Subject: Industry Member Becomes Cell Tower Activist
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 1997 135345 -0500 (CDT)
From: Emrall@aol.com
To: Multiple recipients of list <emf-l@mail.llion.org>
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July 18, 1997
In a move that has brought a smile to many activists opposing the unsafe
siting of wireless communication facilities, Ann Shirreffs of Pepper Pike,
Ohio, has resigned from her job as a cellular telephone salewoman and has
taken up the battle cry of "Just Say No" to cellular towers on the school
grounds in her community.
Ann has gathered 950 signatures of residents in the community opposed to the
proposed AT&T school yard cell towers and is leading a well organized
opposition to the proposed facilities.
In fact, one piece of evidence Ann presented to the Orange School District
authorities is a letter from Kathleen M. Fagen, M.D., the Medical Director
of
the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine for MetroHealth
Medical Center in Cleveland who writes:
"I strongly urge you to consider the possible health efffects of RF
exposure in the plans for the construction of the towers...These towers
should be located so as to minimize exposure to people in schools, homes,
apartments, offices and factories. Other alternatives should be considered
before advancing in the plans to construct towers near schools. For
example,
collocation with other existing towers, building on landfill property, and
other nonresidential areas are a couple of choices to consider before
putting
children at risk.
We clearly live in a time of rapid technological advance. With all the
advantages that such progress brings, we have also witnessed all too often
the adverse human health and environmental effects created by hurried,
ill-conceived planning. I ask you to consider all the public health
implications of the proposed microwave and RF transmitting tower."
Consumer activists welcome this cell phone dealer turned cell tower activist
to the growing international network of individuals concerned about this
very
vital issue. Perhaps Ann's brave move to protect her children from the
possible adverse health effects from the radiation from the proposed towers
will encourage other industry members to examine whether or not they want
their children going to school where towers are used as playground
equipment.
Until we are sure of the risks - why make our children the guinnea pigs in
this bio-effects experiment?
In other news from Ohio, at least a dozen communities neighboring Ann's
Pepper Pike area are challenging wireless carriers who wish to erect similar
towering facilities. In fact, just this morning an activist from Yellow
Springs reported to The EMR Alliance that just last night a 6 month
moratorium was unanimously approved to give the town time to prepare an
ordinace to properly govern these facilities.
More news on this and other consumer activism within this debate will be
reported in the Summer issue of Network News which is due out on June 30th.
-----
Cathy Bergman
The EMR Alliance
410 W. 53rd Street, Suite 105
New York, NY 10019
Archive provided courtesy of WaveGuide, http://www.wave-guide.org
Reprinted with permission of Roy Beavers, http://www.feb.se/EMF-L/EMF-L.html