Ask not what your state can do for you..
Let’s go back to that HAWT story about WSF I wrote yesterday. You see, after I wrote the original piece, I decided to do just a little more research. That research inspired me to reach out to people who would hear what I had to say and hopefully act upon it. I’m lucky in that I knew the correct people who needed to hear my message.
So what did I do today for Washington state? I did some follow up research on the original piece I wrote yesterday. I spoke with someone who would be absolutely “in the know” about the WSF contract and how WSF employees do what they do. Every point that either Kay (whom I quoted yesterday) or another commenter who was attemping to point out exactly “what WSF does besides be cranky and give you the disco finger when you’re boarding” was correct. Why wasn’t the “bigger picture painted” by the original poster? Crap, I guess it’s a throwback to being fair and balanced or not mentioning who the “incensed” legislator might be. I mean, you can honestly say “incensed legislator” in Washington state and it could be almost anyone. So why not share with us whom that person might be? I don’t know. I have a few guesses but who cares.
Point is, I took the time to do a little more research to see just “how” some great proposal would affect those who would benefit from it in a rather disastrous way. Sure, proposal and thought would hit WSF and its contact and their employees in a HUGE way. But in the end, if you really sit down and think about it, it’s gonna hit YOU, the ferry commuter/traveler/rider in ways you’d never expect. Let’s roll with an example.
Say Aunt Bessie has something go disastrously wrong. So wrong in fact that she needs medical attention in a different place other than Kitsap or Pierce counties. Maybe Aunt Bessie is on the ferry riding as a passenger and drops over, slumped lifelessly. Our aunt’s first situation can and has in previous times been taken care of in some cases due to WSF being there. WSF, more often than not, has been used in measures to transport critically ill patients to their destination for the care that they need.
“Oh silly Johanna,” you’re saying, “We have helicopters that can fly those same people anywhere they want to go”. Yea we do. How long does that flight take to get to that critically ill patient and how long is that ride? In my case, sitting in the NH Bremerton ER arguing with a physician about whether or not I was being airlifted to UW with three sections of trapped bowel that were literally killing me, I was told “Okay, so you’re looking at about 45 minutes. Believe me when I say, YOU DO NOT HAVE 45 minutes.” I’m glad I listened to him, because I’m still alive.
So what about our dear Aunt Bessie slumped over while riding that ferry? Do you know how to take care of your Aunt? Guess what? Most WSF deckhands are also trained EMT personnel as well. Wait, you mean to say that they’re medics along with doing “disco spirit fingers” on the deck while cars load on/off? What, you say that they’re also keeping an eye out for the weird people who might so feel inclined to do irreparable type harm to ferry, passengers, crew or all of the aforementioned? Yea, I am. I know, I blasted some for their lack of positive attitude in my own piece. But now that I understand just how many “hats” the average WSF employee wears, I’m taking that back. I apologize, WSF. Even better, with that apology comes fighting on your behalf. In the end, I hope that it helps some. But thanks for taking the time to make sure that we arrive safely. Sometimes, it’s not always as on time as I’d like it to be. But you know, being a sailor (not USN kids, but rather sailing using sails and an actual sailboat and *gasp* wind) myself, I know you cannot always predict what Mother Nature is going to throw at you.
Popularity: 3% [?]
Tags: Aunt Bessie, Evergreen Freedom Foundation WSF gripe, WA state legislative session 2010, washington state ferries, WSF compensation, WSF employees, WSF union contract