UNBECOMING OF AN OFFICER AND DANGEROUS. A DETROIT EMS REPORT BLASTING A FIRE BATTALION CHIEF
ACCUSING HIM OF MISHANDLING A
HIGH RISK SITUATION. THANKS FOR
BEING HERE WITH US AT 6:00. I’M
KIMBERLY GILL. I’M DEVIN
SCILLIAN.
>> WE HAVE HEARD TIME AND AGAIN
HOW COMING IN CONTACT WITH EVEN
A SMALL AMOUNT OF FENTANYL CAN
TURN DEADLY.
>> FIRST RESPONDERS ARE TAUGHT
TO TAKE THE STRICTEST
PRECAUTIONS AROUND IT, BUT SOME
DON’T FEEL THOSE RULES WERE
FOLLOWED EARLIER THIS WEEK WHEN
A LARGE AMOUNT OF FENTANYL WAS
RECOVERED IN A HOME ON KENTUCKY
NEAR EATON ON THE CITY’S WEST
SIDE.
>> AND TONIGHT, THE CHIEF IN
CHARGE OF THAT SCENE IS BEING
ACCUSED OF PUTTING FIRST
RESPONDERS IN DANGER. SHAWN LEY
BREAKING THIS STORY FOR US
TONIGHT. AND YOU’VE BEEN GETTING
ANSWERS IN YOUR INVESTIGATION
INTO WHAT HAPPENED HERE, SEAN.
DEVIN KIMBERLY, RIGHT HERE.
>> WE GOT TO ASK QUESTIONS OF
DETROIT’S FIRE COMMISSIONER. WE
ASKED HIM WITH FIRST RESPONDERS
HEADING INTO THIS HOUSE MONDAY,
A HOUSE WE’RE TOLD WAS REALLY
PACKED WITH FENTANYL. DANGEROUS
FENTANYL. WHY MEDICS AND NARCAN
WOULD BE KEPT AWAY FROM THAT
HOUSE. HERE’S WHAT WE’RE
LEARNING. WE ARE TOLD SO MUCH
DEADLY FENTANYL WAS FOUND IN
THIS HOME ON KENTUCKY. THE CITY
IS SHUT DOWN, THE HOUSE SLAPPING
A SIGN ON IT THAT READS TOXIC.
RADIO DISPATCH REVEALS THE
DEADLY DANGER IS SO GREAT, THE
BATTALION CHIEF AT THE SCENE HAD
FIRE CREWS PARKED DOWN THE BLOCK
FOR THEIR SAFETY REPORTING
SEEING A BLOCK AWAY INTO THE
RIVAL HAZMAT HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS. CREWS FROM MSP AND
DETROIT FIRE PUT ON PPE. THIS
NEIGHBOR KNEW HOW DANGEROUS OF A
SITUATION THIS WAS.
>> IT WAS A PRETTY SCARY
SITUATION AT THE TIME.
>> BUT DETROIT EMS WITH NARCAN
WAS ORDERED BY THAT BATTALION
CHIEF TO WAIT ON THE CORNER. NOT
BY THE HOUSE. AN EMS CAPTAIN
SPOKE UP, SAYS THE CHIEF
DISRESPECT HIM. THE CAPTAIN
WRITING THIS REPORT STATING
THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO ENTRY
WITHOUT A RESCUE PLAN IN PLACE.
THE EMS CAPTAIN SAYS MEDICS
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSE WITH
NARCAN AND OTHER LIFE SAVING
GEAR, BUT NONE OF THIS OCCURRED
ON THIS SCENE. AND CHIEF ONE
DISMISSED ME. WE’RE GOING TO
HAVE TO HAVE SOME TRAINING ON
THIS.
>> I BELIEVE THAT COULD HAVE
BEEN CLOSER IN CASE THE INCIDENT
DID HAPPEN, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
CLOSER TO THE HOUSE WHERE WE
COULD HAVE MADE A VERY GOOD
RESCUE.
>> THE REPORT GOES ON TO STATE
THE BATTALION CHIEF’S ACTIONS,
QUOTE, ARE UNBECOMING OF AN
OFFICER AND DANGEROUS. SAID THE
CHIEF’S ACTIONS WERE DANGEROUS.
WERE THEY DANGEROUS?
