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.