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Stateside: Two firefighters' impressions of "BURN"

detroitfirefilm.org

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.

Palm was doubtful any Detroit politician viewed the film.

“In Detroit, a lot of the public knows what we do- because they see it on a daily basis because there’s so much fire in the city…from last I heard not one politician from Detroit has seen the movie, yet they want to take away our pay,” said Palm.

“BURN,” according to Palm, is completely different than Hollywood’s previous attempts at portraying firefighters.

“It’s the real deal. There are no props. It’s real fire, real smoke. Nothing was scripted, it was all real footage,” said Palm.

The heat inside a burning building, said Angelucey, is like nothing else in the world.

“Every time we go to work, we’re leaving our family behind. We go to work in the morning and there’s a great possibility we might not be coming home. We miss birthdays and holidays. We sacrifice a lot for the citizens. We’re definitely not doing it for the pay, that’s for sure," said Palm.

"BURN" is showing until Friday at AMC Theaters in Livonia, and until December 27 at the AMC in Sterling Heights. The filmmakers are still raising money to increase the distribution- part of the proceeds from "BURN" will go to the Leary Firefighters Foundation to buy essential equipment for Detroit firefighters.

Find out more on their web site: detroitfirefilm.org.

-Cameron Stewart

There are two ways you can podcast "Stateside with Cynthia Canty"

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