Excerpts from Record-Eagle.com:
The Grand Traverse Metro Fire Department board recently approved a new policy that will charge neighboring fire departments between $1,000 and $5,000 for every two-hour shift that a Metro fire truck spends responding to fires outside of the member townships—Acme, East Bay, and Garfield. This decision came after the department provided support to surrounding areas 25 times in the past year, while only receiving help five times.
"Mutual aid should be a two-way street," said Metro Fire Chief Pat Parker. "But the numbers show we haven't been getting much in return." The move has sparked some debate, but it's seen as a necessary step to balance the workload and costs among local fire departments.
The county operates under a box-response system, where the area is divided into 80 geographic zones. Depending on the severity of the call, a first alarm is triggered, and more resources are added if needed. For example, a second-alarm fire would cost $1,000 for the first two hours, while a third-alarm could reach $5,000. After the initial two hours, the rate increases to $2,500 per hour.
The board also decided to adjust the response zones so that Metro Fire no longer responds to first alarms outside of its three core townships. "Many first alarms are just investigations," Parker explained. "Local departments should be able to handle those without needing us to send out trucks."
Parker pointed out that one reason Metro is often called for first alarms is because they operate 24/7, while not all neighboring townships offer the same level of service. "There’s a cost to being ready around the clock," he said. "It doesn’t make sense to give that up for free to others."
The policy was passed on December 22 with a close vote of 3-2. East Bay Township Trustee Beth Friend, who chairs the fire board, noted that while everyone agreed to start charging, there were disagreements over the details. She mentioned that Blair Township already charges for mutual aid and maintains good relations with its neighbors.
"We hope other jurisdictions will follow suit," Friend said. "This is about fairness and sustainability." Grand Traverse Rural Fire, which received 12 mutual aid calls this year, especially from Whitewater Township, is expected to be most affected by the change. Blair Township, which gave aid twice and received it seven times, is already ahead of the curve.
This shift marks a significant change in how emergency services are managed in the region, and it could set a precedent for other areas looking to balance their responsibilities and costs more effectively.
Golf Driving Range Mat,Portable Practice Mat,Customized Golf Hitting Mat,Golf Outdoor Hitting Mat
Yantai UVT Sports Co.,Ltd. , https://www.uvtgolf.com