The Ypsilanti Courier
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Changes in fire protection weighed
By Kathleen Conat, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: July 17, 2008
If the City Of Ypsilanti cuts another three firefighters, as is outlined in its Solvency Plan, city building and home owners could feel the effects in their wallets as insurance rates go up. So says Fire Chief Jon Ichesco, who is working to ensure that does not happen.
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The Solvency Plan calls for the Ypsilanti Fire Department to be reduced from its current 18 firefighters to 15. This would result in the city's insurance industry score going from four to seven.
The lower the score, the better, Ichesco explained. Higher insurance scores translate to higher premium rates for insurance policies on individual homes and business properties.
In an effort to see that score remain the same, Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor have agreed to a pact that will form a "functional fire district" comprised of the two cities. Ichesco is also in talks with Jim Roberts, former Ypsilanti fire chief and now fire chief of Superior Township, about joining that district.
The functional fire district is the idea of John Granito, one of the premier fire and public safety consultants in the United States. It allows for the pooling of resources where there are overlapping coverage areas for various departments. Equipment and manpower are then included in the tally of each department's resources for insurance purposes, as well as in actual fire needs.
Ichesco is also looking at Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor townships joining the coalition of mutual aid departments.
Changes already taking place include an automated phone tree at both the police and fire departments on all non-emergency lines.
In addition, on July 1 the YFD parked the emergency rescue vehicle affectionately known as "Yellow Bird," which was used for medical emergency runs. Instead, one of the two standard fire trucks will be used to provide immediate response as backup to Huron Valley Ambulance, which will then transport patients.
Ichesco said the rescue truck would be maintained so as to be able to be used in case of a large disaster, such as a tornado. He also reassured medical response would happen.
But, Ichesco cautioned, the department is running out of people and trucks. YFD's two standard fire trucks are 21 years old and 12 years old and will eventually have to be replaced.
"We're running out of options," Ichesco said. "We're down to bare bones now."
Kathleen Conat is a longtime Ypsilanti resident and freelance writer for The Courier. She can be reached through editor@ypsilanticourier.com.
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