In response to the Oct. 8 article ("Fire Volunteers are Dying Out"), I have been involved with emergency services at various times since 1996. I am a state Department of Health emergency medical technician. I have taken Essentials of Firefighting, Basic Vehicle Rescue and roughly 30 other training courses and had an internship with Pittsburgh's Bureau of Fire in Fire Investigations.

I live in Washington County part of the week and in Robinson the remainder of the time. I am a student at Point Park University in its post-baccalaureate secondary education program, getting ready to student-teach in the spring. So my world is a bit spread and hectic right now.

Do I have the volunteer spirit? Yes.

However, the problem with someone in my situation is not a lack of willingness to volunteer, but rather will a department accept me. I cannot offer 24/7 availability.

What I can offer to a department in the western suburbs or South Hills area is someone who can volunteer 15 to 20 hours a month, has training and, more importantly, someone who has the "volunteer spirit" and can handle the rigors of emergency service.

I am willing to come to a station to help when I can and answer calls. All I ask for is -- not the hundred dollars discussed in the article, but rather a department that is understanding of my current situation and maybe let me have a desk where I could study. I know that I can do just as much studying at a fire station as I can at home or in the school library.

Is there a department that is willing to accept someone like me who still starts for the door when he hears the local siren go off?

NATHAN McDOWELL

Washington

Settler's Ridge shopping center in Robinson is opening for business, and I sincerely hope that it will be the last one opened in the township for many years to come.

Parts of Robinson's shopping district are taking on that ghastly down-at-the-heels empty storefront look that denotes failure and decay. More empty stores along Route 60 will increase to the blighted look. Township leaders should commit to filling vacant buildings before allowing new construction.

Traffic may be a beautiful sight to the eyes of people who have made a lot of money on Settler's Ridge, but it's no fun for people sitting in line, wasting fuel and time trying to get to a store. The hodgepodge of shopping malls cries out for shuttle service or improved public transportation to ameliorate backups.

Robinson needs more resident-friendly green space in addition to the trail and two parks. The super abundance of restaurants indicates that the township needs to provide more places for people to become physically active.

CAROL MOESSINGER

Pittsburgh

On Tuesday, Moon and Crescent voters will choose school directors. One hopes voters will inform themselves on which candidate to vote for because individual candidates are listed as both Republicans and Democrats. Voting a "straight" party ticket could result in electing a member who does not share the voter's views.

The current Moon Area school board, controlled by a Democratic majority, has doubled the cost of a grandiose school construction plan that now will cost more than $100 million.

Not too long ago, board members approved a lucrative pay increase for administration and staff and many believe they will give teachers a pay raise in upcoming negotiations without insisting on greater contributions to health care or retirement funding.

The majority claims to be relying on the education "experts" in justifying their actions. But relying on these self-interested experts, rather than common sense, is taking the district on an unsustainable and ruinous financial path.

One list the district has moved up on is its ranking among county school districts with the highest tax millage, according to the Allegheny County Web site. In 2006, with a 19.11-mill rate, Moon Area ranked 35th of 44 districts. This year, it ranks 27th with a 21.3-mill rate.

The district's budget increased by 8.5 percent to $61.3 million this year -- nearly double from 10 years ago.

With a median-valued home in Moon ($161,800 in 2007 Census data) and a median income ($56,000), a taxpayer must work one year to pay 16 years of school district taxes.

While facility improvements and some new construction may be called for, we do not need a school board that merely rubber stamps the wishes of the education establishment. Moon and Crescent need to elect directors who also protect the taxpayers.

RICHARD MORGAN

Moon

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