Where There’s Smoke, There’s a Fire Station

TROY, Mich. —  On March 1, smoking will be banned in all city buildings, with six exceptions: fire stations.

The Detroit suburb has about 450 employees who will be subject to the ban, but 170 volunteer firefighters are exempt.

“Well, they’re smoke eaters to start with, aren’t they?” said City Councilman Anthony Pallotta, who argued for the exemption. “They volunteer their services, they save the city millions of dollars a year--if they want to have a smoke, that should be fine.”