Like using steel from the twin towers to make a navy ship. Too much enthusiasm for your propaganda can result in some pretty sad decisions. She should definitely be in school instead.

Creepy?

Yeah. You wheel this kid out and have her relive an unspeakable nightmare, all to help Fireman Randy look good next to his stinkin' boat. That is totally creepy.

School isn't the only way to learn, and sometimes, not even the best way. I daresay she will get far more from this than an extra hour at school. She might even go on to join the Fire Department, specialize in the fireboat, and save a life that otherwise may not have been saved.

But you don't disagree with the naming of the boat itself?

All part of Randy's reach-out program for youth. Besides they'll use it when the Sellwood bridge collapses. He was going to dedicate a neon sign in her honor, so be happy.

Be really nice if they addressed the issue of letting this mother keep these kids and preventing it from happening again. Then again that's our town, do some surface flash for the residents and call it good, meanwhile the town rots away:

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/12/portland_area_wages_job_creati.html

If these idiots would realize how much more tax they would have attracting jobs instead of the homeless and the "creative" types (those two classes may merge in the future), we'd be in OK shape.

I'm with you, Jack. What a ghoulish thing. Truly, I think Randy and Sam have some of that classic sociopath in them -- every person is just an instrument for them to use as desired.

The mother pleaded guilty to charges.

Extremely creepy. But perhaps the girl really wanted to participate? From my own perspective, I couldn't imagine encouraging a young family member to show up in this situation.

If memory serves, the fire bureau had little or nothing to do with saving this girl. It was private citizens who heard her cries and boated out to find her and pull her from the water.

(Of course that's why it suddenly became so important for Leonard to get a new boat. I can't fault him for that, but using it as a political tool is indeed a shame.)

Quite a bit different business altogether from forging twin tower steel into a sheild and weapon.

Yes, both have a PR element, the fireboat exclusively so. However, there is a very practical aspect to a fleet warship.

Indeed, on Pearly Harbor Day try and cast your mind back to the fear on the West Coast when our primary shield and weapon was gone.

According to my family lore, coast people understood real well that nothing stood between them and a pretty ugly crew.

Definitely ghoulish. But not surprising. Randy believes his own hype. "One righteous man standing against whatever..." and all that.

Can't even see that he's exploited an unspeakable tragedy for something as quotidian as getting a new piece of equipment for his favorite department.

Firehoser Randy didn't need a new boat. He just wastes money for new toys when he gets bored. Look at your unnecessarily inflated property taxes next year to pay for things that should have been built into the Fire Bureau budgets over the years.

At age 7, she was definitely old enough to remember such a nightmare. Why would any sane adult think making her go back there is a good idea? Can you imagine the outcry if someone suggested using Diane Down's kids as props because some politician wanted to have a "renaming ceremony" on the same creepy, remote road mommy brutalized them on?

From the story: "The fire department, without a rescue boat dedicated to the Willamette River, took 42 minutes to reach the scene, fire officials said. Bystanders pulled the children from the river after hearing them in the water."

This is nothing short of astounding given all the boats that the Multnomah County Sheriff's have at their disposal. These are the guys who harass boaters during Portland's 20 day "boating season". We used to call them Water Nazis because it seemed like they pulled us over every time we went out just to make sure we had fire extinguishers, etc. Why aren't they on stand by for water rescue missions?

It's a heck of nice boat they have there, but isn't this another example of a situation where the tax payers are getting the shaft with an unnecessary duplication of material and manpower?

Horrible judgement on the part of her father and Leonard.

The boat name is OK, but using the surviving child as a political prop is deplorable.

It's a heck of nice boat they have there, but isn't this another example of a situation where the tax payers are getting the shaft with an unnecessary duplication of material and manpower?

If Leonard hadn't bought this we'd have three more solar loo's instead.

I happen to be with the Usual Kevin above. We need to know what the Sheriff's Dept has in line of equipment for these situations. I know they have a dive team and more. This duplication of services is unnecessary.
I spent four years in the Coast Guard and one thing for sure will happen if services are duplicated, there will be debates about whose responsibility it is to answer calls and the victims will be worse off.

I agree with Jack. Randy is just using this poor child a prop. Her father must be an idiot! And cruel to boot! This could be considered child abuse in some places.
Why can't Randy just be content to harass building owners with expensive surprise fire inspections or sitting on his expensive solar loos?

At age 7, she was definitely old enough to remember such a nightmare. Why would any sane adult think making her go back there is a good idea? Can you imagine the outcry if someone suggested using Diane Down's kids as props because some politician wanted to have a "renaming ceremony" on the same creepy, remote road mommy brutalized them on?

Posted by SKA |
SKA is right on on this one.I wonder what an accomplished psychologist would have to say about this? DR. Ron Turco anyone????

Were they planning a reenactment?

There could be a major reenactment with the condition of the Sellwood Bridge.

+1 to the water nazis. I live on Macadam and I blew up my inflatable raft on a glorious Oregon sunny day and put in next to the hotel. I was about 15ft from the shore and the coasties power boat came up and asked for vest and whistle. I was using the vest as a head rest but I fibbed about the whistle and they speed off without further harassment. The river runs through the city, we have 10 bridges, and 43 minutes is the response time?? Such responsive government, I'll reward them with bending over further..

It's definately yucky. Made my stomach turn when I read that. Maybe name the boat after the guy who rescued her.