6 - CAPE GAZETTE, Friday, June 20- June 26, 1997
00WPOINTS
Large fires illustrate important points
Two large fires threatening hundreds of thousands of dollars worth
of property sent more than two-hundred Sussex County volunteer
firefighters and dozens of pieces of equipment scurrying over the
past week. They went to the marshes of Lewes at 3 a.m. on Friday,
lune 13 and to a barley field of Carlton Wells near the Broadkill Riv-
er on Tuesday, June 17.
Fighting the fires required hundreds of personnel hours and expen-
diture of great resources to protect property and lives. The barley
field fire on Tuesday, for example, involved 14 different fire compa-
nies either on the scene directly or serving as back-ups for the eight
companies that emptied their firehouses to battle the flames. (Three
of the companies called to the barley field fire were simultaneously
called to other fires in their own service areas.)
In both fires, the wind that has been so relentless this spring played
a major role. It rekindled the Lewes marsh fire Friday afternoon,
whose origin remains a mystery, and swept embers from the' barley
field fire to three separate areas where large fires had to be extin-
guished. The wind has also served to keep conditions very dry, suck-
mg up any of the scarce moisture we've seen from the past several
weeks. And the marshes are full of the dried and dead matter left
over from the winter for which fire shows such a keen appetite.
This week's fires graphically illustrates some current factors that
all of us would be wise to keep fresh in our minds:
Point 1: Lou Rickards, president of Lewes Fire Department, was
among those on the scene of the barley field fire. After seeing the
fires spread so quickly by the wind, he noted that dangerous condi-
tions remain. "If we don't get some rain soon," said Rickards, "these
sorts of fire will only worsen. We all have to be careful."
Point 2: As our population continues to grow, here and around the
world, natural disasters such as fires, earthquakes and floods, will
take a greater and greater toll on lives and property. It's unavoidable
because more people and property are getting closer and closer to
powerful and unpredictable natural phenomena. Land use planning
and consideration must take these factors into consideration so that
safety remains a high priority.
Point 3: Our volunteer firefighters and other volunteer emergency
personnel, who leave the comfort of their homes or the requirements
of their jobs at any time of day or night, continue to provide an
invaluable service to all of us. They not only protect our personal
safety and property, they also help keep our taxes and insurance pre-
miums low by virtue of their dedication, training and commitment to
the highest standards. Part of the state revenue sharing strategy sup-
ported by Sussex Cminty government, which provides a high level of
funding to the county's fire departments, would involve extra fund-
ing for the fire departments out of the state surplus. That strategy
deserves support. And local fire departments make appeals each year
for individual donations. Those efforts also deserve our support.
Letters
A snapping turtle suns itself in the sand on the banks of a
Sussex County Pond as summer arrives.
Full Moon Last Quarter New Moon First Quarter
June 20 June 27 July 4 July 12
Hood control in Delaware government...
Make Route 1 safe
for all bicyclists
Your editorial "Route 1 is no place for
bicyclists" couldn't be further from the
truth. Following your logic that bicycles
are toys that fifth graders use for recre-
ation, one could easily agree that the
recreational antics of a 10-year-old on a
bicycle don't belong on Route 1, or on
any route, for that matter, where cars are
present. As a member of the League of
American Bicyclists, I take exception to
your reasoning.
A bicycle is more than just a toy for
young children, however. It is a means of
transportation and for some, a means to
conserve limited natural or financial
resources. Delaware and DelDOT in par-
ticular have not come to terms with the
bicycle as a valuable alternative to the
automobile and consequently, the state
has created cycling-unfriendly condi-
tions on Route 1.
By ignoring the fact that cyclists - be
they tourists, commuters, recreational
riders or families out for a spin to a fast
food restaurant - continue to use the road
is to ignore a crying need for public safe-
ty. Of course, DelDOT will tell you that
public safety is important in the trans-
portation formula. But apparendy not on
Route 1.
First, you should have reviewed
Delaware's statistics regarding cycling
safety.
How many auto accidents occurred on
Route 1 in 1996 versus the number of
bicycle accidents? What is the cost
required to make Route 1 safe for tourists
and commuters who will use this route?
I'm sure that if you take the time to
investigate, the data may give you sec-
ond thoughts about travel by car on
Route 1.
Bicycling is by far a safer mode of
transportation. Second, cyclists want to
ride where "things" are - places of
employment, tourist attractions, stores,
places of entertainment and refreshment,
friends' houses, McDonald's and so on.
Thus it's logical to make existing road-
ways accessible to cyclists, especially
when they must use the only roadway
available that gets them where "things"
are.
I am personally pursuing an effort to
make Route 1 safe for cyclists. Signing
and road markings cost very little for the
return of creating cycle awareness
among motorists and for enhancing pub-
lic safety.
Self-fulfilling prophesies that Route 1,
or any other road for that matter, is
unsafe and should not be used by bicy-
cles are not constructive.
By continuing to promote the myth
that bicycles are toys to.be used by fifth
graders does a disservice to visitors to
our area who are probably more cycle
savvy than many local residents, to the
community and to those of us who have
vision enough to see that the bicycle
must also play a role in the transportation
formula.
Let's make a minimum investment
now to making Route 1 safe for cyclists
before someone pays the maximum price
of being seriously injured.
Michael Tyler
Lewes
Editor's Note: The editorial to which
Mr. Tyler-refers makes no mention of
bicycles as toys nor does it mention
recreation. Rather, the editorial notes
that a national expert recognized the
savviness of the Rehoboth fifth graders
when they discussed their legitimate
transportation needs and the common
sense they displayed in saying they
stayed away from Route 1 and opted
instead for safer, more creative routes.
We agree completely with Mr. Tyler's
efforts to make Route 1 as safe as possi-
ble for all interests but stand by our call
for development of alternate routes for
bicyclists and pedestrians of all ages.
Continued on page 8
Write Now
Letters are always welcome and
should be signed and include a tele-
phone number for verification.
Please keep letters to 500 words or
less. Write to Cape Gazette, P.O.
Box 213, Lewes, Delaware 19958.
Volume 5
No. 5
Publisher
Dennis Forney
Editor "
Trish Vernon
News Editor
Michael Short
News
Kerry Kester
Rosanne Pack
Jen Ellingsworth
Janet Andrelczyk
Photographer
Angle Moon
Sports Editor
Dave Frederick
Advertising Director
Carol Mawyer Fehrenbach
Advertising
Cindy Roberts
Nancy Stenger Joseph
Mariann Wilcox
Classified
Sandy Barr
Office Manager
Kathy Emery
Circulation
Harry Stoner
Production Staff
Susan Porter
Deidre Sudimak
Chris Wildt
Peter Butcavage
Contributors:
Tim Bamforth
Susan Frederick
Nancy Katz
Geoff Vernon
The Cape Gazette
(USPS 010294) is pub-
lished by Cape Gazette
Limited every Friday at
the Midway Shopping
Center, Highway One,
Rehoboth Beach DE
19971. Second class
postage paid at
Rehoboth Beach,
Delaware. Address all
correspondence to Cape
Gazette, P.O. Box 213,
Lewes, Delaware 19958.
Telephone: (302) 645-
7700. FAX - 6451664.
E-mail:
capegaz@dmv.com
Subscriptions are avail-
able at $25 per year in
Sussex County; $40
elsewhere.
POSTMASTER: Send
address changes to The
Cape Gazette, P.O. Box
213, Lewes, Delaware
19958.
"The mind is its own
place, and in itself
Can make a Heaven of
Hell, a Hell of Heaven.
John Milton
