Congratulations to Kathleen Vaughan Ware for the volunteer work that she does. I too volunteer my time. I was a Girl Scout leader for five years for both of my girls. I have been teaching religious education for the past eight years. I have chaired many committees in school and have volunteered my time with Levittown PAL and many other activities my children are involved in. I, like other parents, have dedicated my spare time to coach, instruct and teach my daughters and their classmates.

Ms. Ware stated that her father was a volunteer firefighter. If so then she can recall the interrupted holiday celebrations, the cold dinners, the hours of training and the numerous fire and rescue calls that always seem to come at 3 a.m. To compare the vital community service, which includes some risk to life and limb, that these men and women provide to someone whose after school functions are planned weeks ahead of time is ludicrous.

In 2005, the Wantagh Fire Department, for example, responded to over 2,000 calls. To remain a member, the firefighters must respond to a minimum of 20 percent of these calls. You do the math. To think that a fire department of only 200 members accomplishes this in such a professional manner is remarkable.

Also the tax benefit that she speaks of only applies to members who own a home in the district and have a minimum of five years of service. The number of persons benefiting from this program is nominal.

Ms. Ware, what I would like to know is, when you're having coffee and doughnuts at a PTA meeting, is it done so at 3 a.m. in a burning building or at the rainy scene of a motor vehicle accident or the home of a sick or injured neighbor? Oh no! I forgot. That's not you. That's our volunteer fire and EMS men and women. To sarcastically state that your community service be compared in size and scope to theirs is an insult to everyone's intelligence.

Theresa Siclari