>> SO I WOULDN’T SAY THEY’RE
DANGEROUS. THE MEN AND WOMEN ON
THE DETROIT FIRE DEPARTMENT
EVERY DAY, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO
PUT THEIR MEMBERS, THEIR
COWORKERS OR ANY CITIZEN IN
DANGER. SO UNTIL WE DO A FULL
INVESTIGATION, WE WON’T KNOW
WHAT EITHER OF THEM THOUGHT. BUT
AT THE SAME TOKEN, WE’RE NOT
GOING TO PUT UP WITH ANY MEMBER
DISRESPECTING ANOTHER ANOTHER
MEMBER. SO IF THAT COMES OUT OF
THE CONCLUSION, THEN WE’LL ACT
ACCORDINGLY.
>> COMMISSIONER SIMS ADDS TO US
THAT THE SITUATION WAS HANDLED
NO ONE GOT INJURED OR HURT OUT
THERE. THAT IS CERTAINLY THE
GOOD NEWS. BUT YOU HEARD HIM SAY
MORE TRAINING FOR THE CHIEF THAT
WAS OUT THERE IS GOING TO BE
COMING DOWN THE LINE TOWARDS
HIM, APPARENTLY.
>> BACK TO YOU, DEVIN. BUT
SHAWN, YOU’RE LEARNING THAT THIS
IS THERE’S MORE THAN JUST
KEEPING MEDICS AND NARCAN AWAY
FROM THE HOUSE RIGHT.
>> THE MORE WE LOOKED INTO THIS
TODAY, DEVIN, THE MORE WE HEARD
FROM SOURCES TELLING US THAT SO
MUCH FENTANYL WAS FOUND THERE
THAT THEY COULD HAVE AT THE
SCENE THERE, EVACUATED THAT
BLOCK. AND THAT DID NOT HAPPEN.
SO PEOPLE ARE POINTING TO MORE
PROBLEMS OUT THERE. THE
CAPTAIN’S REPORT IS 18 PAGES
LONG. IT’S ABSOLUTELY BLISTERING
AND CERTAINLY GOT THE
DEPARTMENT’S ATTENTION TODAY.
>> IT’S JUST HARD TO GRASP,
ALMOST WHAT A MINUSCULE AMOUNT
OF THIS STUFF CAN DO. REALLY
STUNNING STUFF. ALL RIGHT,
SHAWN.
>> WELL, THAT THICK HAZE OVER
METRO DETROIT IS IMPACTING THE
AIR WE BREATHE. OUR LIVE CAMERA
IN SOUTHFIELD SHOWING THE HAZE
IS STILL LINGERING. IT’S SMOKE
FROM THE CANADIAN WILDFIRES THAT
MADE ITS WAY OVER THE US AT ONE
POINT TODAY, DETROIT’S AIR
QUALITY WAS RANKED SECOND WORST
IN THE ENTIRE WORLD BY A SWISS
COMPANY THAT MONITORS IT. RIGHT
NOW, WE’RE RANKED 23RD. THE
TIGERS GAME TONIGHT IN
PHILADELPHIA HAS BEEN POSTPONED
UNTIL TOMORROW DUE TO AIR
QUALITY ISSUES THERE. THE SAME
GOES FOR THE YANKEES HOSTING THE
WHITE HOUSE. WHITE SOX IN THE
BRONX RIGHT NOW. THE WORST AIR
QUALITY IN THE WORLD IS IN NEW
YORK CITY. AND YOU’RE LOOKING
LIVE AT THE SKYLINE THERE. AND
YOU CAN BARELY SEE SOME OF THOSE
ICONIC BUILDINGS. AS EXPERTS SAY
THE AIR QUALITY IS CONSIDERED
VERY UNHEALTHY FOR BREATHING. IN
FACT, IT RANKS AS HAZARDOUS WITH
AN AIR QUALITY INDEX OF 355.
HERE IN DETROIT, OUR AQI REMAINS
UNDER 100, WHICH IS IN THE
MODERATE RANGE. AND KIM SAYRE
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF PERSPECTIVE
ON THAT.
