To The Editor:

Wow! Elvis is still alive, Apollo 11 never landed on the moon and President Kennedy was shot as part of a government conspiracy. Now, LAFD has a secret set of books called CAFR, has an insurance underwriter called ISO it is hiding from the public and the leftist media made heroes out of firefighters.

Letter writer Keith Kaye just loves to throw it on the wall hoping something will stick. How can one person consistently be so uninformed and yet willing to share that lack of knowledge with people? Why do some people love to take a thimble full of truth and weave fairytale conspiracies? Curiously, about the only thing he consistently gets right in his prolific complaining is my name.

In Kaye's latest conspiracy theory he alleges concerning ISO (Insurance Service Offices) "It is the district's insurance underwriters and it is they who decide everything that has to do with the department's minimum requirements. They know what must be done and they demand what must be done. They are the ones that are held financially accountable if the government agency is lacking."

He accuses LAFD of "keeping this information" about ISO from the people. He says we will "lie to you," which I might add is very offensive, and that we will try and "discredit" him. I won't lie and certainly won't discredit Mr. Kaye. The sad truth is I believe he genuinely believes what he is saying.

First, ISO is not even an "insurance underwriter" and it is not "held financially accountable if a government agency is lacking in some way." On its website available to anyone, ISO describes itself by saying "since 1971, ISO has been a leading source of information about risk. We supply data, analytics, and decision-support services for professionals in many fields. We perform the evaluations as a service to the insurance industry and do not charge a fee to the communities. Through the Public Protection Classification (PPCTM) program, ISO evaluates municipal fire-protection efforts in communities throughout the United States. A community's investment in fire mitigation is a proven and reliable predictor of future fire losses. So insurance companies use PPC information to help establish fair premiums for fire insurance - generally offering lower premiums in communities with better protection."

Did you catch that? It supplies data, analytics, and decision-support services for the insurance companies.

When analyzing the level of protection by a fire service it looks at staffing, equipment, training, number and placement of fire stations and the availability of water and fire hydrants. Nowhere does it say it underwrites or insures any business, city or fire district. It is a research tool for insurance companies. In a nutshell, ISO is simply an independent appraiser of risks of fire districts, factories, businesses, etc. The data is then used by some insurance companies in writing their policies for homeowners and businesses.

Other insurance companies conduct their own assessment. You can find out more about how ISO works at http://www.iso.com/Research-and-Analyses/Studies-and-Whitepapers/ISO-s-PPC-Program.html.

Improving or decreasing the District's ISO fire protection rating does not guarantee that all insurance premiums will decrease or increase based on the level of service. Determination of such fire protection rating ultimately is up to the individual insurance providers writing the policy. Some insurance agencies, such as State Farm Insurance do not utilize the ISO fire protection classification instead they send agents out to evaluate the distance from fire stations and hydrants.

So, as far as ISO is concerned, despite Mr. Kaye's lack of knowledge on the subject and his accusation of some nefarious, evil plot, ISO is no secret and is very simply explained. The fire district pays no money to ISO and it has been years since ISO has evaluated Lehigh Acres.

On June 13 Kaye speaks of what he calls "the leftist media" as creating heroes out of firefighters. Righttt. Yep, and that bad ol' media is all controlled by godless commies who would kill their mothers for the sake of a good story. In Kaye's eyes every reporter in the country is told what to say and write and no journalist is allowed to write the facts of any given story.

In 25 years as a reporter I never once had a story killed or was told to write a story to suit a particular political persuasion. So much for this conspiracy theory.

June 9 Kaye alleged in an online post "Did you know that every government agency in this country has two sets of books? One set of books is submitted to the public and the other, the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), is kept secret."

Honest, that's a quote. I couldn't make this stuff up. So stop the presses! This is the scoop of a lifetime. Now, everyone take a deep breath in and slowly exhale. In with the good air, out with the bad.

Are you ready? Okay, first, yes many agencies across the country call their annual audit a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report or CAFR. LAFD's annual report is simply called an Annual Audit.

But I have yet to hear of any "secret" reports or audits either at LAFD or any other local government agency. Mr. Kaye is accusing LAFD of keeping two sets of books which would of course be illegal. Mr. Kaye asks for a debate. I accept!

I will soon no longer be an employee of this agency but I will gladly fight fear of hobgoblins and ghosts. Show up with the proof that LAFD has two sets of books, one of which is being hidden from the public. Proof is a copy of the false set of books, or two eyewitnesses to the illegal actions.

