Commissioner Haleck addresses concerns on firefighters and blasting boom boxes

Commissioner of Public Safety William Haleck responded in a letter sent Tuesday to concerns raised by Rep Faimealelei Anthony Allen last week regarding firefighters, as well as problems associated with music blasting on aiga buses.

The representative noted that firefighters who did not wear the proper protective equipment while performing their duties were compromising their own safety and infringing on their ability to protect the public and personal property.

The faipule said he had stopped over at his relative’s residence in Onesosopo where a recent fire occurred and saw the firefighters wearing slippers.

Another issue raised by Faimealelei was that police officers are unable to enforce the laws prohibiting excessive noise from vehicles with aftermarket stereo systems and this continues to present a public nuisance in villages as well as the town area.

The issue of music blasting from aiga buses was voiced, when House members were conducting committee hearings and an aiga bus was stuck in traffic right in front of the Fono building, causing windows to rattle and disrupting the hearing.

Haleck said he met with Fire Chief, Cliff O’Brien who assured him that the firefighters on duty who responded to the fire in Onesosopo were dressed properly in full gear. However there were also other fire fighters who were not in full gear and they were there to assist their colleagues.

“They were driving by and saw the blaze and decided to stop and help— these were probably the firefighter personnel seen at the fire scene without proper firefighting gear, including their shoes.”

“These firefighters do not always have their gear with them when they are off duty,” he added. Haleck said that firefighters who are off duty— but who come to assist— is an issue that he will address with the fire chief so that they can come up with a solution to prevent this from happening again.

The Commissioner acknowledges the importance of firefighters using proper gear during each fire incident. Regarding the blasting music on vehicles and public transportation, he has addressed the Chief of Police and Commander of both Traffic and Patrol Divisions, on the importance of stepping up their enforcement of the “boom box loudness/noise statutes” that have been enacted into law.

“I urged our supervisors that this issue is currently a nuisance, and this must be addressed immediately for all concerned,” said the Commissioner.