Traditionally, a fire department's

primary mission is to put out fires. Modern departments would probably

update that mandate by adding fire-prevention using tools like education

and vigilance.

Today it's the fire department

Peachtree City's with a crisis. With what tools I have, I come to help

put out the fire.

Last week's headlines dealt

a devastating blow to this close-knit family of public servants. Devastating,

not deadly.

Because of an ongoing investigation

into charges of child molestation within the department-sponsored Explorer

Post, members of the department can say nothing more than the official

statements released by law enforcement. In that I am a life member of

the department, I feel constrained by the same restrictions.

But there are some things I

want you to know, albeit through my bias toward Peachtree City firefighters,

EMTs, and paramedics. Seventeen years' service and a hand in founding

the rescue squad here make that bias reasonable.

They also give me a certain

cachet.

First of all, nothing good

is going to come from this, regardless of how it plays out. The most precious

attribute in human relations trust has been shattered. I am confident,

however, that it will eventually be rebuilt in the areas that matter most:

the relationships between parent and child, between members of the department,

and among troop leaders, parents, and children. And especially between

the department and the general public.

Secondly, the almost universal

response to the realization that something very bad may have happened

was self-blame. Parents and members of the department (and many are both)

are "beating themselves up," as one put it, for not having seen

signs of possible malfeasance.

They were all there. In 20/20

retrospect, these caring adults can see fingerprints as though under ultra-violet

light, where indelible but invisible marks were made on their sons' lives.

Why would they not trust a

volunteer of 20 years' standing, a ____ (fill in the blank) of the Year,

an Eagle Scout, for heavens' sake, an Explorer Post adviser? The head

of several regional Scouting committees, a Ham radio operator who helped

create emergency communications and a Web site for the SkyWarn program

associated with the National Weather Service in Peachtree City?

Why would they not trust a

person who was involved in emergency communications for Fayette County's

911 center and worked as a dispatcher for the Peachtree City Police Department,

later hiring on with Delta Air Lines? For that exacting employer, one

has to pass entry requirements notorious for weeding out potential miscreants.

Delta who awarded him numerous "volunteer" commendations certainly

didn't see this possibility coming, and their screeners are professionals.

Who wouldn't trust such a model

citizen?

Then there are the Explorers

themselves. Consensus among them, their parents, and the department is

overwhelmingly in favor of maintaining Explorer Post 209. As nearly as

I can ascertain, only one boy has dropped out since the investigation

began, and the long list of applicants has not changed.

I remember well the skepticism

that met the 1988 proposal to attach an Explorer Post to the fire department.

Concerns ran from "Theyíll get in our way" to downright

fear of liability.

These worries faded as we watched

these young volunteers working alongside firefighters in safe, though

often boring, duties such as mopping up after fires and accidents. In

addition, they participated in training almost as rigorous as that which

the adults undertake.

They've become a rich pool

of applicants for the department. Many sons of firefighters themselves

volunteer as soon as they are old enough, and several have been hired

as career firefighters in this department and others. The majority go

on to college, many on scholarships, and some have joined the military

as officers after graduating. I can't tell you how proud of them we have

been.

As citizens, we need to let

these kids know that they absolutely were not responsible for what allegedly

happened to them or to their friends. And we need to let their parents

and other members of the department know that they too have our whole-hearted

support and friendship.

You should know that the Flint

River Council of Boy Scouts of America is standing firmly beside department

officials and has discharged its responsibilities commendably. Additionally,

the three fire department chaplains have made themselves available both

to parents and young people, as well as members of the department. If

more help than that is needed, it will be provided.

Be aware, please, that in an

atmosphere as highly charged as the one surrounding this sad situation,

rumors fly and even the news media do not always get it right. One Atlanta

TV station got it very wrong when they put up links on their Web site

that revealed names of members of the Explorer Post, most of them minor

children. Local officials were able to break those links, but not before

more evil was allowed to escape the genie's bottle.

You should know too that, regardless

of news reports that the investigation is only two weeks old, enough evidence

of alleged wrongdoing had surfaced to prompt the department to contact

authorities and, in coordination with them, to suspend the accused person's

membership on March 26.

I do not remember so extreme

an action ever being taken before. Because no charges had yet been filed,

this move opened department officials to serious criticism. They believed,

however, that the integrity of the department and the well-being of the

Explorers were more important than any risk to themselves.

For your information, The Citizen

received a tip on March 29, but responsibly opted not to publish hurtful

rumor when no charges had yet been made. Moreover, no official comments

were forthcoming from law or fire spokespersons due to the ongoing investigation.

And need I remind you that

there's one particular mother and a sister for whom this situation is

overwhelming, heartbreaking? If you know them, comfort them with your

presence. You don't need words; there aren't any.

It's our turn now, as residents

of two communities the city and the county served by fire and rescue organizations

with proud histories. These heroes have always been there for us, whether

our calls were serious or trivial. They answer false alarms with the same

dedication as they answer multi-alarm incidents.

Now we can help put out a fire.

This one does not appear to be a false alarm.

No good will come out of this.

But the rebuilding of trust will begin as the citizens of Peachtree City

and Fayette County demonstrate their allegiance to an organization that

has never failed to respond to the needs of others.