STRANDED: Event review needed

After reading “Stranded,” my wife and I felt alarmed by the experience of the Krous family on Lake Coeur d’Alene, and appalled by the 911 dispatcher’s reported crass and indifferent responses to their plight. The dispatcher’s responses, besides being rude, projected a level of indifference for human life that should automatically disqualify him/her from serving in that position.

My wife and I are senior citizens who sail a small craft and are keenly aware of how quickly weather conditions can change for the worse in any lake. This event could have ended in a tragedy.

We support and contribute to the Sheriff’s Association and encourage others to do the same. We also expect our sheriff to review this event, prevent this situation from happening again, take appropriate disciplinary action and provide a public response. The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office of Recreational Safety Section is publicly funded to enforce marine laws and provide rescue patrols on our lakes.

We extend our support to the Krous family and pray that the sheriff’s office will service our county with a clear sense of participating in the greater family that we are. May we be attentive in our efforts to follow God’s will for us.

DRS. PAUL and JERI ANN ALVAREZ

Psychologists (retired)

Coeur d’Alene