By Mitch Hotts
The Macomb Daily
MACOMB TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A fire that consumed a two-story house in Macomb Township over the weekend and sent two firefighters to the hospital underscores the danger of low staffing levels in area departments, firefighters in two communities said.
The fire broke out Saturday afternoon at a residence on Balmoral Drive, near Heydenreich and 21 Mile roads.
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No injuries to residents were reported, but two Macomb firefighters suffered unspecified injuries and multiple others required on-scene rehab for heat exhaustion as the afternoon temperatures were in the 90-degree range, creating “brutal” work conditions.
“Yesterday’s fire was a prime example of how unsafe our department’s staffing truly is,” union members of the Macomb Township fire department said Sunday on social media.
Macomb Township Professional Firefighters Local 5023 have been campaigning for months now for improved salary levels and additional manpower.
The two injured firefighters were later released from the hospital. Fire crews from five neighboring communities were called in to assist Macomb firefighters in battling the blaze as well as filling in the station while the crews were at the working house fire.
“When emergencies happen, we rely on our neighbors to fill the gaps — but those gaps shouldn’t exist in the first place,” union leadership said in a Facebook message. “In the picture below from yesterday, that should be 1 engine company, instead, that was half of the department on duty.”
They say their manpower levels of nine firefighters on duty for the day shift and 11 for nights is below national safety standards.
In addition to the high humidity levels and roaring flames, initial dispatch reports indicated someone was trapped inside the house, forcing crews to push hard from the moment they arrived, fire officers said.
The cause of Saturday’s fire remains under investigation.
St. Clair Shores firefighters, who were not called out to the Macomb incident, also noted manpower levels in their community and how assistance from five municipalities was necessary to extinguish the Macomb fire.
Assisting Macomb fire crews were firefighters from Chesterfield Township, Clinton Township, Ray Township, Shelby Township and Sterling Heights.
“That’s five other communities temporarily left with fewer resources while their firefighters worked to supplement low staffing in extreme conditions,” St. Clair Shores Firefighters Union 1744 said. “This is why we keep pushing for safer staffing and ask you to vote yes on our millage this November.”
Residents in St. Clair Shores will vote on a 4.9 millage renewal proposal in November that, if approved, will raise approximately $10.9 million for police and fire department operations. Mayor Kip Walby said a key piece of the millage is being able to maintain fully-staffed departments at a time when many police and fire departments are struggling to hire.
A social media post from the St. Clair Shores fire union stated if the millage is passed, the union will work with council members to come up with staffing solutions.
“The industry standard is four firefighters on a suppression apparatus. St Clair Shores is currently staffed at two per engine/ladder. Meanwhile, over the past 15 years, our run volume has increased about 40%,” the union said.
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