‘We get what we pay for.’ Scio Township fire chief outlines need for new station, firefighters

WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI – When it comes to fire protection and emergency products and services, Scio Township will “get what we pay back for,” the community’s fireplace chief informed elected leaders on Tuesday, June 14, though working by a suite of likely advancements that could incorporate the construction of a second fireplace station in coming many years.

Fireplace Main Andrew Houde said he sees a need for a new station on township land in the southeast corner of the township, in the vicinity of the intersection of Wagner and Liberty roads, which he estimated could lower response occasions to 40% of the group and make a big difference for residents’ owners insurance policy scores.

As it stands the division hits its six-minute reaction time aim 42% of the time and common reaction periods hover just in excess of nine minutes, he reported.

But enhancements will come at a charge. The chief’s rough estimate pegs the cost of setting up and equipping the new station at concerning $7 and $10 million above the upcoming two to a few several years, with added ongoing prices for staffing it with initially responders that could necessarily mean a sizeable hit to residents’ tax payments.

In the long run, township leaders will have to make your mind up what stage of protection they want and how to spend for it, Houde informed the township’s Board of Trustees on Tuesday for the duration of an comprehensive presentation on the fire department’s past and long term.

A menu of staffing possibilities he introduced, assuming a new station was developed, would involve upping the property tax rate for fire companies about in between two and 4 mills, relying on how far into the future the township needs to meet up with its requirements, according to the presentation.

That caught the eye of Clerk Jessica Flintoft, who observed the township had operate to do to address the recommendations and chart a route forward.

“It’s likely to just take a large amount of time and the belly to place forth the amount of ask for to the voters that would be needed to fund that increased stage of protection,” she said.

Scio Township Fire Departments requirements additional firefighters, investments in cars, main states

The township of near to 18,000 people today on Ann Arbor’s western edge receives additional than hearth companies from its hearth department.

Houde discussed that just a lot more than fifty percent of the crisis services agency’s calls are for healthcare incidents, incorporating it also typically serves a rescue perform, extricating people from automobile crashes or responding to experiences of fuel leaks and other dangerous conditions.

The township’s one hearth station on Zeeb Road was manufactured in 1978 and 1988, and right after just lately accomplished renovations it has involving 15 or 20 decades remaining on its lifespan, Houde mentioned.

In determining how to move forward, township leaders could glance to a 2015 strategic plan recognizing the need to have for a new station in the southeast place of the township. The plan’s purpose was to have it up and running by 2020, Houde reported.

The township section is rated on a scale utilised to build property owners coverage scores, scoring 6 on a scale of 1 to 10, with reduced scores indicating the section and community’s drinking water source scored extra factors.

But there are 3 major parts in the corners of the township that routinely get the worst rating due to the fact they are not in 5 highway miles of a fireplace station — anything that could change if the township invested in a new station, in accordance to the main.

The office would also rating factors if it obtained a ladder truck, enabling firefighters to achieve properties up to 110 toes, outside of the present Scio Township fleet’s capacity, Houde said while outlining a wish checklist of car or truck desires for the department.

Underneath present-day millage funding — at a fee of 1.35 mills generating around $1.9 million yearly — the section isn’t dedicating money to fleet replacement, Houde reported.

It also isn’t able at all situations to staff members shifts of four that satisfy a Michigan Occupational Safety and Wellbeing Administration “two-in, two out” regulation, exactly where two firefighters enter a building that’s perilous and two remain outside the house in scenario they essential to rescue them, Houde mentioned.

One more guiding doc, a 2018 consultant’s critique of the division, encouraged the division raise staffing to meet that degree.

“There was a issue in time the place if one particular of our neighbors experienced a large fireplace they’d connect with all the departments close to us as an alternative of Scio due to the fact we did not have more than enough resources to supply them,” Houde said, assuring township leaders the department is “in considerably improved shape now” with a reliable connection with neighboring companies.

The township has designed strides on the staffing suggestions of the 2018 report, he stated, while nevertheless demands to go further to set up everyday shifts of four.

With all those demands and the demand for a second station in thoughts, Houde said the township necessary to create an correct millage charge to fund functions into the foreseeable future.

He concluded his presentation with a straightforward information to township leaders: “We received to determine out what we want to do and how to fund it,” he explained.

To look at Chief Houde’s presentation, simply click here.

Far more from The Ann Arbor Information:

Resident information lawsuit against Scio Township for launch of government data

‘Title IX Plaza’ in Ann Arbor-area park to tell untold tales of regional females in sporting activities

5 land preservation systems unite to defend a 101-acre farm outside Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor Art Fair Townie Street Bash canceled for third straight calendar year