Chief George Dunkel
Columbia River Fire & Rescue
270 Columbia Ave
St. Helens OR 97051

Chief Dunkel,

I believe the time has come for me to resign as Staff Chief from Columbia River Fire & Rescue. As you well know my resignation is based over the tampering and sabotaging life support equipment in the response bay at the Main Station by Captain Randy
Peterson. It's just something I can not continue to live with.

We have never seen eye to eye on this issue, and this being a "personnel" matter, you have had a way of avoiding being accountable for your actions (or should I say "non-actions"). I travel the world and speak to fire professionals daily. What Randy Peterson did would not be tolerated by any other departments I have spoken with. He should have been reprimanded not promoted.

More recently, it hasn't been your lack of dealing with Randy Peterson, but rather your lack of dealing with the rest of the individuals enlisted by Randy Peterson, to help in the ongoing sabotage. For instance, the district's mechanics, Rick and Randy, knew this was going on and failed to report it. These guys are the "maintenance folks". Aren't they supposed to make sure everything is working properly, not supporting sabotage of life support equipment? They have never been held accountable for their lack of reporting damage to department equipment.

Members of the department are afraid to stand up for what is right, in fear of losing their jobs, as evidenced by the letter I received in my box at the department during the time of the incident (copy attached). I believe you have sent the wrong message to members of the department and the community and I am embarrassed to be associated with the department anymore.

The district's marine response group is untrained, inexperienced, and functions without any credible leadership and presents a liability to the community and the
Department. As a marine professional, I do not believe it is in my best interests to continue association with a department which fosters dishonesty and corruption and then rewards company officers (like Randy Peterson) for participation in the destruction of department response equipment.

All department equipment has been returned from me and my department ID card is attached to this letter.

Kimberly A. Johns
Staff Chief

CC: Department Staff
County Board of Commissioners
The Chronicle
The Spotlight

I am a paid employee of the St. Helens R.F.D.  I wish to remain anonymous in fear of reprisal from fellow employees.  I can not let this incident go because I was involved.  This incident has to do with deflating the boat kept in the bay for response at the main station.  A month or so back Lt. Randy Peterson decided to play a joke on Lt. Al Takemoto.  Lt. Takemoto heads up our Marine response team and is in charge of maintaining marine response equipment.  Lt.  Peterson deflated the boat so Al would think that it was defective and not ready for use.  It worked.  Lt. Peterson then continued the joke by enlisting myself and other firefighters to help him.  I also think this action was also an attempt to undermine D/C Youngberg and Kim Johns who are both involved in the Marine team's operations.  Lt. Peterson was caught and turned in for the action.  The word is "It's been handled."  Lt. Peterson has been promoted to Captain and will be a shift commander in charge of all of us.  I don't think that he even got a reprimand.  I find it hard to believe that a company officer would get caught tampering with equipment designated for response and not be held accountable for his actions.  I am not sure where to turn so I am hoping that this letter will find its way to someone who cares and an independent investigation might be conducted in the hope that the instigator might be held accountable for his actions.

This is the New St. Helens Mayor?