I'm not from Detroit, heck, I'm not even an American... But It makes me sad to see the slow decay of such a once great city... I really hope she rises back up! And two thumbs up for those brave Firefighters!!
Show decay? It's been happening since before the '67 riots. Illiteracy, illegitimacy, no desire for education, confusion, despair, gunplay, murder, gang infested, crime, welfare, etc... And it's almost the same in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, Newark, Camden... Geez....(?)
Congratulation! One of the best documentary i've seen. I'm a firefighter form Canada and i knew there was something goin on in Detroit but didn't thought it was that bad. Keep doing movies your doing good. Pascal Marchand
It was Detroit's Fire Department that influenced me to become a firefighter. i just recently passed my FF1 course and im looking forward to what my fire department brings. keep up the good work guys! Cheers from Litchfield!
Over a billion dollars (probably more) in military aid just goes to Pakistan every year, and major American city is in shambles. This makes my head hurt.
Then you realise your government is war addict and corrupt.. They use that as an excuse to invade other countries you know? They say its corrupt there and people are not happy so they invade it but detroit looks worse in the meantime its all rich bankers who want the war my friend they dont care about people they only care about money!
Detroit isn't the only American city in total shambles. Other Michigan cities like Flint, Saginaw, Pontiac, and Highland Park are almost as bad. Outside Michigan you can check out troubled, decrepit locales like Gary IN, Youngstown OH, Niagara Falls NY, Schenectady NY, Bridgeport CT, Newark NJ, Chester PA and many other older northern cities that have fallen on hard times and never recovered. A horrible American tragedy indeed.
A lot of good quotes in this documentary. "Call the fire department, because they will come with a lot of noise and a lot of people" has to be my favorite one so far though.
Great job Constance . As a firefighter on the west coast of Canada , I have never had a day as busy as my brothers in Detroit . Stay safe my friends !!!
Ok, I watched the whole movie and it was incredibly inspiring to see and hear what these heroes take on despite all the problems. I really appreciated hearing all different members of the crew speak about their experiences. Everyone from the arson investigators, to the captains, to the firefighters who literally put their lives on the line to save people. That's what they signed up for; to save lives. Having to be distracted by dealing with vacant buildings, fire-bombers, juvenile delinquents, and suspicious fires set by people needing to just collect on the insurance or to make the process of demolition simpler and easier. What really was heart-wrenching is hearing about the people living next door to these fire hazards, keeping their own houses up and liveable seeing a vacant house next door be torched and spreading to destroying the home they loved. One clip showed a junk heap going up in flames next to a nice home with hanging plants, wind chimes, and a beautifully kept a lawn being irreparably damaged despite all the love they put into a place they called home. The suspected corruption of city contractors taking tax $ for the job of tearing down an eyesore and a "mysterious" fire breaking out on the property is stomach-turning. I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit. I would never move back to Michigan if there was anything I could do in my power to avoid it. But these firefighters actually care about the city and the people trying to live in this hell hole honestly. That is admirable! I'm so happy to be in Southern California. We have earthquakes, floods, and wildfires. But we don't have to live in a garbage dump or a corrupted city. Maybe these Democratic mayors and City Council members need to be thrown out of office. Give a Republican a chance to keep your city from decaying and burning. Anyway, major respect for these firefighters. It's quite humbling to see people risk their lives to save their city despite the dismal odds.
+Laura S (laursaurus) Thank you! The people living next door to these vacants- are the reason I did this to begin with. The vacants were the inspiration for the documentary. I turned to the firefighters, because - aside from the residents- they are the most affected by these vacants. They know the whys and the why-nots. They know the costs. What was truly heartbreaking for me was knowing that a child could spend their entire childhood living next to a home like that and grow up thinking that is normal. Not to mention what constant ugliness does to a child's perception of the world. The story has evolved into a firefighter's story- but it began as a war-cry of desperation for the children of these neighborhoods. Thanks for watching and sharing. Please check out Detroit on Fire 2 and if possible share my Gofundme for 2-3 more docs. www.gofundme.com/z6p4fvd4
The constant fires is another sign of this city's long and painful demise. Detroit just cannot seem to turn itself around and it is more gloom and decline along with abandonment.
EXCELLENT video documentary showing the lives of some of the GREATEST firemen in the world and the arson ravaged city they do battle in day in and day out, Great job Constance! Lt. Tony Buckrop Gary,IN Fire Dept.
the city has been tearing a lot of these down over the past few years. there are still so many out there but at least they are working on it. progress!
I am so proud of my cousin Roberto Romero and all the Detroit Fire fighters who put their lives and their family’s lives out on the line every day to help others- people, buildings..... This is more than just a job; it’s a commitment, a life style a sacrifice every day.
Yes, I got an A. :) I've been working on Detroit on Fire 2 since then - it's now live and posted. Be sure to check it out so you can see what's been going on since. Thanks!
25 years ago I drove from Toronto straight through the centre of Detroit and out to the suburbs. I promised I'd never do that again. The contrast between the two cities, 4-1/2 hours drive between each other, could not be more extreme. Currently, however, it is more extreme. It begs the observation: Thank god there's a manned border between the US and Canada. Something in the US is very, very wrong.
Let that be a stern warning to some Canadian nationals and other foreign nationals in other countries that taking the conservative, pro corporate, right wing side is not a wise decision. Look at Detroit and most of the rest of the USA and you will see the end results of supply side/trickle down economics and tax cuts only for the very wealthy. Also American society is the ultimate wasteful throwaway society where we think we can just run away from our serious problems. Our anti-urban attitudes and our ignorant frontier style mentality also contributed to the serious problems of Detroit and most other older, northern American cities. However it is not only the central cities stuck in poverty and decline, most older first ring suburbs are suffering the exact same problems as the more prosperous, upwardly mobile move still further out to the younger outer ring suburbs and rural exurbs causing the doughnut hole of abandonment and decline to expand even more. Our racist, xenophobic, homophobic, and anti semetic attitudes has helped fuel the serious problems that the USA is facing today and our society is so unequal and unbalanced that it is undermining the future of the USA.
+R. Preskop Detroit was driven into the ground by corrupt Democrats. Do you even know what the hell you're talking about? Try putting some Republicans in charge of that city. It certainly can't possibly make it any worse. I lived in Southeastern Michigan! The taxes were outrageous and so were the thug-run unions! How you can possibly blame the ruining of Detroit and Michigan's economy on Republicans is either ignorant or idiotic!
