There is a public safety issue in parts of northern New Fairfield and in southern Sherman, and your support is needed to find a solution. Because of the lack of reliable cell service , nonexistent cell service, and the inability to use your cell phone in these areas, people’s lives are in danger. If you were driving on Route 39 and/or Route 37, or other roads in these locations, and you needed assistance, you would not be able to call for help.

More specifically, if you skidded off the road, you would not be able to call for help. The same would be true if you swerved to avoid an animal, and you ended up off the road, or into a tree or utility pole. Would your child’s school bus driver be able to call for help in those situations? Would the driver be able to contact you if your child were hurt?

What if you suddenly had a health issue (heart attack, dizziness, fatigue, reaction to medication, appendicitis attack, etc.) while driving, and you were forced to pull over (if lucky) or lost control of your car, would you be able to call for help? What if you had car trouble, and you needed to call someone or AAA, you would not be able to make that call. And if a good

Samaritan offered to drive to a location with cell service and make the call for you, how would AAA contact you while you were at your troubled car (as is the normal situation when dealing with AAA)?

Another situation: You’re at home, and your landline goes out because of weather, a tree falling on wires, or some other reason, and you need assistance (need to reach the pediatrician, the State Trooper, the Fire Department, an ambulance, etc.) What would you do? You would not

be able to use your cell phone as a back-up.

All of the prior-mentioned occurrences are not far-fetched, or unrealistic. Records from the CT Office for Public Safety show that during the years 2012, 2013, 2014, there were 1,393 incidents on Routes 39 and 37 in the areas of concern. In addition, there were 17 individuals injured during those incidents.

There is a group--growing in numbers--of southern Sherman residents who have been working to alleviate this dangerous situation – a lack of cell service and the inability to reach help when needed. Now we would like your help as we continue to move forward.

Please sign this petitionto bring reliable cell service to all of Sherman CT with action in 2015.