if you knew anything about the fire department, they have to shop for food daily-- it is not provided to them by the Township..they take the fire engines to the stores so they can respond with a full crew immediately to an emergency situation--maybe you should make a phone call and ask a question before questioning public safety, they are already overworked and understaffed!

They have to take the truck while shopping. If an alarm comes in they are ready, otherwise if they took their own vehicle (one person or more) they would end up being short handed for that alarm. They do have the right to eat too, they don't have the space to store their food like we do in our homes. Be happy that we still have firefighters out there, we could be like Detroit!

I understand that they have to eat and all but can't they have the shift commander take up the collection and go to the store? he/she drives to calls in a different vehicle anyway.
Can other twp employees stop and grocery shop in twp. vehicles?
Also to the one who said that they have no place to store their food, have you ever seen their kitchen areas? they have two refidgerators and the new stations have kitchens that rival some restaurants.

That has been my point. It's very expensive to drive these trucks around. When they shop, they have 2 apples, a bag of grapes and 3 pears. I've seen it several times and I beleive it has become a huge waste. We are told to live within a budget but government agencies continue to waste.

I'm not seeing this as a problem, the fire station is in close proximity to the grocery store so it's not like they are driving far. They are also prepared if a call comes in.

The problem is they are there 4 or 5 times a week and when they shop, they are buying a bag of grapes 2 apples and 3 pears. They are not actually grocery shopping. Driving a firetruck around as a personnal vehicle is costing the taxpayers a lot of wasted money. If you don't beleive me, go to Meijers on Groesbeck any weekday between 9 and 11 am.

Yes Firemen must eat, but must they travel so often to the store for small orders? That's the point, I believe.
I like the idea of making a shopping list and having the shift commander in an automobile shop and pick up the groceries. I am assuming the groceries are for the common meals for all the firefighters. If the food is just for a few individuals, then those individuals should shop on their own time and not take an entire Fire Engine.
As an alternative, I suggest the firemen use the internet to shop online at Meijers.com OrderToStore and quickly pick up the already picked and packaged order.
Come On Guys! We all (including the firefighters) pay for the service. Spending less money on gasoline and wear and tear on the Fire Engine works for the benefit of us all. Getting a little organized in the food department (planning a shopping list) isn't asking too much.

Obviously these few men are grumpy about a fire truck at Meijers shopping for their groceries, whether a few pieces of fruit, or a full days worth of meal preps. WHY are you begrudging these men and women the use of the truck? You would be so upset, God forbid that your house was on fire, and the firemen were at the grocery store and had to go back to the station to pick up the truck, taking them valuable response time to get to your home. THINK ABOUT IT!! Its obvious that you have a lot of time on your hands watching the comings and goings of firemen. Or what they buy. Where are your clip boards and stop watches? Geees. I am proud and thrilled that they are there for us when they are needed, fully equipped and on the ready. They are on-call you know! They are NOT JOY RIDING.

I'd love to shop for the firefighters. I'll volunteer to drive to the firehouse, pick up a shopping list, and shop for the firefighters on a daily basis. I have a pickup truck and should be able to handle a fire station. I can put the bill on my credit card and get reimbursed when I deliver the goods. I'll even pay for my gas out of my pocket. Who else would like to start a shopping service for these brave men and women? I appreciate all they have done to protect and save lives.
A "meals on wheels" type of service maybe called "groceries for our firefighters". I think I can only handle one or two stations. Would anyone else be willing to volunteer? The fire fighters are at risk each time they drive their fire trucks. If we can keep their non rescue road trips to a minimum, we can keep them safer.
Thanks guys and gals for keeping our community safe.

As I think more about "groceries for our firefighters" I think I could also help make healthy choices for them as I shop. No junk food or empty calorie foods. No sugary drinks. Wholesome whole grains, anti-oxidant rich fruit, green tea, tofu, low fat snacks. No high salt snack foods either. Minimally processed foods, healthy foods, only the best for these brave men and women. Not only would this keep them strong and alert, it would keep medical problems to a minimum. In season on Friday and Saturday I could get fresh produce at the Farmers Market in Mount Clemens. I can't wait to try this out.

Jim, that is a GREAT idea. i'm sure you could find a group of volunteers willing to help. If I wasn;t so busy with my kids I would be willing to help with this. The only thing I would suggest is not dictating what they eat. I know they should eat healthy just like all of us should, but I trhink if you try to telling them what they can or should eat would cause them to not want a service like this.

You're right 00. Just helping out with the shopping is enough. I got carried away with the nutrition stuff. Before I get too pushy, I'd like to hear from a real firefighter and get his/her opinion on shopping for the fire station.
Are there any fire fighters reading this who have an opinion on "groceries for our firefighters"? Please comment seriously. I live in Clinton Township, but I'm sure a program like this in every community would help.