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State fire chief mum on fireworks

Someone suggested it’s like the FBI director refusing to take a stance against crime as the state fire marshal, whose job it is to protect human life, has boldly declared he does not have a position on junking the state’s explosive fireworks law.

Ten weeks ago, after quietly accepting the resignation of his then state fire marshal, (more on that in a moment), Gov. Rick Snyder plucked a 30 year veteran of the firefighting wars out of Grand Rapids to ride herd on fire safety issues in the state.

So it was only natural that in the run-up to the 4th of July the media wanted to know what Kevin Sehlmeyer thought about this law that has been under siege from some local officials since it was adopted in 2011 and modified in 2013.

He has no position.

That’s not a misprint nor was it taken out of context.

He has no position and further more he says, “I’m not involved. I’m not advocating for change. I will leave that up to the politicians,” he ducks comfortably into the high grass on this high profile fireworks debate.

What gives?

It’s a legitimate question given the fate of the former fire marshal who came into office with a pledge to give this law a good once over and she promised to make some recommendations. But before she got around to that, the gov’s guys got around to letting her go. She was out the door with no report, no recommendations and no stance on the issue.

So was the new guy told by the governor’s guys to keep his big mouth shut, too?

He says nope. So why not take a position since his job title may infer that he should have a stance?

Based on his longevity in the local government trenches he reports he’s learned it is his assignment to “enforce the laws that that politicians write.” And if they change the laws he will enforce that, too.

You did not have to scratch very deeply into the legislative ranks to find bi-partisan opposition to the fire marshal’s duck and hide philosophy.

A former veteran fire chief turned Democratic lawmaker Rep. Tom Cochran wondered out loud,” saying that this should be left to the politicians, sounds to me like a statement from a career politician. He should take a stance.”

A GOP lawmaker with a knack for shooting from the lip was less polite. “What the hell is he doing?” asked Rep. Peter Lucido. “He’s got a badge and that fancy uniform. It is his charge to take a position.”

There are 13, count ’em, 13 bills in the House hopper to change or repeal the law and the 4th of July came and went for another year sans any action on any of them.

A former firefighter turned lawmaker, Rep. Henry Yanez, reports that he did a head count last year and found 40 legislators who were against the law or undecided.

“There is support,” for this change he reports but there’s been no vote, no committee hearings, no nothing on these bills. He hopes to pressure the House GOP speaker to at least hold a hearing. But don’t forget the state is raking in the cash on this lucrative business.

Meanwhile, back at the ol’ fire house, the fire marshal reports he has more important fish to fry. His focus is on the rash of house fires that just last week saw five persons die in this state. And he rattles off a shocking figure of 3,900 house fires last year that resulted in 116 injuries including 46 firefighters and 34 fatalities. He prefers to work on that adding, “I’ve got bigger issues to focus on.”

Wonder what he would say if he was asked to provide the same figures for those who lost a finger, an eye, or ended up in the ER from fireworks not to mention a ton of noise complaints from humans and dogs.

Do you think he’d have an answer?

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