To say that 2016 was a busy year for first-responders and rescue teams in the South Haven Emergency Services unit would be somewhat of an understatement. In fact, reality is that the team logged a record number of incident response calls during calendar ’16 according to the team’s Executive Director Ronald Wise.
SHAES as they are known in shorthand, is the emergency response team that handles the City of South Haven as well as the townships of Casco, Geneva, and South Haven. They operate out of three stations to do so.
Wise tells us that the department responded to 2,276 calls for service during 2016. The previous record was 2,213 calls in 2014. That marks the fourth consecutive year that calls for service have surpassed 2,000 per year.
Wise says, “Our department is blessed to have dedicated women and men who are committed to enhancing community safety and quality of life for our residents and visitors.”
There were 556 fire alarm responses and 1,720 medical calls. There were 1,157 in the city of South Haven followed by South Haven Township 464, Geneva Township 329 and Casco Township 269. SHAES provided assistance to departments outside of its service area a total of 57 times and received reciprocal assistance on 23 occasions.
Chief Wise noted that there was not a single structure fire in Geneva Township during all of 2016. Property losses from fire in Casco Township totaled $140,500, while in South Haven Township they accumulated to $45,245 and in the City of South Haven just $2,000.
Wise says the community is fortunate that there were no civilian fire-related injuries or deaths during 2016. There were, however, three incidents in which a firefighter was injured.
Highlights of the year included an improved ISO rating that will help lower fire insurance costs, the purchase of a 75-foot aerial apparatus that will be delivered here in 2017 and the receipt of a $400,853 federal Assistance to Firefighters grant for the replacement of breathing apparatus at both SHAES and the Bangor Community Fire Department. The department also put into service a 2003 engine purchased from the Bangor Community Fire Department, replacing a 1980 engine.
The department continued its active public education programs during the year with safety presentations at schools, senior living facilities and businesses. The annual Fire Safety Night attracted more than 500 adults and children. In cooperation with the American Red Cross, smoke detectors were installed for free in homes throughout the SHAES Authority.
A complete Annual Report is available on the department’s website – SHAES.org.
In the photo accompanying this story on Moody on the Market.com, SHSES team members practice authentic water rescue operations in the icy waters along the Black River and Lake Michigan.
