Graham, Donna
EET ET Oe
From: Bill & Chris Wenrich
Sent: Monday, March 21, 2022 6:55 PM
To: Board of Aldermen
Subject: Downtown Concrete Barriers
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unknown.
Dear Board of Aldermen,
We strongly feel that the concrete barriers should not return to our downtown streets for several
reasons.
First and foremost is the delay in response time by our first responders. Even with four lanes,
navigating normal traffic in downtown streets can be a challenge for our first responders but with
concrete barriers reducing that space to two or even three lanes is a recipe for disaster. In an
emergency, every single second counts -the difference between life and death - no exaggeration.
The idea that the city - and especially the mayor - would put the luxury of additional outdoor dining
above emergency response time or the safety of its precious citizens is absolutely insane. Just
imagine if it is your child or parent or spouse who is lost - FOREVER - due to a delay in emergency
response, and why?; because outdoor dining was valued above public safety? Where is the
perspective? What are the priorities? This is not being dramatic; this is facing reality and being
proactive. First responders constantly train and make all kinds of preparations to make response
times as short as possible because they know that people's lives are depending on what they do to
get to an emergency as quickly as possible; and the city thinks it's okay to reduce those response
times for the sake of outdoor dining? Anyone who has lost a loved one because help didn't/couldn't
arrive in time to save them knows how gut-wrenching and heartbreaking it is and that pain never goes
away and neither does the second guessing on what could have been done differently. Imagine a
child trapped in an inner-city apartment fire; a restaurant customer choking on food; a kitchen
accident where the chef is bleeding out; a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle and has life-threatening
injuries; any number of scenarios could play out and every single second counts in every situation.
Just as our wonderful first responders are always on the ready, the mayor and the Board of Aldermen
need to be proactive, make smart decisions, and do everything they possibly can to put the safety
and wellbeing of Nashua's citizens above everything else and not put up barriers that keep first
responders from getting to the people who desperately need them. Our fire and police officials have
provided information to you on delayed response times due to the concrete barriers; you should listen
to them. The lives of Nashua's citizens are in your hands. Please do the right thing.
Emergency response time should be the only reason required to not bring back the barriers but if the
possible loss of life isn't enough for the mayor and Board of Aldermen, read on.
There are far more businesses downtown than just the restaurants. These businesses have lost
precious income and parking spaces and certainly regular customers because of the inconvenience
of getting to their businesses. It's disrespectful to these businesses who are expected to sacrifice and
compromise for the restaurant owners. Why should these businesses have to compromise after they
have been the ones who have suffered through the pandemic just like everyone else but with no
special accommodations made for them.