>> KIM, THAT NEW YORK SHOT
LOOKED LIKE IT WAS THE MIDDLE OF
A RAINSTORM. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
>> AND THAT 355 EVEN CAUGHT ME
OFF GUARD BECAUSE 100 IS, IS
MODERATE, SO IT’S STILL
UNHEALTHY. 355 IS JUST
INCREDIBLE. HOWELL AIR QUALITY
ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF
SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN THROUGH
THURSDAY, MAYBE EVEN EXTENDING
INTO FRIDAY. SO LET’S TAKE A
LOOK AT THE EAST COAST. YOU CAN
SEE RIGHT HERE, VERY UNHEALTHY,
EVEN HAZARDOUS, OBVIOUSLY
LOOKING AT THAT SKYLINE NOW
RIGHT HERE IN METRO DETROIT,
WE’VE GOT MODERATE, BUT ALSO
SOME POCKETS OF UNHEALTHY FOR
SOME MEANING SENSITIVE PEOPLE,
PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA, RESPIRATORY
ISSUES, SENIOR CITIZENS,
CERTAINLY. SO IS IT GOING TO GET
BETTER? LET ME SWITCH SIDES HERE
SO YOU CAN REALLY TAKE A GOOD
LOOK AT THE CLOCK. 6:00 TONIGHT,
THE THICKEST, OBVIOUSLY THE
HEAVIEST SMOKE IS OVER IN NEW
YORK AND ALONG THE EAST COAST.
BUT AS WE GO THROUGH TIME FROM
10:00 TONIGHT, STARTS GETTING A
LITTLE BIT WORSE HERE IN METRO
DETROIT. DEFINITELY WORSE BY
TOMORROW MORNING. AND THEN
ACCORDING TO THIS MODEL, IT’S
FRIDAY MORNING. WE’RE NOT UNDER
AN ALERT FOR FRIDAY YET, BUT IT
COULD BE EXTENDED. THAT’S WHEN
WE START GETTING INTO UNHEALTHY
FOR EVERYONE, NOT JUST PEOPLE
WITH RESPIRATORY ISSUES. SO
THAT’S SOMETHING WE WILL BE
MONITORING HERE. THINGS YOU CAN
DO, CARPOOL, BIKE TO WORK, CHECK
ON SENIORS, TRY NOT TO REFUEL
YOUR CAR, AND THEN ALSO MAKE
SURE YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR PETS,
KEEP THEM INSIDE AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE. OKAY
>> KIM, MICHIGAN TODAY BECAME
THE 26TH STATE TO ADOPT A HANDS
FREE LAW AIMED AT PREVENTING
DISTRACTED DRIVING. THE LAW BARS
PEOPLE FROM USING PHONES WITHOUT
HANDS FREE TECHNOLOGY WHILE
DRIVING. FINES WILL START AT
$100 FOR A FIRST OFFENSE, THEN
INCREASE TO $250 FOR SUBSEQUENT
OFFENSES. THOSE FINES WILL
DOUBLE IF THE VIOLATION HAPPENS
DURING A CRASH. THE LAW TAKES
EFFECT JUNE 30TH, AND DRIVERS
CAN EXPECT A STRONG ENFORCEMENT
CAMPAIGN AROUND THE JULY 4TH
HOLIDAY. TODAY SIGNING TOOK
PLACE AT THE USA HOCKEY ARENA’S
KIEFER MEMORIAL RINK, NAMED
AFTER MITCHELL KIEFER, WHO WAS
KILLED BY A DISTRACTED DRIVER IN
2016. AND WHOSE FATHER HAS SPENT
YEARS ADVOCATING FOR THIS NEW
LAW. GOVERNOR WHITMER BECAME
EMOTIONAL DISCUSSING MITCHELL’S
LEGACY.
>> YOU KNOW, THERE’S A BEAUTIFUL
MEMORIAL HOWELL JUST IN THAT
ROOM TO MITCHELL. AND YOU CAN’T
HELP BUT GET TEARY JUST LOOKING
AT IT THIS YOUNG LIFE COURT CUT
SHORT BY A DISTRACTED DRIVER, A
FRESHMAN AT MICHIGAN STATE. YOU
KNOW, ALL AROUND GREAT GUY. YOU
CAN SEE HIS FELLOW HOCKEY
PLAYERS SIGNED HIS HOCKEY PADS
INSTEAD OF A BOOK AT THEIR
FUNERAL. AND SO IT’S REAL. AND
TO SEE A FAMILY WHO TURNS THEIR
PAIN INTO A CAUSE TO PROTECT
OTHER PEOPLE IS ONE OF THE MOST
AMAZING THINGS I’VE EVER SEEN.