Laura S Trickle down economics is the main cause for not just Detroit's deindustrialization, but all of America's. Union's aren't without some of the blame, but Reagan is the root cause. For you to not understand that is idiotic.
It's that shock that inspired me to do this.I couldn't imagine kids spending their whole lives around such horrible blight and threat. I combined it with the fire department because of the death of FF Walter Harris in a vacant home arson and because nobody suffers from the vacant home problem more than the fire department does.
It is almost beyond comprehension for me, living in a city where land values even 45 minutes away from downtown is still $95 to $110 a square foot and people are lucky to own homes older than maybe the 1950s, to see such BEAUTIFUL and monumental architecture just crumbling or being senselessly burned for a gag or a laugh... it is just crazy. I can't even imagine placing such little value or having such little pride in the built form of the city you live in that you can just torch it like that.
Yes, funny you should say that. While I was making this, I heard there were city planners from New Orleans touring Detroit to get ideas on how best to rebuild New Orleans. We all laughed and wished we could've heard their conversation on the flight home as they wondered why they'd came here of all places.
$24 million??and 1800 homes demolished in 1 year??i wouldnt be surprised if people just started moving in mobile homes on the land instead of rebuilding houses..huge props to all the firefighters,you're a tough brave bunch of people..
I'm from and grew up in Ingham county in Michigan, and my heart aches for the city of Detroit. I drove through the city last winter and I was absolutely shocked by the state of the "neighborhoods". I have been to the very poorest communities in Ghana, Africa and I feel they were living in a paradise compared to the worst areas of Detroit. I was stunned speechless actually by how horrible it was in the city. It all makes me very very sad.
+The Dollar Guy I said the same thing. The houses that they built pre-1950 are really strong, even fires couldn't bring them down in one shot. They are all made up of brick and cement.
Great Job. My dad was a Detroit fireman from the 1950s through the 1980s -- he worked out of Engine 23 most of his career. I have great memories of visiting that house when I was kid in the 60s.
Sad to see what was once I'm sure a nice city, just go down and fall apart. God Bless these BRAVE men & woman of Detroit fighting fires like this daily.
This is an amazing documentary. Thank you so much! I am in awe at what the DFD has to do, and put up with. What an amazing bunch of firefighters! From Virginia to Detroit, God bless you all and keep you safe.
It's b-rabbit and cheddar bob behind it all. "Me and Dre stood next to a burnt down house with a can full of gas and a hand fulla matches...and still no one found out"
Excellent video! Thank you for taking the time to give these fine Fire Fighters & those that are serving the real recognition. So sad. I grew up in Michigan & it really tugs at my heart strings to see such devastation. Continued prayers & blessings.
Now THIS is a great Detroit documentary...these guys working so hard against the odds to try to take care of people, keep them from losing their homes or maybe even their lives...really feel for them and for the fire victims...this should have won Sundance awards instead of that other Detroit documentary I just watched.
Its always amazing how the first cuts in cities are the police and fire,like they said "Its like building a house without the roof" doesn't make sense. Stay safe DFD
This is really a great documentary. You did a great job of explaining the problem, explaining the elements that exacerbate the problem. There should be a lot of community policing and more volunteering to save this great city. I hope the politicians quit playing politics and do whats right for the people of Detroit. Much love and respect to our firefighter brothers in Detroit.
Detroit Fire is straight up("bullshark")!! I suffered a stroke due to gross medical negligence,and they refused to pay my pension because my former smoking habit was deemed a "pre-existing condition"!!! A simple case of sinusitis,which went misdiagnosed and untreated,caused the bacteria to"eat"through the walls of my sinus cavity,infect my brain with an abcess,bringing on a stroke,but smoking was deemed a"pre-existing condition",and thus I have to seek other avenues to support myself!! Thanks DFD;you're ALL heart!!But in November of 2001,my smoking didn't stop ME from being one of only TWO firefighters to reach the 20th floor apartment of a building where a flickering yellow light was reported by passers-by!! On my way up there I passed a half-dozen NON-smoking/non-drinking firefighters who were sitting on the stairs"out-of-gas"and a sergeant leaning over the 12th floor railing"dry-heaving"and unable to proceed any further!! If you live in Detroit,make sure you live BELOW the 10th floor of any structure,if you expect to be rescued!!
Finally a documentary that isn't biased or censored.. The truth from the men and women who see it every day. Best line "if theres a problem at my house I tell my wife to call the fire dept..... ... cause they will show up fast and with alot of noise.. ...never know how long till police will get there..."
A hugh amount of RESPECT for my brothers at DFD!!! The hardest working FFer's in the whole country and if you think they are not consider this. Triple the workload of any FD their size, the worst equipment in the country,and to top it all of the lowest paid. DFD has suffered through numerous paycuts and are currently being asked to take another. They sure as hell are not in it for the money. they do it out of professional pride and respect and commitment to each other and the people of Detroit.
It is all about learning how to trust each other! That is what is the beauty of the fire service is that we essentially strangers coming into the fire station and in a short period of time and in the biink of an eye, living in cramped quarters, maybe his/hers restroom; cramped sleeping quarters with 8-10 twin beds jambed in a large open room that serves as day-night sleeping quarters. The fire house my have a kitchen that no more than 4 can be in it at the same, but still some of the best beacon, sausages, biscuits, coffee, pancakes, and even cereal taste better when it comes out of a fire house kitchen. As a new probationary firefighter 35 years ago I walked into my assigned fire house for my first day-tour duty. Scared half to death, couldn't sit still at all, felt guilty when I did try to ease into one of 3 real recliners but everytime it would suddenly it would hit a space and slip throwing you back almost on your head. Your fellow fighters who were talking sort of watching TV, suddenly were staring at me like I had committed a fire house infraction. But after working several more shifts and becoming more comfortable with my new home (1800-1900 built fire house), I was more at ease fulfilling daily duty assignments tasks. Fast-forward 35 years it quickly became that time to start thinking of retirement. The place that I dreaded living, eating meals, sleeping in, and the place (kitchen table) where all problems in the world were worked out and solved. Now when I went home to my large modern home built in 1992, all new amenities, my wife and I dedicated king-size air bed, wok-shop, large kitchen with cabinets packed with food. Bur for some reason I was suddenly experience those feelings I had battled through 35 years earlier when walked into the very small, smoky, cramped, table too small, open bedroom, smokers still allowed to smoke throughout fire station, Why would I now struggle to function in my own beautiful home? Maybe it is because there are no stories being told regarding the activities that occurred during the night-tour responders. Or maybe the one firefighter tagged as station cook isn't available to cook this special fire house breakfast. The 24 hour quietness that penetrates the walls whenever anywhere from 6 to 10 firefighting telling at least 5 different stories all at the same time. God if only I could go back to the fire house and relive those areas that had been such an impression startin day one on the job 😞😩😧
Well done, Ms. York! I know how much work went into this - a 50 minute final cut must have started out as 50 hours raw. The continual discussions by firefighters and others humanized the story and provided real connections to it. My only constructive criticism would be to suggest "covering" more of the interviews with dynamic b-roll. Still, your piece is an accomplishment.
