On the heels of a historically safe Angels' Night weekend, the Detroit City Council today confirmed Mayor Mike Duggan's choice for executive fire commissioner, Eric Jones.
The council voted 8-1 to confirm Jones' appointment. Council President Brenda Jones voted no, she said, because Eric Jones lacks experience as a firefighter.
“I think you will do great once you learn the job,” Brenda Jones said at today's council meeting. "It might depend on my life or death situation. I would like that call to go to someone who has experience.”
Eric Jones, 46, said he was satisfied with the council's vote. He said afterward that he believes Jones will be supportive of his leadership, noting that she did not oppose a waiver placed on the 8-1 vote. The waiver means the vote cannot be reconsidered.
“I’m just honored," Eric Jones said. "The Angels' Night was just spectacular with all our community involvement.”
Over the three days of the Angels’ Night period, starting Thursday and ending Saturday night, Detroit firefighters responded to 52 fires — down from 97 last year and 810 in 1984, according to a news release from Duggan’s office. It was the city’s lowest count of Angels’ Night fires on record.