Editorial: Solid facts are key to moving forward

Thursday, May 23, 2002 | 8:55 a.m.

A year and a half ago the county firefighter's union was at loggerheads with the fire chief and the Clark County Commission. The union claimed that the department was not keeping up with growth. The commission rejected the union's request for an audit to examine the claim. Tensions flared and more than 100 firefighters attended a commission meeting to press their point. Ultimately, in early 2001, commissioners approved $216,000 for an audit and the findings came back that summer: The department was found to be fighting more fires and responding to more emergencies with less equipment and with fewer firefighters who, overall, had poorer training.

At Tuesday's County Commission meeting, the fire chief, the president of the union, and the commissioners were all discussing the audit -- productively, with no hostility. More firefighters are being hired. Training is getting better. Two new fire stations will be built. Sept. 11 inspired everyone to be more sensitive to fire departments. But Tuesday's turnaround goes beyond even that. The major difference was the audit, which came back with solid facts. It was studied and acted upon, not shelved. Solid facts may take a little time and money to gather, but they sure can work.