Its crazy to think that across the river, literally a stone throw away, sits the city of Windsor, Canada.. that's thriving, free health care for almost a million people etc... Its sad to see a city like this. Between Detroit and Windsor.. Its literally night and day.. Cmon America..
I think part of the problem is that the houses are built too close together. I saw one video where a careless builder set one newly built wood house on fire and it spread to the next 4 new houses, destroying all five. They were only a few feet apart.
This is so sad to me. I live in Georgia and we just don't have any whole cities that have such interesting and truly American architecture. Detroit is absolutely an American jewel and more should be done to support her. She has certainly done her part to support the rest of this country.
If you're referring to arsonists- the city has cut the arson down to 8 investigators. So, I don't think they care about catching them. And the police are averaging a 58 min. response time.
Iv seen ads for homes for sale in Detroit for *ONE DOLLAR!* Its really crazy there is over *70,000* vacant homes. But if its true it can take over 3 hours for the police to get to a call no wonder arsonists aren't scared of getting caught.
+Jay B I think that figure is up now. It could be possible 80,000-90,000 vacant homes. Its amazing, im from east next to NYC and to see famous city like Detroit fall apart is mind boggling to me.
I developed whole lot of respect for these men and women who are doing their job sincerely even in such horrible situations. It is so sad that we never hear or read about them in so called media who is F*** obsessed with fake personalities who are hoarding all those millions of $$$$. We are becoming more ignorant day by day and there seems to be no end to it.
and the media is only concerned with the shock value from petty crime believing that dumb people will be fixated long enough to watch commercials; Rather than producing independent films of substance like this one, that are basically detailing the problem in depth, and how to deal with it (suggesting solutions). Though I am a staunch free market libertarian and believe that Capitalism is the best economic system, I think the federal government should have bailed out Detroit (and should still do it now).
Firefighters are the toughest guys (and gals) around. Kudos to the Detroit FD for fighting the good fight. Great job on the documentary, Constance York. Hope you got a good grade!
2019 - You now have former neighborhoods becoming so vacant and so desolate that an arsonist or vandal could torch everything on the block, and it STILL wouldn't be a threat to anything occupied! Some sections of the city are so empty and devoid of people that nature itself is taking everything back!
wow. That is all that my mind came to during this clip. I mean, I sat don tonight just surfing you tube and i came across this video. I thought it was just going to be a boring clip of some guy driving past burned buildings but...wow. Great job on the documentary and i hope that Detroit finally gets back on it's feet again and that this will all stop.
I completely agree with the Fire Commissioner's "Let It Burn" policy...A good number of these structures, empasis on the abandoned ones are beyond renovation, and in most cases, the ones surrounding...are not worth risking one's lives for...Do an infrared check on the one in flames, check out (and clear) any abandoned structures that may be around it, and if the wind factor's not bad, let 'em all go...Saves on manpower, wear and tear on the equipment, and saves time on demolition/clearing costs.
Wow 😳!!! used to go to Detroit as a kid from Niagara Falls Canada, and I always remember Detroit being scary, run down houses, sketchy people. these fire man are awesome!! The crap 💩 they have to put up with, WoW!!
Firefighters and EMTS are the most important sector of public saftey and they are true heroes. They do way more for Americans than our Armed Forces, and police force combined. Kudos, DFD and thank you!
Finally... Detroit began aggressively knocking down these shells in the last 5 years. Now, instead of vacant homes you have just wide open land. It's bizarre. You have fields and fields of open spaces right next to a major metropolitan area. It's just so bizarre how much open land is now available in Detroit.
Really well done, I'd give ya' an A Plus, really got it down, from start to finish you captured the situation from everbody involved. If it were not for the FireFighters, the concerned citizens, to the people who document the plight so the world can see what the deal is, you are what keeps the faith amongst us........thanks again sir!
Really great job Constance! I like the way this is sequenced. It's nice to see the funny, lighter side near the end where they are telling stories. "I didn't get a really good fire until 8 or 9 o'clock (that night)" I was expecting him to say a week. Good job working with what you have brothers and sisters! And to think the City may have to lose 100 officers until grant money can be re-secured. Sad state of affairs there for sure.
37:35 I live in Brockton Ma. My mother has a history of heart problems. She had a heart attack (minor) thankfully. At the time my father asked do you want me to call an ambulance. She said yes so he did. After 10 min he said come on im driving you. Mind you the fire house is 2-3 minutes away. They had to drive past the fire house to go to the hospital. The fire truck's were just coming out of the station. This happened in the middle of the day. Thankfully she is doing good now. I can't imagine what it's like for the people of Detroit. I feel for you.
Anyone know how I can get in touch with a house captain for ride along. Im a firefighter in Wisconsin and would love to run a shift with these guys. Amazing group of guys.
I agree, the news made it worse, butthe burned down houses have always been around and part of the reason I hated going to certain areas of Detroit at night, its one of the scariest places on Earth. I still Love Detroit ❤.
An excellent video, it's so much more than a fire video, showing the plight/blight of the inner cities. Listen to these guys, look at the pics, so many empty houses, factories, arson fires, etc.....bad economy. I tip my hat to all the firefighters. This should be shown on Nat. Geo, or Discovery Channel.
I remember a saying "Life begins at 8-mile"! Apparently the city limits at least at some point were at 8-Mile Road, the implications were that on the other side of that street life started up again!What ever happened to "Devil's Night"?
