GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, MICH. — Residents in Grand Rapids Township are raising concerns over a long-standing rule involving township firefighters.
The current policies in place restrict the state-certified firefighters from being able to respond to medical calls even within their boundaries.
The township currently has a deal with Rockford Ambulance Services, which has been in place since 2002.
It allows the company to respond to medical calls in the township, getting priority over the firefighters.
The partnership states that Rockford provides two ambulances that are each staffed by a paramedic and medical technician.
The township responds to more than 2,300 calls for service each year, which they believe the outsourcing helps with.
Some residents are not happy with the current plans in place. Like Anthony Mojica, a current Muskegon firefighter who was recently with Grand Rapids Township, says this is not the normal.
“Even if a municipality has a contract with a private ambulance agency, their firefighters are still the first response to those calls in conjunction with the ambulance service,” said Mojica. "Normally, a fire department will be the first response to priority one calls, the highest level priority call. But here in Grand Rapids Township, the firefighters aren't permitted to run any of those calls."
The issue is hitting the political spectrum as well, Justin Sheldon is running for township supervisor in the November elections and has made this a big point of his campaign.
Sheldon highlighted a crash that took place on October 5th at Cascade Road & Beltline avenue, which is is a big reason he is pushing for change.
“They ran a red light, got hit by a truck," said Sheldon. "The first ambulance showed up within minutes, which is great. It required a second ambulance and then a third ambulance, and one of those ambulances had to come from as far as lowell, which is a 25 minute drive away.”
Those minutes in between can be extremely critical, especially during a medical emergency.
“Without having your hands on the patient, being able to do that patient assessment, the patient care, you don't get to see the full picture of what's going on," said Mojica. “So, what could have been a minor injury a half hour later has now expanded to a more severe injury that was not treated.”
When FOX 17 reached out to the township supervisor Mike Devries, he referred our team to a statement on the website which said:
"Emergency Medical services have been provided by Rockford Ambulance since 2002. Grand Rapids Township has contracted medical first response and Advanced Life Support Ambulance vehicles staffed by a paramedic and medical technician located at Fulton Street Station 24/7 and at the 3 Mile Road Station 12/7. The township is dispatched to over 2,300 calls for service each year with the majority originating south of Leonard Street where senior housing, medical services, and retailers are located along Fulton Street, Cascade Road, and East Paris. Calls for service are increasing north of Leonard Street with the Corewell facility expansion and new multi-family housing developments. The township will continue to adjust to compensate for growth."
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