Firefighter/EMT Mike Dodd was called back to work Suday. Mike is the fourth firefighter to return to work after the layoffs.

However, the fight is still not over!! The Hamtramck Fire Department is still woefully understaffed due to vacant positions not being filled by the State Emergency Financial Manager.

Firefighter/EMT Mike Crandall was called back to work Suday. Mike is the third firefighter to return to work after the layoffs.

However, the fight is still not over!! There are still 3 Hamtramck Firefighters laid off by the City of Hamtramck - a layoff mandated by the state of Michigan.

Please click here to contact state and local officials and express your concern for the safety of Hamtramck! While this may appear to be merely a local issue, Hamtramck is under the "leadership" of an Emergency Financial Manager - who takes orders from the State Treasurer, who is appointed by the Governor!

Congratulations to Christopher Sanchez on his promotion to Lieutenant. Chris has been with the Hamtramck Fire Department since March, 1994.

Lt. Sanchez will be filling in the vacancy created with the recent retirement of Cass Dobrzycki. Firefighter John Dropchuk was also called back from layoff to fill the vacancy created in staffing.

Congratulations and best wishes to Lt. Casmere Dobrzycki on his retirement from the Hamtramck Fire Department.

Lt. Cass followed his father's footsteps into the fire service in 1973 and has worked his way up to the position of Lieutenant.

From Channel 4, WDIV-TV:

Local 4 learned that four houses have caught fire in a Hamtramck neighborhood Friday afternoon.

Firefighters were working to extinguish the blaze at the homes on Belmont Street, two blocks south of Caniff and just east of Interstate 75.

The smoke was apparently blowing over I-75 and may cause traffic problems, according to Local 4 reports. There was no report on if any injuries were suffered in the fires.

Read the whole story, with video footage at Click On Detroit.

HamtramckFirefighters.com has pics courtesty of Carrie Williams, click here.

The Hamtramck Goodfellows, in cooperation with the Hamtramck Fire Department, believe that no family should go without a Holiday meal. While organizations do public works by supplying toys and holiday trimmings, we focus on providing assistance for each needy family's Holiday meal.

Our annual paper sale is Friday, December 5th. The "Old Newsboys" will hit the streets selling special copies of the local papers. This year's meeting place for paper sales will be at Post 10 11824 Jos. Campau.

Please support us as we support those that need help this holiday season.

We would like to express our deepest thanks at the success of our 'Fighting Layoffs' fundraiser! Thanks to your support, the night was very successful!

We would like to say special thanks to the following:

The Locker Room Bar - owner Ted and manager Mike!

Our union brothers, the Southfield Fire Fighters!

Kowalski, Tom Jankowski and Main Street and Petipren, Miller and Tri-County Beverage; as well as everyone for showing up! Thanks!!

When: Sunday September 28th, 2003 Starts at 3:00 PM

Where: The Locker Room Bar 3141 Caniff (corner of Charest)

What: The Hamtramck Firefighters will be holding a benefit to support their fight against the State Emergency Financial Manager's layoff of 6 Firefighters (or 14 total positions in the last 3 years). Our world famous Firehouse Chili will be available as well as other refreshments.

Admission is $5 per person, tickets are available - Please check with your favorite Hamtramck Firefighter or call 313 876-7778 for more info.

Proceeds will benefit the laid off firefighters and the fight to get their jobs back!

Firefighter/EMT Rob Scott was called back to work Suday. Rob is the first firefighter to return to work after the layoffs.

However, the fight is still not over!! There are still 5 Hamtramck Firefighters laid off by the City of Hamtramck - a layoff mandated by the state of Michigan.

Please click here to contact state and local officials and express your concern for the safety of Hamtramck! While this may appear to be merely a local issue, Hamtramck is under the "leadership" of an Emergency Financial Manager - who takes orders from the State Treasurer, who is appointed by the Governor!

It was just days ago when 3 Hamtramck Firefighters were injured in the line of duty and Highland Park and Detroit were summoned to the scene of one fire - WHAT'S NEXT!?

Three Hamtramck firefighters were sent to the hospital during a fire at the Polish Market located at Jos. Campau and Commor streets.

Detroit and Highland Park were called to assist while 6 Hamtramck Firefighters are still laid off.

Read WXYZ channel 7's coverage here, including video.
Read WDIV channel 4's coverage here, including video.

pics are posted here

Effective tomorrow, September 3 six Hamtramck Firefighters are laid off. These firefighters are Rob Scott, John Dropchuk, Mike Crandall, Tom Funtsch, Mike Dodd and Dave Papandrea.

This brings the staffing levels of the Hamtramck Fire Dept. down to 25. Down from 38 when Lou Schimmel assumed control of Hamtramck as Emergency Financial Manager.

With this drastic cut in manpower, the safety of the citizens and visitors of Hamtramck is in peril. Overtime will increase as the Department will struggle to maintain its mandated 7 man staff per day. Increased overtime means fatigued Firefighters - increasing the risk!

