ALLEN PARK, Mich. – A Facebook post from the Allen Park Firefighters Union is causing some buzz in the community. The union claims the department’s staffing is reaching dire levels, stretching firefighters too thin.
The Facebook post was a farewell announcement for a longtime member of the fire department, who is leaving for another city rather than retiring.
Richard Hamilton, president of Allen Park Firefighters Local 1410, expressed his frustration.
“Once again, we lost another member of our department to a city with a better compensation package,” Hamilton said.
He highlighted the disconnect between public perception and the internal struggles of the department.
“The citizens see the fire trucks driving down the road. They don’t realize the internal struggles we have trying to keep our members,” he said.
Over the past five years, the department has lost 11 members. While seven retired, four left for other departments. Hamilton noted that hiring new members is challenging, as other departments are winning out.
“It all comes down to what the city is willing to pay, and they’re not willing to compete with these other communities,” he said.
Allen Park Fire Chief Jeff O’Reilly, who has been with the department for 26 years, shared his perspective on the issue.
“It’s very frustrating to see our numbers continue to go down, and while we are trying everything that we can to recruit new candidates, they’re just not out there,” O’Reilly said.
Currently, the department is down five members, but they can still operate safely thanks to many crew members agreeing to work overtime.
“It makes it hard because the crews are getting tired of working extra shifts, so sometimes we’ll run short, and the crews have to pick up that slack,” he said. “We still have to keep going out the door to help those that need us.”
The firefighters’ contract with the city is set to expire in June 2026. Hamilton hopes the city will improve its compensation package to fully staff the department.
“That’s the goal. My fear is we can’t wait that long. We’re losing people at an unprecedented pace, and I feel if we wait that long, we’re going to continue to lose people,” he said.
Another challenge in recruiting firefighters is the requirement for new hires to be firefighter-paramedics, which takes two to three years of training. This requirement complicates the immediate hiring process.
For those interested in a job with the Allen Park Fire Department, Chief O’Reilly encourages potential candidates to stop by one of their stations or give them a call. “We’d love to hear from you,” he said.
