Dear Editor:I have lived in Downey my entire life and am a product of Downey schools, sports and church. I live and breathe Downey and have always been proud of the city I grew up in. This is the reason I purchased a home in Downey and send my children to Downey schools. I also believe that we owe most of this to the wonderful police and fire service that we have. This is the reason that I am extremely bothers that there are people in the city - Salvador Franco - that would even consider going to the county for fire service. The fact that the City Council is conducting a study to look at the costs of going to county services not only bothers me and my family but every neighbor that I have spoken to. What the city is telling us is that "if the price is right" we could contract with L.A. County Fire. What's next? Getting rid of Downey PD? There is no cost saving that would be worth getting rid of Downey Fire or PD. This is the reason I have decided to stay in Downey. Do most Downey residents know that L.A. County Fire does not have its own paramedic units? Do our residents know that when L.A. County Fire responds to a medical emergency in a contract city there is a private ambulance that also responds? Therefore, we as Downey residents would have some inexperienced private ambulance technician responding to our medical emergencies and not a homegrown professional Downey Fire paramedic. Would you rather have a Downey Fire paramedic unit respond to your medical emergency or a private unit driven by an 18-year-old, followed by L.A. County Fire? Unfortunately, we live in a violent society as evidenced by last week's shooting on Cleta Street. My prayers go out to the family. Do you think L.A. County Fire and the L.A. County Sheriff's Department would have acted and responded as quickly as Downey Fire and Police? Do you think the Sheriff's Department would have arrested the suspect within days? Although county employees are great people, the county just doesn't have the resources to provide the quality of service Downey residents are used to. Downey residents, I urge you to inform yourself and fight to keep Downey Fire intact. People, research your candidates and vote for a candidate that promises to keep Downey Fire and Police intact. Hugo Martinez Downey

********** Published: November 1, 2012 - Volume 11 - Issue 29