We ask all those that oppose these cuts to please contact your state and Hamtramck officials. Governor Granholm is ultimately responsible as she appoints the State Treasurer, and the Emergency Financial Manager is part of his office.

Please click the here for a list of people you can contact. Remember, this could help save your life, or the life of someone you know!

The Executive Board and members of the Hamtramck Firefighters Association Local 750 would like to thank everyone who came out and marched on Labor Day. We had an excellent turn out and it showed that Unionism is still alive and well in our State. We would like to thank all of our Family and friends who came out to support us and march along side of us. We would particularly like to thank all of the Locals who had Brothers and Sisters come out to show their support, they include: Detroit, Ecorse, Royal Oak, Ann Arbor, Taylor, Commerce Township, Riverview, Chesterfield, Dearborn Heights, Lincoln Park, Eastpointe, Detroit Metro Airport and Officers from the MPFFU.

pics are posted here

On Labor Day the Hamtramck Firefighters will be holding a rally this Labor Day to bring awareness to our the threat of layoffs as threatened by the State appointed Emergency Financial Manager.

We will be gathering at the Hamtramck Firehouse (map) located at 2625 Caniff, about 1/2 mile east of I-75 on Monday September 1st - Labor Day - at noon.

The informational picket will take place from about 1 until 2 pm - during Hamtramck's Labor Day parade, where Governor Granholm is scheduled to make an appearance.

MPFFU members, please read this invite from MPFFU President Paul Hufnagle.

On Tuesday, August 26 the Hamtramck Firefighters along with other local firefighters held an informational picket outside the Hamtramck Library prior to and during the meeting of the Hamtramck Common Council. This was to show support and raise awareness of the layoffs threatened by Hamtramck Emergency Financial Manager Schimmel.

How can you help? Please click here to contact state and local officials and express your concern for the safety of Hamtramck! While this may appear to be merely a local issue, Hamtramck is under the "leadership" of an Emergency Financial Manager - who takes orders from the State Treasurer, who is appointed by the Governor!

Please use the form on the left menu to join our mailing list to get the latest news delivered directly to your e-mailbox.

On Wednesday, August 20, 2003 the officers of the Hamtramck Fire Fighters Association, Local 750 met with Louis Schimmel, the state appointed Emergency Financial Manager and his attorneys to discuss a recent mandate from Lansing that Schimmel draft and implement a balanced budget for the City by September 1, 2003. Schimmel made it clear to the Union that he intends to layoff six firefighters in his efforts to trim the budget. The cost cutting measures were necessitated, according to Schimmel, by the City’s failure to sell the Department of Public Works building.

The Union will meet with Schimmel again on Wednesday, August 27, 2003, to discuss other alternatives to the layoffs. If no other solutions are found, the City intends to layoff the six firefighters effective September 1, 2003, Labor Day. If the proposed layoffs are implemented, the manpower of the fire department will have dropped from 38 to 25 total firefighters since Schimmel arrived. The Union has repeatedly advised the City that dropping manpower to such low levels presents an unacceptable risk to the lives and safety of Hamtramck residents and firefighters.

Thanks to your support the Hamtramck Firefighters will be at this years Hamtramck Festival, held Labor Day Weekend. We'll be on our usual spot, on Jos. Campau and Holmes street serving our famous chili and serving beer in our 2002 Edition Mug.

The party starts Friday, August 29 at 6 PM and lasts until Labor Day Monday, the Festival closes at 9 PM everyday and opens at noon on everyday but Friday. We'll have music, beer, mixed drinks, chili, chips, and our 2003 Edition Mug & T-Shirt. Click here for online directions (just enter your address in the 'Start' field; need more help? Call us at 313-876-7778).

Ample parking is available throughout the 2.2 square mile city of Hamtramck. To protect public safety and to keep peace, we ask that you not block driveways, alleys, or fire lanes. Some available lots are St. Lads and Farmer Jack. See you there!

Pics now posted

EVENT POSTPONED

Click here for pics from last year and here details for this year!

Congratulation to Joe Grucz on his promotion to Motor Engineer! Joe is a 7 year veteran of the Department.

Just a few short days after the 'Blackout of 2003' the Hamtramck Firefighters were called to City Hall for a group of people stranded in the elevator. The elevator was stuck between floors and there were several people - with at least one suffering from a medical condition! The Hamtramck Firefighters, Firefighters Bill Dickens, Christopher Bruns, Mike Crandall and Lt. Andy Lorio were able to rescue the trapped victims using the escape hatch on top of the elevator and out the second floor. Pics here

The Blackout of 2003 hit Hamtramck on August 14th, with all the clocks that relied on DC power stuck at 4:10 PM. Power was quickly restored to limited items with a generator. Our water supply was very limited - due to the Detroit water system being shut down.

A fire sparked by a candle occured roughly 12 hours into the power outage and was quickly brought under control using the water in the tanks that our engines hold.

We'd like to again thank American Axle for their support during this emergency. We'd also like to send get well wishes to Hamtramck Police Officer Brian Misiak.