Last week’s story about my mom, Maxx Jones, left me sad to say the least. I appreciate that every story has two sides, but I feel what happened to my mom was entirely misrepresented.

Growing up, I watched my mom put everything she had into her job with the Orcas Island Fire Department. She turned a volunteer side project into a life-saving career, pouring endless hours into keeping the public informed and educated. Then, after 30 years of service to the community and the department, she gets a parting handshake and shoved out the back door.  After 30 years of selfless dedication, I’ll say what no one else has the voice to say. THIS IS NOT RIGHT.

My mom wasn’t let go because she demanded more money or because she felt responding wasn’t as important as her PIO position. She was forced to leave by people in the department who decided her job wasn’t valuable enough. They expected her to work 48 hours a week as a responder, squeezing in public safety in her “off time.”  She stood up for what she believed – that her job as Public Safety and Information Officer was just as important as responding.

I question how being a responder is more crucial than educating your children how to escape a burning building. Is a medical transport more important than explaining to kids why a bicycle helmet can save lives, or teaching a new mother how to properly install a child seat? Maxx Jones’ life was dedicated to the community, doing everything in her power to get this critical knowledge across. There are many trained responders, but only ONE public education officer.

Not only did she respond to countless fire and aid calls, helping save numerous lives, she also researched and organized every safety program herself, successfully and brilliantly executing them all.

Maxx’s position as an educator was just as imperative as any aspect of the department and should have been respected as such. A huge piece of this community’s heart has been dismissed in a manner that I hope makes people start questioning the problems seated in power within the Orcas Island Fire Department.

My mom is an amazing woman and an exemplary firefighter, although she would never admit it. She just wanted to do her job, her passion, but it was ripped away from her. And this island will never be the same from it.

Sally Jones

Orcas Island