On May 3, 2021, my younger cousin Shamika Jordan was in a house fire. Her home on 1111 McAlister caught on fire and the fire hydrant adjacent to her home did not work. The Benton Harbor fire department had to go two blocks down the street from the house fire to find a working fire hydrant and called the Saint Joseph Fire Department for assistance. During this time, Shamika was still in the home. By the time, the fire department got into the home, Shamika had already passed away and over 80% of her body was burned. 

The Wachs Water Services study from 2020 determined that 235 of the city’s 524 hydrants were not working properly, “with defects ranging from minor issues to major defects that render the hydrant incapable of producing any flow.” To this day, many residents of Benton Harbor, Michigan still do not know if their fire hydrant is broken. This is a state of emergency and an extreme public safety issue. The residents deserve adequate, effective fire hydrants in their neighborhoods for safety and protection. 

If fire safety is neglected more people are left vulnerable to die by fire. If the Shamika Jordan Fire Preventative Maintenance Resolution is passed, we can save lives. The resolution calls for:

• Fire hydrants are inspected twice a year
• Tell residents and business owners if their fire hydrants are or are not working.
• Declare a “Day of Remembrance” of Shamika Jordan in recognition of fire safety.
• Make sure that fire trucks have a full tank of water.
• Start a fire safety course for local youth.
• Perform electrical fire safety home inspections every year.