Proof Mr. Kaye! Proof! I want to see proof and not just mud on the wall. Mr. Kaye bases his whole case on CAFR's on one guy on the internet accusing the federal government, not the Lehigh Acres Fire and Rescue District. Please, back up your claim and don't send people off on some wild goose chase across the internet on CAFRS in general.

You are accusing the local agency, now here is your opportunity to prove it.

Hey, I'm going back to reporting. Prove your accusations against the fire district and I'll be your loudest and most ardent proclaimer of the facts. If I've been misled I will be the most outraged of all. For Kaye and everyone else, the last Annual Audit is always available and that truly is no secret.

Patrick Comer

Public Education Officer

Lehigh Acres Fire Dept.

Lehigh Acres

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Member Comments

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twoonezebra
07-13-09 10:08 PM »Report Comment Abuse	I looked all through the ISO and NFPA websites, specifically through the NFPA code 1710 and no where does it give a radius of where a station has to be. It says that an organization should be able to 1)have a one minute turnout time 2)be able to have a first responder present within 4 minutes of an emergency/fire and an advanced life support presence if needed within 8 minutes 90 PERCENT OF THE TIME. I am aware that Lee County prepositions assets around the county to make sure that this occurs. When one asset gets called to a scene, another relocates to take over. If we indeed can not do this now (I had to wait more than 20 minutes this last year and I live LESS than two miles away from a fire station, because my first call was dropped)than we need to fix it. But the fire rescue organization needs to do all it can to bring all of the real stats to the public, so we ALL can make an informed decision. The public shouldn't be ridiculed by the organization by making them seem like lunatic
icefireguy
07-09-09 10:01 AM »Report Comment Abuse	I don't think the folks here using ISO in an attempt to keep the LAFD from growing really understand what following ISO recommendations in Lehigh Acres would mean. If you consider that the LAFD district is roughly 143 square miles of occupied land, in other words there are occupied homes throughout the whole 143 sq miles, and you utilize NFPA/ISO guidelines which some of you seem fierce to do, you would need an engine company within 1.5 miles of any home, and a ladder company within 2.5 miles of any home to achieve the national average of a 6 minute response time for a staffed engine company. This would mean that we would need a minimum of 10 fire stations,5 more engines, and 2.5 more ladder companies to accomplish this. Be careful what you wish for.
twoonezebra
07-07-09 8:17 PM »Report Comment Abuse	Maybe that is why you have supposedly never " in my 25 years as a reporter had a story killed or was told to write a story to suit a particular political persuasion." By the way, any retribution or repercussions against a citizen for expressing their views against an agency may be construed as a criminal act.
twoonezebra
07-07-09 8:12 PM »Report Comment Abuse	So what does the US Fire Administration do? According to their own website, "as an entity of the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency, the mission of USFA" is to provide "national leadership to local fire and emergency services." Still want to insinuate that ISO is unimportant, Mr. Comer? Actually, if you read Mr Kaye's letter he states that ISO could be an "answer to the horror stories", meaning the "sky is falling" attitude of the fire district. He seems to be saying that they may be of assistance. As you say yourself, Mr. Comer, and I quote "it has been years since ISO has evaluated Lehigh Acres." Why? Maybe it is time they do just that, evaluate the problem and assist with a solution, which is what they do best. By the way, Mr. Comer, I have lived in Ft. Myers and Lehigh Acres since 1972, and I don't ever remember you reporting on many controversial issues. Maybe that is why you supposedly have neve
twoonezebra
07-07-09 8:00 PM »Report Comment Abuse	Editor:Feel free to post this in the next issue. Firstly, Mr. Comer, you have done what is exactly expected from a government agency on the defensive. You have attempted to discredit anyone who publicly disputes your agency by making him sound like a lunatic. You also gave partial explanations of an entity to make them sound unimportant. I would also like to quote the ISO website as you did sir, starting with the following: "ISO's greatest asset is our 3,200 employees...many of our employees serve on National Advisory Committees." "ISO collects and manages data on more than 45,000 fire response jurisdictions." "Virtually all US insurers use ISO's PPC Program" So, even though ISO does not directly underwrite or insure, insurance companies listen to what they say like when EF Hutton speaks. But not only do the insurance companies listen, so does the US Fire Administration,. who ISO boasts as "proud to serve." What does the US Fire Admin do? See
