Editor's Letter
A Community's Resolve
Hechtman II resident Mildred Newmark, 94, is led to safety - —
as the fire surged. At right is Matt Prentice of the Bingham
Farms-based Matt Prentice Restaurant Group, which pro-
vided food for evacuees and staff.
I
t could have been a chaotic and frightening day as fire swept
through Building II of the Lillian & Samuel Hechtman
Jewish Apartments in West Bloomfield.
Fear did weigh in when flames, appar-
ently ignited by a third-floor boiler
room problem, produced heavy black
smoke whipped by high winds for
nearly five hours. The first alarm came
about 10 a.m. on April 9. Rescue workers
evacuated about 100 seniors from each
of the two three-story Hechtman build-
ings operated by Jewish Apartments &
Services (JAS).
The blaze in Hechtman II, the only
building
damaged,
served as a testimonial to the human
spirit under tough conditions. The
fire underscored the resilience of everyone who had a role that
fateful day: the evacuees, rescue teams, professional staff, volun-
teers, family — even the news media whose coverage brought
an instant avalanche of needed furniture, clothing, toiletries and
monetary donations.
Amid the anxiety, the jigsaw puzzle pieces of succor easily fit
together.
The median age at Hechtman is 89; the oldest person is 102.
None of us who viewed the TV news shots will forget the heroic
efforts of the firefighters carrying seniors down ladders from bal-
conies and windows of Hechtman II, built in 1992.
"I am always proud of our Jewish community, but today I was
especially se said Rabbi Jennifer Kaluzny of Temple Israel, locat-
ed about a mile away from the Eugene and Marcia Applebaum
Jewish Community Campus at Maple and Drake.
She shared her experience with me a few hours after the fire,
the fragility of life and the determination of people fresh on her
mind.
The Backdrop
At least four seniors were treated for minor injuries such as cuts
and smoke inhalation. Most of the 200 displaced seniors gathered
at the nearby Norma Jean and Edward Meer Jewish Apartments.
Hechtman provides independent living so its residents are more
mobile than those who require assisted living like those at neigh-
boring Fleischman Residence, operated by Jewish Home and
Aging Services (JHAS).
JAS operates seven complexes on two campuses serving
almost 900 seniors, some subsidized.
As Kaluzny arrived at Meer to join Rabbi Marla Hornsten, a
Temple Israel colleague, she found a calm and comforting group
of JAS and JHAS staff and supporters tending to emergency
needs with kindness and affection.
Kaluzny, also on staff at Jewish
Hospice and Chaplaincy Network,
based in West Bloomfield, said:
"Marsha Goldsmith Kamin of JAS
and Carol Rosenberg of JHAS led with confidence and grace,
which I believe set the example for everyone to follow. They had
an emergency plan and obviously executed it flawlessly''
Emergency plans are essential. But having one and engag-
ing it are entirely different. We all should be proud of how well
it worked at Hechtman. The preparedness of the staff to handle
emergencies clearly made a difference.
We must reve re our seniors.
271 WEST MAPLE
DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM
248.258.0212
SUNDAY 12-5
MONDAY—SATURDAY 10-6
THURSDAY 10-8
A8
April 17 • 2008
Helping Hands
Evacuees brought to Meer got lunch, blankets and the warmth
of outstretched hands as they awaited relatives to pick them up
or to be taken to temporary housing. JAS officials developed a
replacement medication plan once roll call was taken. Mark Klar
of Warren Save-Mor Prescriptions in Farmington Hills reached
out by filling short-term prescriptions and worrying about insur-
ance coverage later. Other business people quickly pitched in
where they could, including Eugene Sherizen of Lighting Supply
Co. of Ferndale, which provided storage pods.