In front of a crowd filled with family, friends and many firefighters, Michael Stradtner was sworn in as Westland fire chief at Monday's city council meeting.
"I promise to do the best I can to make the fire department the best department it can be," said Stradtner, who most recently served as assistant fire chief/EMS coordinator,.
As noted at the meeting, it had been a long time since Westland had a swearing-in ceremony for a new fire chief. Stradtner replaces Michael Reddy, who served as Westland fire chief for 16 years until recently being appointed deputy mayor.
"I look forward to you moving the fire department forward," Westland Mayor William Wild said. "I wanted to recognize Mike Reddy, who was our youngest and longest serving chief. Not too long ago he (Reddy) headed the Westland, Wayne and Inskter fire departments."
A Livonia Stevenson High School graduate, Stradtner worked for a private ambulance company before being hired by the fire department in January 1995.
"I was real happy to see how many firefighters turned out (for the swearing-in). I came up through all the ranks. I had 15 years in the firefighter division," he said. "I came into a culture with the older guys that it was a brotherhood. You look out for the guys — they are the bread and butter of the department."
It's the job of fire administration to get firefighters what they need to do their jobs, Stradtner said, so people can get the service they need from the firefighters. As Westland fire chief, Stradtner is also head of the Wayne Fire Department under the operational merger and applies that philosophy to both departments.
Westland Mayor William Wild has set a challenge for having the fire department achieve a national fire accreditation similar to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies earned by the Westland Police Department during a two-year process.
"One of the biggest challenges will be getting through the accreditation process. It's heaving on policy, data collections and policies," Stradtner said. "It's probably a two or three year process."
Firefighter manpower will also be a challenge going forward, Stradtner said. SAFER grant funding for 13 Westland firefighters expires in a year while Wayne expects to add six firefighters under the same federal grant.
"Hopefully, we'll get an extension but I don't know yet. We will always have the standard stuff — needing a fire truck and expected needs," he said.
Stradtner and his wife Jennifer have four children: a 21-year-old daughter, 19-year-old twin daughters and a 6-year old son.