@areubaked Thank you very much. I'm actually a writer by trade. I took the class out of interest and then couldn't let go of this story. I actually learned Final Cut Pro just to do this documentary. I learned a lot about filmmaking (mostly by making a lot of mistakes.) Thanks for the advice. I will. :)
This is what, in terms of the Fire Department, is called ventilation. Ventilation provides multiple uses on the fire ground, such as fire control. Smoke, heat, and all of the hot gases rise. However, these layers eventually fill a structure once they have nowhere else to go. By ventilating the roof of a structure fire, you allow the release of said gases/heat/smoke into the outer atmosphere, reducing their presence inside and their effect on combustible materials and interior attack teams.
We Are Rising Up FINALLY But so are the taxes and water bills etc...Our Newest Mayor Mike Duggan IS AWESOME!!!!! Rebuilding neighborhoods & Removing the blight with the help of MANY useful dedicated men,women and children...God bless MY City to continue to PROTECT ALL OUR VERY OVERWORKED AND GREAT HARDWORKING EMERGENCY RESPONDERS😍😍😍😍I 'VE LIVED BOTH EAST&WEST SIDE SO THANK YOU ALL👏👏👏👏
Very nice job Constance. So many cities/governments are controlled by the money that comes from wealthy donations to campaigns. Glad people like you are fighting for the impoverished and those pushed to the margins in society. God Bless You!
Thank you for the documentary. I wasn't aware of the problems that you all are facing. I have known though that Detroit had a very bad reputation for crime and drugs. I really not understand how you all do it.
It kills me that an arsonist would put firefighters and EMS at risk by starting a fire. Not to mention people in nearby structures. And they care nothing about the possibility of someone possibly being in a structure thought to have been vacant. Its just a disgusting lack of conscience.
Oh absolutely. The vigilante fires while appalling and inexcusable under any circumstances are occasionally understandable because the residents who commit vigilante fires are understandably sick and tired of the vacant or abandoned buildings bringing drugs and crime into their neighborhood.
On the worst parts of Rochester, New York, you will find this. Due to druggies, empty houses that are used as crack houses, arson, and more. I keep hearing how wonderful and beautiful Rochester, New York is and what a wonderful place it is to visit. I live East of Rochester, have been through there and the ones who believe that....live in a damn dream world!! Arson, shootings, and more. I would never, never, never live there nor believe in the words " Beautiful Rochester " . Just unbelievable and to live there? To own or two rent...is outrageous!! After years after a fire, the city would rather board them up, druggies go in there, arsonists don't care about the innocent people living next door, and yet make you believe how beautiful it is???!! Hogwash!! Rochester is no better than anywhere else in New York State!! Worse crime. More crime, higher paying taxes, and more. Dream on Rochester. I will definitely pray for you.
Wow.....what insight into the job of a ghetto FF and those that do it. Dad retired from FDNY, me and my brother were FF's too. May be the best work on the topic that I have ever seen. Big props to DFD....absolute giants in the FF world. Stay safe Brother's, its geting worse out there.
Since I have recently get to the age of retirement in the fire service, I wish retired firefighters could somehow meet and coordinate arrangements to some how take time to come up to Detroit FD, and assist you guys with station projects, or an elderly family's home that needs repairs following a devastating impact from fire. I am from the Houston are, but would love to come to DFD and do the brotherly love thing is help to hold yall's hands up wile we do the work!!!!
Detroit is a prime example of a city government that cares ONLY about the special interest groups that flood the officials with under-the-table "donations" and how much they can gain for their own greedy purposes. Cities that are run by people like that fast becoming more like a septic tank than a place to live, work and raise a family. I really feel sorry for the firemen, police and other first responders that have to battle through each workday TRYING to make a difference when NOBODY in the city government gives a damn about them or the citizens of the city.
I agree, there are some buildings that my department will what we call surround and drown. Preventing other buildings from catching on fire becomes a top priority on empty buildings. But we'd never say that to a camera.
4000 cases of arson a year!? ....and that doesn't even put a dent in the 95'000 abandoned homes in Detroit. and THAT doesn't even include the businesses and high rise/ apartment units!
Great documentary. I wonder what the situation is in 2014, would be interesting to see another documentary that shows how the situation has evolved, whether it is now better or worse ... but judging by the street view on Google maps of city streets in Detroit, I'm guessing that the situation remains the same, or worse. I'm from Canada and when I first saw videos about the destroyed houses and desperate lives of people living in Detroit, I cried. It is exactly like living in hell. I admire those who manage to maintain a positive outlook, to me it seems beyond grim and hopeless, a never ending nightmare. Fire fighters must be ingesting a lot of toxic fumes, ie: asbestos and other substances in the smoke. I am wondering whether they are experiencing adverse health problems from long term exposure.
Much love to all the brave hero's of the Detroit Fire Department. Incredible dedication!!!! GOD BLESS!!!!
I'm not from Detroit, heck, I'm not even an American... But It makes me sad to see the slow decay of such a once great city... I really hope she rises back up! And two thumbs up for those brave Firefighters!!
Show decay? It's been happening since before the '67 riots. Illiteracy, illegitimacy, no desire for education, confusion, despair, gunplay, murder, gang infested, crime, welfare, etc... And it's almost the same in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, Newark, Camden... Geez....(?)
How does the decay begin? What kind of people do shit like this?
Congratulation! One of the best documentary i've seen. I'm a firefighter form Canada and i knew there was something goin on in Detroit but didn't thought it was that bad.
Keep doing movies your doing good.
Pascal Marchand
It was Detroit's Fire Department that influenced me to become a firefighter. i just recently passed my FF1 course and im looking forward to what my fire department brings. keep up the good work guys! Cheers from Litchfield!
so sad to see beautiful structures wasted. bless the emergency responsers of Detroit
"if something happens, call the fire department, they'll come with a lot of noise and a lot of people." I love it, much love
Over a billion dollars (probably more) in military aid just goes to Pakistan every year, and major American city is in shambles. This makes my head hurt.
curry ain't cheap...
Then you realise your government is war addict and corrupt.. They use that as an excuse to invade other countries you know? They say its corrupt there and people are not happy so they invade it but detroit looks worse in the meantime its all rich bankers who want the war my friend they dont care about people they only care about money!
