Fire chief reports 101 calls in January; department pursues grants, training and smoke-detector installs

Flat Rock Fire Chief Derek reported to the council that the department responded to 101 calls for service in January, including 90 EMS calls, one vehicle accident and 10 fire-related incidents.

The department received mutual aid three times on days when staffing fell below four and gave mutual aid six times. Apparatus activity for the month included 42 responses for Alpha 6 (which spent about 10 days in the shop), 56 for Alpha 7, 25 for Echo 1, one for Engine 1 and five for Ladder 3; the chief attended four calls.

Chief Derek outlined training and prevention work: the department logged 169 hours of company training, 20 hours of driving training, 27 hours of EMS training, 31 hours of officer training and 26 hours of physical fitness programing. Firefighter Matt Lee attended an active-shooter course and firefighter Corey Lohrey completed the state Fire Instructor I program; the chief completed Fire Instructor III and said the department will soon host advanced courses locally.

Under fire prevention the department completed 25 commercial fire inspections and is preparing applications for two grants to buy tablets and incident-preplan software and to procure additional hoses and turnout gear. The chief said much of the turnout gear from a state grant has arrived and two-thirds of hose requested through a regional grant has been received.

The department is promoting the state smoke-detector installation initiative after a recent fatal fire in which three children died; the chief said the state provides detectors at no cost and the department will install them for residents who request help. Firefighter Brad Smith has been attending Wayne County hazard-mitigation workshops; the county update will come to the council for approval after the plan is complete, the chief said.

No council action was required; the report was provided for the public record.