I dropped by your office on Tuesday after I was made aware of your Walgreen's car fire story.   As I advised you on the phone, I was unaware of the facts of that incident but I advised you that I would investigate.  After investigation,  I find that the information you provided me on the phone as well as the story you have published is inaccurate in substance and tone.  The article you have published has a few facts and is constructed to appear as a news story but you have sprinkled a few facts with editorial comments and "bystander" comments.  You took statements I made and twisted them in a way to support your article.  
I believe any reasonable person would judge a 3 minute response time and 6 minute fire supression time to be outstanding performance.  Those response times are contained in the 911 report obtained by your office.  For the Herald to state that apparatus passed the scene 3 times before they could find the fire or for a "supposed witness" to state it took forever to get water on the fire is not supported by the response time and supression time even your publication printed.  
It would take more than 7 minutes for a fire truck to pass by the scene and return 3 times.  Given the facts of the incident,  the perceived passage of time in an emergency and statements your publication attributed to bystanders,  it appears your story is an editorial masquerading as a news story and is attempting to be an expose of poor performance.
Instead of the shoddy performance you allude to,  the opposite is true,  outstanding performance!   
Please remember these firefighters are volunteers and they are helping you and other Seymour citizens because they want to,  not because they are trying to make a profit as you are.   I would be happy to provide accurate information if you would print the facts as they are but a true journalist would not skew the facts of a story as you have in this instance.   If you are seeking shoddy performance,  perhaps you should first look inward at the Herald and staff!  
Ted Esch

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