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The Alpena Fire Department has joined the Michigan Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, a local, regional, and statewide mutual aid response system for firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and specialized emergency teams.
Alpena Fire Chief Rob Edmonds told News staff writer Steve Schulwitz for a recent story that MABAS has three tiers:
∫ a local response, which is already in place and often used for emergencies like structure fires,
∫ a regional response, for larger fires or a natural disaster such as a tornado, and
∫ a statewide response call, which would pull help from around the state for bigger emergencies such as a plane crash or mass shooting.
Edmonds told Schulwitz a statewide mutual aid system already is in place and the Alpena Fire Department has been placed on standby to help with emergencies such as the February mass shooting at Michigan State University, brush fires near Grayling, and downstate flooding.
The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System improves that network.
Other Northeast Michigan emergency response agencies are working to join the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, Schulwitz reported.
Especially in rural areas such as ours, where help can sometimes be far away, and especially in this era of short staffing at emergency response agencies around the country, it's important for public safety personnel to work well together to make sure the best help arrives when someone dials 911.
We're glad to see Alpena join the new mutual aid system, and we hope to see other area agencies getting on board in the near future.
(THE ALPENA NEWS)