BGarrison
07-07-09 2:24 PM »Report Comment Abuse	This is the response of a public relations professional hired to interact and build support for the LAFD in the community? A reasoned response to Mr. Kaye is appropriate, but snarky comments are uncalled for and not the sign of a professional. The LAFD does not need a PR person, certainly not one who takes swipes at the local taxpayers in the editorial pages. Start here to trim the budget, LAFD.
ROARINGLION
07-06-09 1:03 PM »Report Comment Abuse	I SEE MR. COMOR IS GIVING A GOOD BYE KISS TO LEHIGH BY HIS AGGRESSIVE STANCE AGAINST THE TAXPAYERS OF LEHIGH , I GUESS WHEN THEY LET HIM GO COLLECT HIS UNEMPLOYMENT OVER WHERE HE LIVES IN CAPE CORAL, HE IS FINISHED IN LEHIGH FOR GOOD,MAYBE THEY WILL LAY OFF HIS FIREMAN SON ALSO? DOES YOUR SON ALSO REFUSE TO PLEDGE ALLEGIENCE TO THE FLAG LIKE YOU DO?
ROARINGLION
07-06-09 12:58 PM »Report Comment Abuse	IT IS AN OLD PR TRICK TO CHANGE THE TOPIC AND PATRECK COMOR (SINCE HE CANT SPELL LOHLEIN'S NAME RIGHT .I WON'T SPELL PC NAME RIGHT EITHER) ARE WE REALLY STILL PAYING $100,000 FOR THIS KIND OF NON CONSTRUCTIVE NONSENSE??????
watchdog
07-05-09 12:21 PM »Report Comment Abuse	I do not care at this moment who’s is right or wrong between keithkaye vs PatrickComer. All I know that Patrick Comer is costing the Fire Dept a non needed expense and needs to go now for the betterment of the taxpayers of Lehigh Acres.
BoJangles
07-03-09 5:54 PM »Report Comment Abuse	keithkaye is another one without a clue. You and your serial felon buddy Anderson should run for fire commissioner next time, then let's see how you can take the attacks. You might just learn something, and it will give the rest of us something to laugh at! LOL
keithkaye
07-03-09 12:33 PM »Report Comment Abuse	Mr. Comer: My acceptance and demands remain as stated yesterday. Again, since there is little purpose in debating with a non-policy making public employee such as yourself is the reason why I demanded an elected official’s presence to work with you during the debate. Each of us would then accept questions from those of us who are debating and also answer questions from those in attendance. Hopefully, after hearing all the evidence presented during the debate, the public can then determine for themselves who is being truthful and non-evasive. Thanks for your reply.
PatrickComer
07-03-09 7:45 AM »Report Comment Abuse	Interesting that Mr. LoLein and Mr. Anderson can only attack me and not address the issues raised by Mr. Kaye that I corrected. Mr. Kaye at least stays on point, though I disagree with his assertions. But as long as I'm drawing a paycheck, which won't be much longer, I'm still the PIO and still have standing to address the accusations leveled against the department. That said, I understand why you would want to debate against an elected official rather than myself. However that would be up to any individual public servant. But why wait for a debate that would be attended by few? If you have proof the LAFD has a secret set of books why not give them to reporters? If you have proof that ISO is what you claim and has been hidden from taxpayers, why not just share the proof with everyone? You really don't need a debate for that. I'm not sure why you mention Lee County Commissioner Frank Mann as he has nothing to do with the Lehigh Acres Fire and Rescue District. Patric
ROARINGLION
07-03-09 12:20 AM »Report Comment Abuse	IS COMER STILL COLLECTING THAT $100,000 SALARY, I THOUGHT THEY DUMPED HIM. BTW WHAT DOES COMER KNOW ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF LEHIGH? DOSEN'T HE LIVE IN CAPE CORAL, IS THAT THE GUY THAT DOES NOT PLEDGE ALLEGENCE TO THE FLAG ?????
watchdog
07-02-09 9:12 PM »Report Comment Abuse	Mr. Comer stop the commenting it is only making the LAFD look very bad. BTW it is time to lose the PIO job now --- if you like it or not, it is a non-needed expense. This job can be handled through the Fire Chief and or the LAFD Fire Marshall office. Community training, children’s and school programs can be handled though the LAFD Fire Marshall office also.
keithkaye
07-02-09 11:19 AM »Report Comment Abuse	Dear Mr. Comer: I accept your offer to an open public debate regarding my writings and your abovementioned comments. As a taxpayer I have standing to raise issues but you, on the other hand, have no standing to answer for public policy or public legislation. Therefore, regarding the debate I have two demands: 1) That an elected official of your choosing (I might suggest Commissioner Frank Mann or a member of the Fire Commission) to be a participant in this debate and, 2) that each participant will field any and all questions from the public in attendance. Please be advised that I will be recording the debate. I thank you for offering this opportunity and I look forward to meeting you.

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