detroit fire department

Detroit firefighters win right to depose top city officials

Sarah Cwiek — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:21:02 +0000

Detroit firefighters have won the right to subpoena and depose top members of Mayor Dave Bing’s administration.

The firefighters union is suing the city. They say that decisions to close firehouses have jeopardized public safety in violation of the city charter and national fire protection standards—and have left targeted areas of the city virtually without adequate service.

Detroit Firefighters Association President Dan McNamara says they’re “looking for the decision-makers,” and they want them under oath.

Video: Highland Park firefighter lights up YouTube with helmet cam footage

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 19:30:50 +0000

Scott Ziegler has a more interesting job than the rest of us, and he knows it.

The Highland Park firefighter recently posted a montage of footage that he took using a camera mounted to his helmet.

The YouTube video, "2012 a year on my lid" has become an Internet sensation with nearly 1,000,000 views.

It highlights some of the more harrowing moments of fighting fire in the Detroit area.

Detroit firehouse gets Christmas mattress donation

Sarah Cwiek — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 19:20:21 +0000

Some Detroit firefighters got early Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve--new mattresses for their firehouse.

Art Van Furniture is donating 150 mattresses. 14 were delivered to a firehouse on the city’s east side Monday.

The gifts highlight how many Detroit services are heavily subsidized by private donations. The donation is part of a broader campaign to garner private donations for the city’s public safety and recreation centers.

Detroit mayor Dave Bing says the city hasn’t made the necessary investments in those places “for a long time.”

Stateside: Two firefighters' impressions of "BURN"

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:34:59 +0000

It’s possible to leave “BURN” feeling as if you’ve just combated the inferno of multiple house fires.

The documentary- which utilizes actual footage of Detroit firefighters- is strikingly realistic, unlike previous films of its kind.

Firefighter Chris Palm and Sergeant Tony Angelucey shared their accounts of entering burning buildings.

Though an experienced firefighter, Angelucey was pleased with the shift of perspective the film afforded him.

“It was shocking to see what we do. We’re always doing it, so we don’t usually get to sit back and watch it unravel,” he said.

Stateside: Detroit firefighters documented in "BURN"

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 21:35:18 +0000

Firefighter Walter Harris was killed in 2008 while attempting to put out a blazing abandoned building.

The headlines surrounding Harris’s death caught the attention of Tom Putnam and Brenna Sanchez.

Both filmmakers agreed a story deserved to be told about Harris and other Detroit firefighters.

“Tom and I knew there was a story here that hadn’t been told about firefighters,” said Sanchez.

The story manifested into the new film, "BURN."

"Burn" opens to supportive crowd with many firefighters in Detroit

Mark Brush — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:40:11 +0000

The documentary "Burn" made its debut in Detroit over the weekend.

The film was shot by Tom Putnam and Brenna Sanchez.

The filmmakers say they were inspired to make a movie about Detroit firefighters from this great NPR story by Jackie Lydon from 2008:

Detroit's first responders, at the breaking point

Sarah Cwiek — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 03:46:05 +0000

Detroit’s first responders say they’re under siege from all angles—and some officers say their ranks are reaching a breaking point.

Detroit’s police and fire departments have taken some steep cuts in the past few months. Police officers in particular have taken major pay and benefit cuts, and are now working twelve-hour shifts.

And relations with city leaders have turned downright hostile. At a community meeting with Detroit Mayor Dave Bing last week, that anger boiled over.

Shuttered Detroit fire station hit by vandals

Sarah Cwiek — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 02:56:52 +0000

Another shuttered fire station in Detroit has been vandalized.

City officials confirmed Monday night that the former Engine 10 quarters in southwest Detroit was hit by vandals, and that some copper piping was stolen.

A fire department spokesman would not release further details about the extent of the vandalism Tuesday, saying the department was still looking into it.

Union chief: Detroit Fire Department in 'utter chaos'

Sarah Cwiek — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 18:58:04 +0000

The head of Detroit’s firefighters union says the department is in “utter chaos” after new overtime restrictions came down this week.

City officials acknowledge the situation is difficult, but say it’s under control.

Union chief Dan McNamara says the drastic overtime restrictions—announced by memo to firefighters earlier this week--will basically cripple a fire department that’s already understaffed.

In this morning's Michigan news headlines...

Rebecca Williams — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 11:32:40 +0000

Power outages continue

Federal grant expected to offset Detroit firefighter layoffs

Sarah Hulett — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 22:32:43 +0000

A round of firefighter layoffs in Detroit might not be as severe as city officials announced earlier this week.

Michigan U.S. Senator Carl Levin says Detroit will be awarded a $22.5 million federal grant that would save most of the fire department jobs slated for layoff.

Word of the grant comes just a few days after the layoff announcement. The job cuts were to take effect at the end of July.

Detroit Fire Department, already struggling, will have to "do more with less"

Sarah Cwiek — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 23:50:22 +0000

Detroit's Fire Commissioner says his department is at the end of its resources due to budget cuts.

Donald Austin spoke to a Detroit City Council committee meeting on Monday.

Even with the cuts, Detroit’s Police and Fire Departments take up well over half of the city's budget. And both departments regularly go over-budget, mostly because of overtime.

Austin says it’s proven almost impossible to cut overtime, when he has to fight so many fires in vacant buildings--which total 30-60% of all department runs, depending on the shift.

Detroit seeks to prevent fire deaths, cut costs

Sarah Cwiek — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:59:23 +0000

The Detroit Fire Department is aiming to save lives—and money—by preventing heating-related home fires.

Fire officials say there’s a “noticeable peak” in fire-related deaths in the winter months--largely due to people improperly using space heaters and other heat sources, like propane tanks. 19 people died in the winter months last year.

Detroit fire captain Christopher Dixon says that’s a tough but unfortunate calculation many Detroiters make each month.

Detroit Homeland Security agencies, first responders press for funds

Sarah Cwiek — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 21:23:30 +0000

Metro Detroit’s Homeland Security agencies say they’ve made progress on border security and disaster preparedness in the past 10 years. But they warn federal budget cuts and a new way of allocating Homeland Security grants could jeopardize that.

A U.S. House Homeland Security subcommittee held a hearing called “The State of Northern Border Preparedness: A Review of Federal, State and Local Coordination” at Wayne State University Friday.

Detroit Congressman Hansen Clarke sits on the committee.

Detroit City Council hears about EMS "management" problems

Sarah Cwiek — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 22:51:28 +0000

The Detroit City Council got a briefing on chronic troubles with the city’s Emergency Medical Services Monday.

EMS Chief Jerald James told the Council that only 19 of the city’s 47 EMS vehicles are in use right now. The other 27 are awaiting repair.

James also says the understaffed department also has the money to hire 57 new employees--but can’t find people to fill those positions.