Thursday, March 14, 2013 Benton Harbor Fire fighter Doug Bell was trapped in a house fire this morning and severely burned. Please keep him, his family and the BH Firefighters in your prayers.   More information will be sent out as it becomes available. 

The City of Benton Harbor has been operating under an Emergency Financial Manager for some time now.  One of the things that was imposed on them was the implementation of a PSO department.   They have one full-time “real” firefighter on duty each shift and they are supposed to be supplemented on scene by “trained” PSO officers.  The exact details and circumstances that lead to Doug’s injury are still being investigated but first reports are that he was in the house alone and when he became trapped, one of the PSO officers went in and assisted him.  Our members in Benton Harbor have been reporting that the PSO system is not working the way it was supposed to and that they have been getting very little “fire scene” assistance from the PSO officers.  Firefighter safety is severely compromised.