I saw the firefighting documentary “Burn” in the theater, and liked it. I met and spent time with the movie’s creators Brenna Sanchez and Tom Putnam and liked them. I had the honor of meeting some of the Detroit firefighters who starred in “Burn” and liked them as well.
In short, I’m not the best person to give an unbiased critique of the film. What I can offer, and what the film itself offers, is perspective.
For those unfamiliar, “Burn” is a documentary about the plight of the Detroit Fire Department and the lives of several of its firefighters. The filmmakers followed a crew for a year to build their story.
When I saw “Burn” last year near Chicago, the theater was packed with firefighters. And when you talk to Sanchez and Putman, that’s pretty much what they encountered when they barnstormed their way across the country.
Yet, those I really want to see in the seats watching this film are the mayors, town managers, council members and other municipal leaders with authority over fire departments. They need to see the direct results of staff cuts, equipment purchase delays and neglected maintenance.
This wish of mine became infinitely more achievable this week with the movie’s release on DVD, BluRay and downloadable format on iTunes. In fact, it topped the iTunes chart in two categories and beat out the latest 007 movie in the action category.
Recent events in Detroit hammer home the importance of the film’s message. This week, there were reports that response to a structure fire was delayed due to an apparatus that broke down.
And just yesterday, fire union officials warned of a large exodus via retirements from its already depleted ranks if the city cannot make a reasonable commitment to firefighter benefits and pensions.
Yes, many elected and appointed officials will shrug and say, “But we’re not Detroit.” True enough. Detroit is among the worst of the worst-case scenarios.
Yet I’d bet most of us, even those of us who serve in small, quiet departments like mine, can identify with or have experienced some of the things we see in Detroit.
How many departments found themselves suddenly with Detroit-sized problems following Superstorm Sandy or any other large-scale incident?
As we all know and as “Burn” illustrates, running too close to the edge on staffing and equipment makes it difficult to adequately respond to the day-to-day demands and nearly impossible to meet the once-in-a-decade incidents.
While I have no financial stake in the success or failure of “Burn,” this is a movie that fire department leaders should strongly consider buying and passing around to their elected and appointed officials. Maybe a council movie night is in order with the fire department springing for the popcorn.