Brown cares

I am a third generation Vallejoan, a current resident of east Vallejo, and a Vallejo firefighter. For the past six years, I have had the privilege of championing the needs of the community and Vallejo firefighters through my leadership role for IAFF Local 1186.

While I have learned the importance of a fully-staffed fire department first-hand from my profession, it is the latter vantage point that has shown me how so many politicians claim they want top tier fire and emergency medical services, but very few actually fight to improve the services that our citizens need and deserve.

I very recently returned from a long strike team deployment to multiple fires burning across our great state. In all, I spent 18 consecutive days away from home and family, witnessing first-hand the destructive capabilities of these large fires — a reality that has become all too common of a part of my life.

During each deployment, I find myself contemplating what would happen if one of these massive fires reached my hometown of Vallejo. I dwell on how undersized our fire department is to handle destruction on the grand scale of the recent fires in Napa, Santa Rosa, and Paradise. Simply put, our city needs more firefighters, more open fire stations, and more resources.

Vallejo City Councilmember — and mayoral candidate — Hakeem Brown (no relation to me!) fully understands these needs.

I am privileged to have known Hakeem personally for the past three years. Hakeem has reached out to me and other Vallejo firefighters regularly to ask what he can do to help improve the emergency services Vallejo has long gone without. Hakeem even called to check on our deployed firefighters during the recent fires. Earlier this year, it was routine for Hakeem to call and ask if he could assist with finding/ providing greatly needed COVID-19 supplies and protective equipment. Hakeem cares.

Hakeem Brown understands that Vallejo’s citizens are in need of greater fire protection and emergency medical services. He refuses to accept the ideology that we simply need to accept that our fire department must operate with staffing levels fit for a city only half the size of Vallejo.

No other mayoral candidate has reached out to our firefighter association to ask how to help re-open the Glen Cove Fire Station. No other mayoral candidate has asked what steps it will take to provide adequate emergency services to Mare Island and Hiddenbrooke. No other mayoral candidate has come close to the effort that Hakeem has put in to help improve the emergency services our citizens deserve.

I support Hakeem Brown for Mayor of Vallejo. To summarize this letter in one sentence: I feel my family, my neighbors, my friends and my community are safer with Hakeem Brown as Mayor of Vallejo.

A vote for Hakeem in November is a vote for a safer Vallejo.

— Kevin Brown/Vallejo