Pubdate: Tue, 18 Nov 2003
Source: Jefferson Post, The (NC)
Contact:  http://www.jeffersonpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1771
Author: Mary South

FIREFIGHTER'S MAN ON METH LABS

To the Editor:

Over the last several years, residents of Ashe County have been quick to 
speak out either for or against on controversial issues. Now is the time 
that Ashe County needs to speak out against one of the biggest and most 
dangerous problems county residents are being faced with: meth labs.

These labs are now becoming rampant in Ashe and Watauga counties and can 
pop up anywhere. Do you know what it's like to see your son, who has been 
healthy from the day he was born through the first 30 years of life, 
suddenly lose his health due to exposure to chemicals from a meth lab?

A fireman goes into a fire knowing the dangers of a fire and he prepares 
himself for those dangers, he takes every precaution to protect himself as 
well as other firemen and other victims that could be involved. However, 
firemen until recently did not know that they were going to have to prepare 
themselves to deal with meth labs as well when they entered a fire.

This was the case with my son, Darien and several other Deep Gap firemen 
who were injured in a meth lab fire on Jan. 26, 2003. Darien, as any true 
fireman will do responded to a fire call on that day, making all necessary 
preparations and precautions, so he thought, to put out a house fire, 
risking his own life to possibly save the life of another person who could 
be trapped in the dwelling. Ironically, however, Darien was to become the 
victim, his health trapped by the chemicals he would inhale while 
attempting to save someone else's life and property.

The owner of the dwelling had a meth lab in his home and was, as the term 
goes, "cooking meth." None of the firemen were aware of the meth lab until 
it was too late. Darien was the first fireman to be exposed to the chemical 
fumes that escaped the house. These fumes entered his body, damaging his 
sinuses and lungs. Darien was admitted to Watauga Regional Medical Center 
and was in the intensive care unit for four days and in the hospital for 
six days before being discharged.

Unfortunately, being sent home from the hospital didn't end the ordeal. 
Darien has been under a doctor's care since. He has had to have surgery on 
his sinuses to remove damaged tissue caused by the chemicals he breathed 
in. Surgery of this nature is normally done on an outpatient basis with no 
stay in the hospital. This, however, was not to be the case in Darien's 
situation. Due to the damage done to his lungs by the chemicals from the 
meth lab, Darien's oxygen level dropped and his time in recovery was longer 
than usual. Darien was sent home late in the day, only to be returned to 
the hospital the following morning.

Because of the low oxygen level and the effects of the anesthesia, his wife 
was unable to wake him up the next morning. She then called 911 and an 
ambulance was dispatched to carry Darien back to the hospital where he 
would stay for another three days before being discharged. These chemicals 
have also caused migraine headaches so severe he could hardly walk and 
light would have a detrimental effect.

Yes, I've seen my healthy son become a victim of meth labs. My son, who has 
always been vigorous and full of laughter for the last 10 months has not 
been able to play with his children due to the damage to his lungs. I've 
watched him at times struggle for breath and have to have oxygen at night 
to even sleep. I've watched him roll in pain from headaches so severe he 
would have to go to the emergency room at the hospital to get relief.

And all of this due to a meth lab.

As a child, I lived in Wilkes County and I can remember how I felt when 
people called the place I lived the "Moonshine Capital of North Carolina." 
This was my home and I loved living in Wilkes. I couldn't understand why 
people would say that about the place where I lived. As I grew older, I 
realized that the moonshine stills were a true problem for Wilkes County. 
Now as an adult I see we're faced with an entirely different type of 
problem in Ashe and Watauga counties, with meth labs being busted on a 
regular basis.

My question to you, Ashe and Watauga counties, is, are we as citizens going 
to do like the fable of the ostrich and bury our heads in the sand and hope 
the problem goes away? Or are we going to fight for the dignity of our 
counties and help our law enforcement put a stop to meth labs? We as 
citizens need to demand stronger charges be filed to prevent the release of 
the individuals who are dealing with and making meth.

Our counties have been known as the beautiful High Country and people from 
out of the county and state have come here to make their home or to have 
summer homes. Do we want to be known as the "High Country, Home of the Meth 
Labs"? I think not. So let's take a stand and demand what's right for our 
children and grandchildren, a normal, safe environment.

You may say it doesn't effect me or my family, but it does and it can have 
a detrimental effect on your family if the problem isn't done away with. Do 
you know that a meth lab in your community can effect the entire community, 
that it effects the environment within a community, that you can actually 
breathe in the chemicals, and over a period of time have health-related 
problems due to a meth lab? Do you know that if you should rent a house 
that has had a meth lab within it that you can also damage your health from 
the effects of the chemicals left behind? Do you want this kind of danger 
for your families?

Not only do we owe it to our families to fight the meth labs, but also to 
our firemen and our law enforcement personnel that risk their health and 
their lives every time they come in contact with a meth lab. Our family 
knows what the effects of a meth lab can mean. My husband and I now know 
what it is like to watch your child suffer and there is nothing you can do 
to help. Our daughter-in-law knows what it is like to lay awake at night 
listening to her husband's labored breathing, waiting to make sure the next 
breath comes.

Again, I say it is time that we take a stand toward removing meth labs from 
our counties. Write to your state legislators, Sen. Virginia Foxx and Rep. 
Gene Wilson, and ask that they seek stronger laws in the legislature to 
prevent the release of individuals who are selling or making meth.

I am happy to say that Darien's health is now, after 10 months, beginning 
to improve. He is in therapy for his lungs, although the doctors say his 
lungs will never return to full capacity, and his working ability is 
limited when he is able to return to work. I am now beginning to see my son 
return to a more normal life style. I would like to thank all who lifted 
Darien up in their prayers and would ask that you continue to do so. Also 
pray that our leaders will do what is right for our counties.

Mary South

Fleetwood
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman