HAMTRAMCK FIREFIGHTERS

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06/25/2006: "TO THE CITIZENS OF HAMTRAMCK"

Effective June 21, 2006 your Fire Department has been reduced by an additional 25%.

On June 21st Chief James Szafarczyk handed out layoff notices to six of your firefighters.

First Louis Schimmel reduced your Fire Department by 34%. And on June 21st (without notice) Don Crawford, (city manager) reduced manpower by an additional 25%.

What does this mean to the citizens?
The citizens of Hamtramck deserve and pay for a professional Fire Department. You expect quick and efficient response in your time of need.

Overtime will go up causing fire fighter fatigue, resulting in line of duty injury.

When homes are burning, children are choking, when loved ones are having heart attacks seconds count.

The firefighters of this city can always be counted on.

Now we need your help!

Voice your concern at the next council meeting Tuesday June 27th. We will be meeting in Zussman Park (across from City Hall) at 6:15 PM.

Please call your Mayor and City Council: 313-876-7700

Replies: 1 Comment

I have a question for Mark Swider, regarding his placement on the agenda, (which by charter is set by the mayor and CM) for tonight's meeting (as posted on Hamtramck Star).

Did you request to be placed last, after final public comment, at the very end of the meeting?

The reason I ask is that I've never seen a guest speaker put in that position before. Those meetings have gone past 10 and 11pm or later.

I'll try to get there after work, but my mom's in the hospital. Thank you Hamtramck firemen, for your quick professional response, to get her the emergency medical attention she needed.

I was at a council meeting, just a few weeks ago, raising objections to the cuts they were discussing in FD services, stating that the mayor's parents don't live in Hamtramck; Neither do those of her solidarity slatemembers on council, if I'm not mistaken.

Their empty promises (as quoted on your site) was some slick rhetoric, wasn't it?

I know a number of you have family members here, and you care about the residents. My friend on the southend has nothing but praises for your compassionate care of his baby daughter, the numerous times you reacted swiftly to rush her to Children's Hospital. She finally succumbed, and was taken by God; but her father still expresses to me his appreciation of the HFD.

The community supports our firemen and will be there to show it. There's alot of support, even from those who may not show up tonight.

Posted by Julie on Tuesday, June 27th