To the editor:

Last week (the week of Aug. 6), Capt. Keith Schumacher was abruptly transferred away from Station #23 (Wildwood’s primary fire station). You may recall Capt. Shoe from him bringing the fire truck to our picnics. Or maybe you remember him from his phenomenal service during the bus tragedy on the Northside (Drive overpass at I-75), or perhaps his delivering of a child on the side of I-75.

Almost certainly you will recall his outspoken advocacy of fire fighter pay increases, and numerous fund raising campaigns for the orphans and widows of fallen fire fighters.

With his transfer comes the elimination of the “Books in the Bay” program (reading to children in the fire station engine bay). In addition, Capt. Shoe was the leader of the “Wildwood North” ACERT (Atlanta Citizen Emergency Response Team) training program that probably will now wither away. He also wrote the informative “fireside chats” that were posted here and in the Berkley Park newsgroups and (hopefully) made your home a safer place. With his departure, so go those things.

Capt. Shoe did not request this transfer and his former position is currently “vacant”. Of the supposedly “senior” folks to be replacing him Station #23, one has less seniority in both time and rank, another was promoted after Shoe was transferred, and the third was only promoted a month or so ago.

This whole situation is so messed up. Shoe is very much an outspoken individual—I agree on that for sure—but Wildwood and the local neighborhoods are now being penalized for his community out-reach and activism. That’s just not right.

Shoe very much needs our help to get him reassigned back down here at

(Station) #23, protecting Wildwood and the surrounding area (where, after 27 years of AFD service, he belongs and wants to be).

Shoe made this little corner of ATL safer, I’d like that to continue.

Please join me (and Berkley Park and other neighbors) in contacting Chief Miller (dmiller@atlantaga.gov) in making your personalized request to “give us back our Shoe!” If you want to cc: the Mayor and our City Council Rep (sfranklin@atlantaga.gov) and (cmuller@atlantaga.gov). That may help too.

Jud Ready

Wildwood Civic Association