AS A PUBLIC SERVANT. YEAH WELL,
STATES WITH HANDS FREE LAWS HAVE
SEEN DISTRACTED DRIVING
ACCIDENTS DECREASE BY AS MUCH AS
20, A LITTLE MORE THAN THREE
MONTHS.
>> THE NORTH AMERICAN
INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW RETURNS.
STICKING WITH THAT SEPTEMBER
SLOT, FIRST ADOPTED LAST YEAR.
TODAY WE ARE LEARNING MORE ABOUT
HOW ORGANIZERS, OTHERS HOPE TO
REIGNITE INTEREST IN THIS BIG
EVENT. BUSINESS EDITOR ROB
MALONEY LIVE WITH A LOOK AT WHAT
WE CAN EXPECT THIS YEAR. AND
ROB, THAT’S THE GOAL HERE. WE’VE
GOT TO GET BACK TO CALLING IT
AND THINKING OF IT AS A REALLY
BIG EVENT. WELL, AND THAT’S THE
THING. YOU KNOW, THEY WENT FOUR
YEARS WITHOUT IT. THEN THEY
TRIED TO COME BACK LAST YEAR AND
THEY DID.
>> AND IT WAS A VERY GOOD
EFFORT. BUT THEY KNOW THAT THEY
COULD DO BETTER. AND THAT’S
EXACTLY WHAT THEY WENT TO WORK
ON THIS YEAR. AND THEY SAY
COMING BACK IN SEPTEMBER IS
GOING TO BE FOR REAL AND VERY
IMPORTANT AT SOME OF THE MORE
FAMOUS WORLD AUTO SHOWS HAVE
DISAPPEARED, BUT NOT THE NORTH
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO
SHOW. IT’S READY FOR YEAR TWO OF
ITS SEPTEMBER RUN AFTER 30 YEARS
AS A JANUARY SHOW SHOW CHAIR
THAD ZOTT TELLS LOCAL 4.
>> AND I THINK WE LEARNED THAT
WE REALLY NEED TO KEEP SCREAMING
THAT TO RAISE AWARENESS ON WE
MOVE THE SHOW TO SEPTEMBER
BECAUSE I THINK THERE’S STILL A
LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD
CONSIDER GOING TO THE SHOW THAT
STILL DON’T KNOW THAT WE MOVED
IT.
>> YOU’LL RECALL IF YOU MADE IT
DOWNTOWN LAST YEAR TO THE SHOW,
THEN IT HAD ITS FUN WITH RIDE
AND DRIVES AT FORD AND CHRYSLER
INSIDE HUNTINGTON PLACE. THEY’RE
GOING TO RETURN IN SOME FASHION,
BUT THEY’RE ALSO GOING TO BE
ADDING A NEW TWIST FOR ELECTRIC
VEHICLES. THEY’RE READY TO ROLL
OUT WHAT THEY’RE CALLING THE
POWERING MICHIGAN EV EXPERIENCE
INDOOR TRACK RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE SHOW FLOOR.
>> WE HAVE A GREAT STAGE, BUT
THE CARS ARE REALLY THE STARS,
RIGHT? PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO
THE SHOW TO SEE ALL THE NEW
MODELS, THE NEW TECHNOLOGY, THE
NEW VEHICLES, AND WE DID A MUCH
BETTER JOB. I THINK, OVER THE
LAST YEAR OF REALLY DIALING THAT
IN.
>> AND THEY SAY THEY’VE
ATTRACTED TWO DOZEN AUTOMAKERS
TO THIS YEAR’S SHOW, DOUBLE LAST
YEAR’S NUMBER, AND INCLUDE SOME
WHO’VE NEVER EVEN DISPLAYED
VEHICLES AT AN AUTO SHOW.
>> THEY WANT TO SHOWCASE THEIR
NEW EV TECHNOLOGY AND GET PEOPLE
IN THE VEHICLES, EXPERIENCE WITH
THAT TECHNOLOGY. NOW THEY CAN DO
IT AT AN AUTO SHOW WITH
DIFFERENT MODELS ON AN INDOOR
TRACK. SO WE’RE REALLY EXCITED
ABOUT THAT ONE. AND OF COURSE,
LAST YEAR THEY’RE SAYING, WELL,
WHERE ARE ALL THE UNVEILINGS?
