AG 2004 06 15 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Chairman and Members of The Board: I am Mary South, a resident of Ashe County. In January of this year, your board of commissioners received a resolution from the Ashe County Board of Commissioners Urging Stronger Penalties for Offenders that Sell and Manufacture Methamphetamine in North Carolina. A year ago I did not know what a Meth Lab was; however, on January 26, 2003, I learned through personal experience what a Meth Lab is. My son, Darker, a volunteer fireman with the Deep (}ap Fire Deparunent was seriously injured when he responded to a structure fire that start~ as a result of a Meth Lab. The owner of the dwelling was "cooking" Meth when the chemicals exploded causing the fire. When the fire department respo.~ded to the call, they had no ideal what was to take place. Not only until the fire had been put out and Darien along with several other fireman began to have difficulty breathing where they informed of the Meth Lab. Darien, was serisouly injured and while enrout¢ to the hospital went into respiratory arrest. Darien remained in intensive care for four days before being moved to a private room. Darien, has permanent damage to his lungs due to the chemicals he breathed. Yes, I now know what a Meth Lab is and my hope is that measures can be taken to prevent what happen to Dari~ and the other fireman that night from happening to future fireman, emergency personnel and other innocent victims of these Meth Labs. North Carolina, is being hit hard by these Meth Labs, especially the western mountain counties. If your county hasn't been hit, that doesn't mean it won't be. These Meth Labs have spread rapidly over North Carolina in the last 2 years. May I take this time to encourage you if you have not adopted the Resolution that was presented to you by the Ashe Board of Commissioners, or a similar one of its nature, that you do so. The Short Session of the Legislature will began on May lOth and stronger laws for these Meth offenders will be a major topic on the agenda. ! sine~rely believe that stronger laws are needed to prevent these offenders from being turned loose to be back on the streets in a short time to set up another Meth Lab or selling to our young people in order to make a profit ibr themselves. I i~el that we as the citizens of North Carolina can make a difference by encouraging our legislature to set up and enforce stronger laws. 1 believe by doing this we will not only protect our children, our emergency and law enforcement personnel, but the beauty of our state as well. Thank you, Mary South