Detroit isn't the only American city in total shambles. Other Michigan cities like Flint, Saginaw, Pontiac, and Highland Park are almost as bad. Outside Michigan you can check out troubled, decrepit locales like Gary IN, Youngstown OH, Niagara Falls NY, Schenectady NY, Bridgeport CT, Newark NJ, Chester PA and many other older northern cities that have fallen on hard times and never recovered. A horrible American tragedy indeed.
Detroit is no longer needed. Demolish the buildings and leave the rubble.
More money has been dumped into Detroit than any other city in America and no Republican has held office in Detroit for over 60 years
A lot of good quotes in this documentary. "Call the fire department, because they will come with a lot of noise and a lot of people" has to be my favorite one so far though.
Great job Constance . As a firefighter on the west coast of Canada , I have never had a day as busy as my brothers in Detroit . Stay safe my friends !!!
Ok, I watched the whole movie and it was incredibly inspiring to see and hear what these heroes take on despite all the problems.
I really appreciated hearing all different members of the crew speak about their experiences. Everyone from the arson investigators, to the captains, to the firefighters who literally put their lives on the line to save people. That's what they signed up for; to save lives. Having to be distracted by dealing with vacant buildings, fire-bombers, juvenile delinquents, and suspicious fires set by people needing to just collect on the insurance or to make the process of demolition simpler and easier.
What really was heart-wrenching is hearing about the people living next door to these fire hazards, keeping their own houses up and liveable seeing a vacant house next door be torched and spreading to destroying the home they loved. One clip showed a junk heap going up in flames next to a nice home with hanging plants, wind chimes, and a beautifully kept a lawn being irreparably damaged despite all the love they put into a place they called home.
The suspected corruption of city contractors taking tax $ for the job of tearing down an eyesore and a "mysterious" fire breaking out on the property is stomach-turning.
I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit. I would never move back to Michigan if there was anything I could do in my power to avoid it. But these firefighters actually care about the city and the people trying to live in this hell hole honestly. That is admirable!
I'm so happy to be in Southern California. We have earthquakes, floods, and wildfires. But we don't have to live in a garbage dump or a corrupted city. Maybe these Democratic mayors and City Council members need to be thrown out of office. Give a Republican a chance to keep your city from decaying and burning.
Anyway, major respect for these firefighters. It's quite humbling to see people risk their lives to save their city despite the dismal odds.
+Laura S (laursaurus) Thank you! The people living next door to these vacants- are the reason I did this to begin with. The vacants were the inspiration for the documentary. I turned to the firefighters, because - aside from the residents- they are the most affected by these vacants. They know the whys and the why-nots. They know the costs. What was truly heartbreaking for me was knowing that a child could spend their entire childhood living next to a home like that and grow up thinking that is normal. Not to mention what constant ugliness does to a child's perception of the world. The story has evolved into a firefighter's story- but it began as a war-cry of desperation for the children of these neighborhoods. Thanks for watching and sharing. Please check out Detroit on Fire 2 and if possible share my Gofundme for 2-3 more docs. www.gofundme.com/z6p4fvd4
"It's like Detroit never stops burning." Roberto Romero (best quote)
The constant fires is another sign of this city's long and painful demise. Detroit just cannot seem to turn itself around and it is more gloom and decline along with abandonment.
EXCELLENT video documentary showing the lives of some of the GREATEST firemen in the world and the arson ravaged city they do battle in day in and day out, Great job Constance! Lt. Tony Buckrop Gary,IN Fire Dept.
the city has been tearing a lot of these down over the past few years. there are still so many out there but at least they are working on it. progress!
I am so proud of my cousin Roberto Romero and all the Detroit Fire fighters who put their lives and their family’s lives out on the line every day to help others- people, buildings..... This is more than just a job; it’s a commitment, a life style a sacrifice every day.
Yes, I got an A. :)
I've been working on Detroit on Fire 2 since then - it's now live and posted. Be sure to check it out so you can see what's been going on since. Thanks!
God bless the DFD and all firefighters around the world. Thank you for all you've done, the risks you take, the lives you save, and the men you lost.
these guys and gals are the true heroes.
25 years ago I drove from Toronto straight through the centre of Detroit and out to the suburbs. I promised I'd never do that again. The contrast between the two cities, 4-1/2 hours drive between each other, could not be more extreme. Currently, however, it is more extreme. It begs the observation: Thank god there's a manned border between the US and Canada. Something in the US is very, very wrong.
Let that be a stern warning to some Canadian nationals and other foreign nationals in other countries that taking the conservative, pro corporate, right wing side is not a wise decision. Look at Detroit and most of the rest of the USA and you will see the end results of supply side/trickle down economics and tax cuts only for the very wealthy. Also American society is the ultimate wasteful throwaway society where we think we can just run away from our serious problems. Our anti-urban attitudes and our ignorant frontier style mentality also contributed to the serious problems of Detroit and most other older, northern American cities. However it is not only the central cities stuck in poverty and decline, most older first ring suburbs are suffering the exact same problems as the more prosperous, upwardly mobile move still further out to the younger outer ring suburbs and rural exurbs causing the doughnut hole of abandonment and decline to expand even more. Our racist, xenophobic, homophobic, and anti semetic attitudes has helped fuel the serious problems that the USA is facing today and our society is so unequal and unbalanced that it is undermining the future of the USA.
R. Preskop It was the labor unions that ruined that city.
+R. Preskop Detroit was driven into the ground by corrupt Democrats. Do you even know what the hell you're talking about?
Try putting some Republicans in charge of that city. It certainly can't possibly make it any worse.
I lived in Southeastern Michigan! The taxes were outrageous and so were the thug-run unions! How you can possibly blame the ruining of Detroit and Michigan's economy on Republicans is either ignorant or idiotic!
Laura S Trickle down economics is the main cause for not just Detroit's deindustrialization, but all of America's. Union's aren't without some of the blame, but Reagan is the root cause. For you to not understand that is idiotic.
00:54 the writing on the wall says, in Russian, "welcome to Chechnya", heh :-)
It's that shock that inspired me to do this.I couldn't imagine kids spending their whole lives around such horrible blight and threat. I combined it with the fire department because of the death of FF Walter Harris in a vacant home arson and because nobody suffers from the vacant home problem more than the fire department does.
thank you for posting this video Constance York, this is a great eye opener!
