Fire victim learns lesson

I am writing this letter today to help others in my community to see that such a tragedy does not happen again.

See on Jan. 17, there was a fire in my daughter's and her soon-to-be husband's house. The South Boundary Fire was first on scene and had capability of putting out the fire and saving the property, but as I've recently found out that is not their job. Their only job is to control and put it out after everything is burned and all property is lost.

Such is the case of my home, a motor home that had nothing wrong with it and now has over $5,000 worth of damage that could have been prevented with just a little water. But that was not their job. Fortunately a neighbor and one firefighter felt differently and did try to save my home, but with only one out of about 20 firefighters actually doing his job.

Everything on the property was lost. With both families being disabled, this is very hard, and of course, no insurance makes it worse.

So everyone in South Boundary County should take note, buy insurance, clean you're chimneys and make sure you can protect your home because the fire department you think is there to protect your home won't.

Their house was a total lose, burning all the way to the floor. Nothing was saved or left to save.

Thank you to the firefighter and neighbors who did try to save my home and Delbert Ledbetter's property.

Daniel G. Stevens

Bonners Ferry