The Ypsilanti Courier
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Extra personnel help firefighters
By Dave Wak, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: February 14, 2008
One year after the Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees agreed to add an extra firefighter to Station No. 4, some township fire department personnel gave them a report on the effect the move has had.
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Station No. 4 is located at the corner of Textile and Tuttle Hill roads and handles fire and other emergencies for the residents living south of Ford Lake.
Twenty-year veteran firefighter Scott Brodie said adding the extra firefighter was a smart move. As examples he highlighted seven incidents in 2007 where having an extra person on duty saved lives and property.
"These seven incidents represent the positive effect the extra firefighter has had," Brodie said.
Among the seven incidents mentioned was a stove fire at Schooner Cove Apartments. Brodie said the fire might have caused $1.7 million in damage if there hadn't been a third firefighter to help stop it before it spread.
Brodie also mentioned two serious traffic accidents near both Textile and Merritt Roads where a third firefighter made a big difference.
The Textile road accident involved a deer vs. vehicle collision where the driver of the vehicle was then hit by a truck when he went to investigate the damage to his vehicle. Brodie said the third man was vital in putting up signals to let other motorists know there was an emergency situation.
The Merritt Road accident involved four people, including the driver, who was pinned behind the wheel and had to be rescued by Jaws of Life apparatus.
Brodie said having a third person on duty truly helped in these cases.
Brodie added having the third firefighter was especially true when responding to fires. Brodie said in most incidents two firefighters are dispatched to fight the blaze, while another is needed to man the pumps.
"Manpower, once again, makes a big difference," Brodie said.
Township Fire Chief Larry Morabito also said having an extra firefighter makes a big difference in response time and services during emergencies. He said firefighters from other township fire stations could assist firefighters from Station 4 but it generally takes them eight minutes to get to the south end of the township, time that could make a big difference in an emergency.
Township Clerk Brenda Stumbo said when the fire department asked for a third firefighter last year the board supported them "100 percent."
Stumbo said having an extra firefighter costs the township around $200,000 in wages and overtime pay but said the effort was worth it- currently firefighter's wages start between $33,000 to $35,000, based on their experience or education level.
The township recently approved a pilot program with Huron Valley Ambulance Fto have them do fire dispatch service. The move freed up three firefighters who did it before.
Stumbo said if the program works out the township will use the extra firefighters for regular duty. Stumbo said that would cut down on overtime costs and added that one of the three would likely be assigned to Station 4.
Dave Wak is an Ypsilanti resident and freelance writer for The Courier. He can be reached at dwak4@ hotmail.com.
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