Alpena, Alpena Township work to save township fire services
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ALPENA — Alpena and Alpena Township are considering a plan that could help the township avoid a severe staffing shortage and keep the township's south side fire station open.
Representatives from the city and township met Tuesday to discuss three options that would have the city temporarily man one of the township's two fire stations and provide response coverage in a portion of the township, officials said in a news release.
A special joint meeting of the township Board of Trustees and the Alpena Municipal Council will be held at 6 p.m. Monday and residents of both municipalities are encouraged to make public comment on the issue.
At a special meeting on Dec. 17, the township trustees met to discuss an impending staffing crisis in their fire department caused by several impending resignations and retirements. When the current employees leave, the department will be left with only one full-time firefighter and township Fire Chief Dave Robbins.
Robbins advised his board his department would only be able to staff one station until more employees could be hired and trained.
The trustees instructed Robbins to set up a meeting with the city.
Under the proposed plan, the would township pay the city $125,000 for six months, which would buy the township time to hire and train new employees. The city would station one advanced life support ambulance at the township's north side station and a two-man crew consisting of one fire officer/paramedic and one firefighter/paramedic or emergency medical technician.
If a fire broke out in the northern part of the township, the city crews, Alpena Township paid-on-call employees, and Presque Isle Township Fire Department crews would respond on the first alarm.
Alpena Fire Chief Bill Forbush said the city is prepared to step up and assist the township and services in Alpena wouldn't be impacted.
"I am fully confident that we are properly staffed and equipped to service the north side of the township, in addition to our existing roles and responsibilities," Forbush said. "We are happy to help them."
Township Supervisor Nathan Skibbe did not respond to a message seeking comment.
No administrative, community risk reduction, or support staff is included in the proposed deal, except for command at the scene, but the city would use a township fire truck for fires, and city staff would be trained on those trucks by Robbins.
Next week's meeting will be held remotely. Residents can watch and comment using the city’s GoToMeeting software or dialing 646-749-3112 and using access code 667-050-061.
Residents can also access the township's YouTube channel and listen in or participate in public comment by dialing 888-245-3477, entering room 800#, with a password of 1234#.
The city and township remind residents that the proposed collaboration is a temporary solution to an urgent staffing shortage and is not a merger of the departments.
Many township residents had opposed an earlier proposal to merge the two departments, and the Alpena Municipal Council voted the merger down.