It is almost beyond comprehension for me, living in a city where land values even 45 minutes away from downtown is still $95 to $110 a square foot and people are lucky to own homes older than maybe the 1950s, to see such BEAUTIFUL and monumental architecture just crumbling or being senselessly burned for a gag or a laugh... it is just crazy. I can't even imagine placing such little value or having such little pride in the built form of the city you live in that you can just torch it like that.
I was born in Detroit to see this city in the shape it's in now a days makes me sad
Yes, funny you should say that. While I was making this, I heard there were city planners from New Orleans touring Detroit to get ideas on how best to rebuild New Orleans. We all laughed and wished we could've heard their conversation on the flight home as they wondered why they'd came here of all places.
My uncle Mike is a fireman / Chicago / engine 52 .... fireman are honorable men. My respect goes out to Detroit F.D AND ALL FIREFIGHTERS .
Thanks for sharing. Hopefully some day things will change in Detroit and the rest of the world.
$24 million??and 1800 homes demolished in 1 year??i wouldnt be surprised if people just started moving in mobile homes on the land instead of rebuilding houses..huge props to all the firefighters,you're a tough brave bunch of people..
Total respect for all Fire Fighters. Constance, you have done a very good thing in a very professional manner. Good luck to you and Detroit.
I'm from and grew up in Ingham county in Michigan, and my heart aches for the city of Detroit. I drove through the city last winter and I was absolutely shocked by the state of the "neighborhoods". I have been to the very poorest communities in Ghana, Africa and I feel they were living in a paradise compared to the worst areas of Detroit. I was stunned speechless actually by how horrible it was in the city. It all makes me very very sad.
Some of those brick houses had potential to be very nice homes. Sad to see this decay.
+The Dollar Guy I said the same thing. The houses that they built pre-1950 are really strong, even fires couldn't bring them down in one shot. They are all made up of brick and cement.
Great Job. My dad was a Detroit fireman from the 1950s through the 1980s -- he worked out of Engine 23 most of his career. I have great memories of visiting that house when I was kid in the 60s.
Sad to see what was once I'm sure a nice city, just go down and fall apart. God Bless these BRAVE men & woman of Detroit fighting fires like this daily.
This is an amazing documentary. Thank you so much! I am in awe at what the DFD has to do, and put up with. What an amazing bunch of firefighters! From Virginia to Detroit, God bless you all and keep you safe.
It's b-rabbit and cheddar bob behind it all. "Me and Dre stood next to a burnt down house with a can full of gas and a hand fulla matches...and still no one found out"
Excellent video! Thank you for taking the time to give these fine Fire Fighters & those that are serving the real recognition. So sad. I grew up in Michigan & it really tugs at my heart strings to see such devastation. Continued prayers & blessings.
Now THIS is a great Detroit documentary...these guys working so hard against the odds to try to take care of people, keep them from losing their homes or maybe even their lives...really feel for them and for the fire victims...this should have won Sundance awards instead of that other Detroit documentary I just watched.
Its always amazing how the first cuts in cities are the police and fire,like they said "Its like building a house without the roof" doesn't make sense. Stay safe DFD
This is really a great documentary. You did a great job of explaining the problem, explaining the elements that exacerbate the problem. There should be a lot of community policing and more volunteering to save this great city. I hope the politicians quit playing politics and do whats right for the people of Detroit.
Much love and respect to our firefighter brothers in Detroit.
Detroit Fire is straight up("bullshark")!! I suffered a stroke due to gross medical negligence,and they refused to pay my pension because my former smoking habit was deemed a "pre-existing condition"!!! A simple case of sinusitis,which went misdiagnosed and untreated,caused the bacteria to"eat"through the walls of my sinus cavity,infect my brain with an abcess,bringing on a stroke,but smoking was deemed a"pre-existing condition",and thus I have to seek other avenues to support myself!! Thanks DFD;you're ALL heart!!But in November of 2001,my smoking didn't stop ME from being one of only TWO firefighters to reach the 20th floor apartment of a building where a flickering yellow light was reported by passers-by!! On my way up there I passed a half-dozen NON-smoking/non-drinking firefighters who were sitting on the stairs"out-of-gas"and a sergeant leaning over the 12th floor railing"dry-heaving"and unable to proceed any further!! If you live in Detroit,make sure you live BELOW the 10th floor of any structure,if you expect to be rescued!!
Finally a documentary that isn't biased or censored.. The truth from the men and women who see it every day. Best line "if theres a problem at my house I tell my wife to call the fire dept..... ... cause they will show up fast and with alot of noise.. ...never know how long till police will get there..."
A hugh amount of RESPECT for my brothers at DFD!!! The hardest working FFer's in the whole country and if you think they are not consider this. Triple the workload of any FD their size, the worst equipment in the country,and to top it all of the lowest paid. DFD has suffered through numerous paycuts and are currently being asked to take another. They sure as hell are not in it for the money. they do it out of professional pride and respect and commitment to each other and the people of Detroit.
It is all about learning how to trust each other! That is what is the beauty of the fire service is that we essentially strangers coming into the fire station and in a short period of time and in the biink of an eye, living in cramped quarters, maybe his/hers restroom; cramped sleeping quarters with 8-10 twin beds jambed in a large open room that serves as day-night sleeping quarters. The fire house my have a kitchen that no more than 4 can be in it at the same, but still some of the best beacon, sausages, biscuits, coffee, pancakes, and even cereal taste better when it comes out of a fire house kitchen. As a new probationary firefighter 35 years ago I walked into my assigned fire house for my first day-tour duty. Scared half to death, couldn't sit still at all, felt guilty when I did try to ease into one of 3 real recliners but everytime it would suddenly it would hit a space and slip throwing you back almost on your head. Your fellow fighters who were talking sort of watching TV, suddenly were staring at me like I had committed a fire house infraction. But after working several more shifts and becoming more comfortable with my new home (1800-1900 built fire house), I was more at ease fulfilling daily duty assignments tasks. Fast-forward 35 years it quickly became that time to start thinking of retirement. The place that I dreaded living, eating meals, sleeping in, and the place (kitchen table) where all problems in the world were worked out and solved. Now when I went home to my large modern home built in 1992, all new amenities, my wife and I dedicated king-size air bed, wok-shop, large kitchen with cabinets packed with food. Bur for some reason I was suddenly experience those feelings I had battled through 35 years earlier when walked into the very small, smoky, cramped, table too small, open bedroom, smokers still allowed to smoke throughout fire station, Why would I now struggle to function in my own beautiful home? Maybe it is because there are no stories being told regarding the activities that occurred during the night-tour responders. Or maybe the one firefighter tagged as station cook isn't available to cook this special fire house breakfast. The 24 hour quietness that penetrates the walls whenever anywhere from 6 to 10 firefighting telling at least 5 different stories all at the same time. God if only I could go back to the fire house and relive those areas that had been such an impression startin day one on the job 😞😩😧
That was a great video. . . Excellent thoughts and views by everyone that spoke in this production. . .