>> WELL, THIS YEAR THEY SAY
THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE STELLANTIS
ALREADY AGREEING TO UNVEIL TWO
VEHICLES. IS ANOTHER CAR
COMPANIES SAYING THAT THEY WILL
PROBABLY BE GOING ALONG. SO IT’S
GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE
HOW IT ALL ROLLS OUT. REPORTING
LIVE IN DETROIT, ROD MELONI,
LOCAL 4. WE ARE MOVING INTO THE
BIG EVENT CYCLE HERE.
>> THEY’RE GOING TO BE NONSTOP,
IT FEELS, TO ME.
>> ALL RIGHT. WELL, THE FOUR DAY
OF EFFORT TO BEAUTIFY THE CITY
AT THE HEART OF OAKLAND COUNTY
GOT UNDERWAY TODAY. VOLUNTEERS
TURNED UP IN PONTIAC READY TO
REMOVE LITTER, DO SOME
LANDSCAPING PROJECTS.
>> VICTOR WILLIAMS LIVE WITH A
LOOK AT THEIR EFFORTS AND WHAT
IT TAKES TO BRING PEOPLE
TOGETHER TO DO THIS. VICTOR OH
YEAH. DEVIN AND KIMBERLY.
>> YOU KNOW, IT’S SO GOOD TO
KNOW THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THIS
WORLD STILL THERE TO LEND A
HELPING HAND.
>> PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE. IT’S
WONDERFUL TO SEE FOR THE SECOND
YEAR IN A ROW, THE STREETS OF
PONTIAC ARE CLEANER WITH THE
FOUR DAY EVENT RIGHTFULLY NAMED
PICKING UP PONTIAC VOLUNTEERS
ARE HEROES. WE INVITE FOLKS OUT
TO HELP US. IF YOU’D LIKE TO
VOLUNTEER AND HELP US CLEAN UP
THE CITY GRACE CENTERS OF HOPE
IS THE 80 YEAR OLD NONPROFIT
BEHIND THE EVENT. GRACE CENTERS
OF HOPE OWNS APPROXIMATELY 660
HOUSES HERE IN PONTIAC, AND
WE’RE CLEANING UP OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS, ESPECIALLY TODAY.
AND IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. AND
HELPING HELPING OTHERS AS WELL.
>> FROM JUNE 7TH THROUGH THE
10TH, VOLUNTEERS WILL CLEAN
DOWNTOWN PONTIAC NEIGHBORHOODS
WITH LANDSCAPING, PAINTING,
TRASH REMOVAL AND EVEN MORE SO
THIS IS A $3,500 GRANT FROM THE
HOME DEPOT FOUNDATION.
>> AND AGAIN, GIVE BACK TO THOSE
THAT MAYBE ARE LESS FORTUNATE
THAN US.
>> SEVERAL MAJOR SPONSORS WILL
BE BACKING THE CLEAN UP,
INCLUDING THE LIKES OF CHASE
BANK, STELLANTIS, EARTH ART AND
HOME DEPOT.
>> WE AT HOME DEPOT HAVE EIGHT
VALUES THAT WE LIVE BY, AND
GIVING BACK IS ONE OF THOSE
THESE STORES THAT ARE HERE ARE
ANYWHERE FROM WHITE LAKE, AUBURN
HILLS, LAKE ORIENT, PONTIAC. AND
WE COME TOGETHER TO JUST DO
THAT, LIVE OUR VALUE AND GIVE
BACK.
>> THE GOAL IS TO NOT ONLY CLEAN
UP THE STREETS, BUT TO ALSO TAKE
CARE OF THE LESS FORTUNATE, WHO
MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO SO
THEMSELVES.
>> AS WE RECEIVE NO GOVERNMENT
FUNDING, WE HAVE ABOUT AN $8
MILLION BUDGET A YEAR. WE
BELIEVE IN PEOPLE HELPING
PEOPLE. WE’RE SEEING TREMENDOUS
SUCCESS. AND YOU STILL HAVE TILL
ABOUT THE 10TH TO GO AHEAD AND
HELP OUT IF YOU GUYS LIKE.
>> THEY ARE STILL LOOKING FOR
VOLUNTEERS TO HELP OUT THROUGH
THE HOURS OF 9 A.M. TO 1 P.M.
VICTOR WILLIAMS LOCAL 4.
>> REALLY NICE. SO FOLKS COMING