Small town America "forgotten"

rzatch

rzatch

New member
I received an e-mail today from FirefightersCloseCalls.com and was really moved by it enough so that I wanted to share it with you guys.

But first my rant about the way games in the political arena are so too often being played and at the expense of the people left behind to try and pick up after. This community is a very good illustation. Is this what we've become in America? I don't think so, but for some its all about lining their pockets. I know progress takes many shapes and forms and yes we need progress to continue but at what price? I don't know anyone in this community in fact until today I had never even heard of it. But one things for sure, this country is lucky to have people like this guy in their communities. It shows there are still the values past generations of this country have always had and what it was built on. This guy may in the end give his life for another. There is no other more honorable feat a person can do period.

Here is the mail I got and a video with this same guy giving a tour of his community, sadly it not much of one anymore.


Hey,
A Fire Officer with the well known Kinloch Fire Protection District (St. Louis County) has been hospitalized in grave condition. A few weeks ago KFPD crews responded to a dwelling fire and rescued a teenage boy from the burning house. Hours later, back at quarters Captain Richard Parks, 47, collapsed and he's been hospitalized ever since.

Kinloch is well known-but sadly not for necessarily good reasons in past years-as it is not a wealthy community by any stretch of the imagination - and neither is the all-volunteer fire company. Captain Parks was instrumental in getting media attention focused on their fiscal needs and has been known to give his own money to keep the company going. Captain Parks has been a part of the Kinloch FPD since he was 16 years old. We wish him a rapid recovery.

The link has been removed due to language contained it. If you would like to view it here is the youtube video title..

A Tour of Kinloch, Missouri
 
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This goes on everywhere in this country of ours. So many give for others may live. Hope the best for the both of them.
 
My brother is a paramedic in a small town, actually only a couple hours away from the town mentioned in your post. He can talk for hours about how local and state (mostly state) politics have hurt them. Their ambulances all have well over 300,000 miles on them and they can't get any financial help from the state or county for so much as new air filters. Our government, be it local, state, federal, whatever all have their hands out taxing us to death, but let someone ask for some help and see how far they get. Ive watched the area I call home go to hell in a hand basket because of Illinois' Governors. Now they want to shut our prisons down to save money. Those prisons employ a few thousand people. You can imagine the impact that will have on an area that depends on prisons and coal mines for 30% + of the employment in this county. I hope I didn't stray too far from the original topic, but my opinion of our Government has diminished greatly over the years.
 
mrclean81 said:
... Now they want to shut our prisons down to save money. Those prisons employ a few thousand people. You can imagine the impact that will have on an area that depends on prisons and coal mines for 30% + of the employment in this county. ...
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Staying away from the government spending (ie. what and where they should and should not spend our tax money) :) Just curious, are they proposing closing the prisons or converting them to private operations. The latter seems to be trending. In fact I just heard a local radio ad for one of those organization's hiring events.
 
There has been talk of the two minimum security prisons converting to private operations, but Tamms, which is maximum security and houses several high profile murderers and the like, is undetermined.
 
I watched the video. As I understand it, the community itself suffered from in fighting and in the end destroyed the town.
 
mrclean81 said:
There has been talk of the two minimum security prisons converting to private operations, but Tamms, which is maximum security and houses several high profile murderers and the like, is undetermined.
Click to expand...
I would think the former actions would have minimal impact on jobs and the latter would be a welcomed action. I can't see where a maximum security prison could possibly make for a good neighbor.
 
Its fairly alarming when you hear about an escape, but they never make it far before they are caught. Tamms is way out in the middle of nowhere and its very rare to hear of a breakout. Minimum Security has people bolt on them all the time but they are never successful lol. It becomes part of the landscape around here. The one that always scared me was Marion. It was a Supermax the whole time I was growing up. I spent my first 28 years living 20 miles from there and couldnt tell you where that prison is..its that secluded.
 
If your from southern Illinois you know about Marion. Almost somewhat of famous place after John Gotti was sent there.
 
That's right. It was one of 3 Supermax prisons built to replace Alcatraz. Pete Rose spent time there as well.
 
Tragic ending.

Friday, May 11, 2012 It is with deep regret that we advise you of the Line of Duty Death of Captain/Engineer Richard Parks at the age of 47. Captain/Engineer Parks of the Kinloch Fire Protection District, St. Louis County Missouri. Captain Parks suffered a medical emergency shortly after returning to the fire station following a structure fire with successful rescue of a 16 year old victim.
Captain Parks began serving the Kinloch Fire Protection District as a Junior member of the district and became a Firefighter at the age of 18, and has provided a total of 31 years of service to the community
 
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