Well done, Ms. York! I know how much work went into this - a 50 minute final cut must have started out as 50 hours raw. The continual discussions by firefighters and others humanized the story and provided real connections to it. My only constructive criticism would be to suggest "covering" more of the interviews with dynamic b-roll. Still, your piece is an accomplishment.
Its crazy to think that across the river, literally a stone throw away, sits the city of Windsor, Canada.. that's thriving, free health care for almost a million people etc... Its sad to see a city like this. Between Detroit and Windsor.. Its literally night and day.. Cmon America..
I think part of the problem is that the houses are built too close together. I saw one video where a careless builder set one newly built wood house on fire and it spread to the next 4 new houses, destroying all five. They were only a few feet apart.
This is so sad to me. I live in Georgia and we just don't have any whole cities that have such interesting and truly American architecture. Detroit is absolutely an American jewel and more should be done to support her. She has certainly done her part to support the rest of this country.
If you're referring to arsonists- the city has cut the arson down to 8 investigators. So, I don't think they care about catching them. And the police are averaging a 58 min. response time.
Iv seen ads for homes for sale in Detroit for *ONE DOLLAR!* Its really crazy there is over *70,000* vacant homes. But if its true it can take over 3 hours for the police to get to a call no wonder arsonists aren't scared of getting caught.
+Jay B it's the city selling them for $1, but the tax value is $75,000. They are after the yearly tax income
+Jay B I think that figure is up now. It could be possible 80,000-90,000 vacant homes. Its amazing, im from east next to NYC and to see famous city like Detroit fall apart is mind boggling to me.
I developed whole lot of respect for these men and women who are doing their job sincerely even in such horrible situations. It is so sad that we never hear or read about them in so called media who is F*** obsessed with fake personalities who are hoarding all those millions of $$$$. We are becoming more ignorant day by day and there seems to be no end to it.
and the media is only concerned with the shock value from petty crime believing that dumb people will be fixated long enough to watch commercials; Rather than producing independent films of substance like this one, that are basically detailing the problem in depth, and how to deal with it (suggesting solutions). Though I am a staunch free market libertarian and believe that Capitalism is the best economic system, I think the federal government should have bailed out Detroit (and should still do it now).
Firefighters are the toughest guys (and gals) around. Kudos to the Detroit FD for fighting the good fight. Great job on the documentary, Constance York. Hope you got a good grade!
Great film, I did not know Detroit had such a problem. My prayers are to Detroit and it's residents.
2019 - You now have former neighborhoods becoming so vacant and so desolate that an arsonist or vandal could torch everything on the block, and it STILL wouldn't be a threat to anything occupied! Some sections of the city are so empty and devoid of people that nature itself is taking everything back!
And then, the owners become homeless.
I wouldn't be surprised if there is a resurgence of devils night this year in 2020, considering everything going on.
wow. That is all that my mind came to during this clip. I mean, I sat don tonight just surfing you tube and i came across this video. I thought it was just going to be a boring clip of some guy driving past burned buildings but...wow. Great job on the documentary and i hope that Detroit finally gets back on it's feet again and that this will all stop.
Great video and great crew
I completely agree with the Fire Commissioner's "Let It Burn" policy...A good number of these structures, empasis on the abandoned ones are beyond renovation, and in most cases, the ones surrounding...are not worth risking one's lives for...Do an infrared check on the one in flames, check out (and clear) any abandoned structures that may be around it, and if the wind factor's not bad, let 'em all go...Saves on manpower, wear and tear on the equipment, and saves time on demolition/clearing costs.
Wow 😳!!! used to go to Detroit as a kid from Niagara Falls Canada, and I always remember Detroit being scary, run down houses, sketchy people. these fire man are awesome!! The crap 💩 they have to put up with, WoW!!
Firefighters and EMTS are the most important sector of public saftey and they are true heroes. They do way more for Americans than our Armed Forces, and police force combined. Kudos, DFD and thank you!
You guys have balls of steel, stay strong fellas
THE ECONOMIC NINJA sent me here...he is also a fireman.
Interesting Docu ... thank you for making it.
Finally... Detroit began aggressively knocking down these shells in the last 5 years. Now, instead of vacant homes you have just wide open land. It's bizarre. You have fields and fields of open spaces right next to a major metropolitan area. It's just so bizarre how much open land is now available in Detroit.
Yes- it's incredible and just as shocking as the old vacants were. Amazing what one good mayor can do.
Really well done, I'd give ya' an A Plus, really got it down, from start to finish you captured the situation from everbody involved. If it were not for the FireFighters, the concerned citizens, to the people who document the plight so the world can see what the deal is, you are what keeps the faith amongst us........thanks again sir!
Really great job Constance! I like the way this is sequenced. It's nice to see the funny, lighter side near the end where they are telling stories. "I didn't get a really good fire until 8 or 9 o'clock (that night)" I was expecting him to say a week. Good job working with what you have brothers and sisters!
And to think the City may have to lose 100 officers until grant money can be re-secured. Sad state of affairs there for sure.
I gather no property is insurable in Detroit.
It's very difficult and extremely expensive.
Its amazing hoe they are able to save some of the houses that our only a few feet from the ones that are burned to the ground. Awesome job!
fantastic video..
37:35 I live in Brockton Ma. My mother has a history of heart problems. She had a heart attack (minor) thankfully. At the time my father asked do you want me to call an ambulance. She said yes so he did. After 10 min he said come on im driving you. Mind you the fire house is 2-3 minutes away. They had to drive past the fire house to go to the hospital. The fire truck's were just coming out of the station. This happened in the middle of the day. Thankfully she is doing good now. I can't imagine what it's like for the people of Detroit. I feel for you.
Anyone know how I can get in touch with a house captain for ride along. Im a firefighter in Wisconsin and would love to run a shift with these guys. Amazing group of guys.
