don’t cut any firefighters from the crucial seven-person crew; it would be a danger to the community at large. We are so lucky to have these highly trained and highly motivated brave, young professionals as our first responders.

Paul Hands



Steamboat Springs


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