@cjtorrice Thank you. It's a great house. If you haven't been back to the neighborhood, you would be shocked what it looks like now.
The "Broken window theory" applies to building and houses also.
I agree, the news made it worse, butthe burned down houses have always been around and part of the reason I hated going to certain areas of Detroit at night, its one of the scariest places on Earth. I still Love Detroit ❤.
An excellent video, it's so much more than a fire video, showing the plight/blight of the inner cities. Listen to these guys, look at the pics, so many empty houses, factories, arson fires, etc.....bad economy. I tip my hat to all the firefighters. This should be shown on Nat. Geo, or Discovery Channel.
I remember a saying "Life begins at 8-mile"! Apparently the city limits at least at some point were at 8-Mile Road, the implications were that on the other side of that street life started up again!What ever happened to "Devil's Night"?
@The24205 You're the first person to mention that line. I was thinking the same thing when he said it. :) Thanks for watching.
@areubaked Thank you very much. I'm actually a writer by trade. I took the class out of interest and then couldn't let go of this story. I actually learned Final Cut Pro just to do this documentary. I learned a lot about filmmaking (mostly by making a lot of mistakes.) Thanks for the advice. I will. :)
This is what, in terms of the Fire Department, is called ventilation. Ventilation provides multiple uses on the fire ground, such as fire control. Smoke, heat, and all of the hot gases rise. However, these layers eventually fill a structure once they have nowhere else to go. By ventilating the roof of a structure fire, you allow the release of said gases/heat/smoke into the outer atmosphere, reducing their presence inside and their effect on combustible materials and interior attack teams.
We Are Rising Up FINALLY But so are the taxes and water bills etc...Our Newest Mayor Mike Duggan IS AWESOME!!!!! Rebuilding neighborhoods & Removing the blight with the help of MANY useful dedicated men,women and children...God bless MY City to continue to PROTECT ALL OUR VERY OVERWORKED AND GREAT HARDWORKING EMERGENCY RESPONDERS😍😍😍😍I 'VE LIVED BOTH EAST&WEST SIDE SO THANK YOU ALL👏👏👏👏
Very nice job Constance. So many cities/governments are controlled by the money that comes from wealthy donations to campaigns. Glad people like you are fighting for the impoverished and those pushed to the margins in society. God Bless You!
Thank you for the documentary. I wasn't aware of the problems that you all are facing. I have known though that Detroit had a very bad reputation for crime and drugs. I really not understand how you all do it.
Love this, Great job
I will say out of every single Fire Department in America, Detroit is the one I have the most respect for.They go through so much shit.
Takes a lot of courage to do this day in and day out, great job film making as well.
It kills me that an arsonist would put firefighters and EMS at risk by starting a fire. Not to mention people in nearby structures. And they care nothing about the possibility of someone possibly being in a structure thought to have been vacant. Its just a disgusting lack of conscience.
Oh absolutely. The vigilante fires while appalling and inexcusable under any circumstances are occasionally understandable because the residents who commit vigilante fires are understandably sick and tired of the vacant or abandoned buildings bringing drugs and crime into their neighborhood.
Hang tough Detroit you do have a wonderful city.
Thank you! Did you notice this video is 8 years old? Detroit has turned things around these last few years!
I really enjoyed your documentry, But not the problems contained within.... Heros!
Thank you. Very kind.
What a wonderful place to live
On the worst parts of Rochester, New York, you will find this. Due to druggies, empty houses that are used as crack houses, arson, and more. I keep hearing how wonderful and beautiful Rochester, New York is and what a wonderful place it is to visit. I live East of Rochester, have been through there and the ones who believe that....live in a damn dream world!! Arson, shootings, and more. I would never, never, never live there nor believe in the words " Beautiful Rochester " . Just unbelievable and to live there? To own or two rent...is outrageous!!
After years after a fire, the city would rather board them up, druggies go in there, arsonists don't care about the innocent people living next door, and yet make you believe how beautiful it is???!! Hogwash!! Rochester is no better than anywhere else in New York State!! Worse crime. More crime, higher paying taxes, and more. Dream on Rochester. I will definitely pray for you.
Wow.....what insight into the job of a ghetto FF and those that do it. Dad retired from FDNY, me and my brother were FF's too. May be the best work on the topic that I have ever seen. Big props to DFD....absolute giants in the FF world. Stay safe Brother's, its geting worse out there.
Since I have recently get to the age of retirement in the fire service, I wish retired firefighters could somehow meet and coordinate arrangements to some how take time to come up to Detroit FD, and assist you guys with station projects, or an elderly family's home that needs repairs following a devastating impact from fire. I am from the Houston are, but would love to come to DFD and do the brotherly love thing is help to hold yall's hands up wile we do the work!!!!
These were such beautiful houses. What an absolute waste.
Detroit is a prime example of a city government that cares ONLY about the special interest groups that flood the officials with under-the-table "donations" and how much they can gain for their own greedy purposes. Cities that are run by people like that fast becoming more like a septic tank than a place to live, work and raise a family. I really feel sorry for the firemen, police and other first responders that have to battle through each workday TRYING to make a difference when NOBODY in the city government gives a damn about them or the citizens of the city.
I agree, there are some buildings that my department will what we call surround and drown. Preventing other buildings from catching on fire becomes a top priority on empty buildings. But we'd never say that to a camera.
love and respect to all first responders
thank you
4000 cases of arson a year!? ....and that doesn't even put a dent in the 95'000 abandoned homes in Detroit. and THAT doesn't even include the businesses and high rise/ apartment units!
Great documentary. I wonder what the situation is in 2014, would be interesting to see another documentary that shows how the situation has evolved, whether it is now better or worse ... but judging by the street view on Google maps of city streets in Detroit, I'm guessing that the situation remains the same, or worse. I'm from Canada and when I first saw videos about the destroyed houses and desperate lives of people living in Detroit, I cried. It is exactly like living in hell. I admire those who manage to maintain a positive outlook, to me it seems beyond grim and hopeless, a never ending nightmare.
Fire fighters must be ingesting a lot of toxic fumes, ie: asbestos and other substances in the smoke. I am wondering whether they are experiencing adverse health problems from long term exposure.
Detroit on Fire 2 is now on UA-cam. It is the follow-up to this one.
+Constance York www.gofundme.com/z6p4fvd4
+galefraney www.gofundme.com/z6p4fvd4
Thank you very much.