A second station to improve response times for fire/rescue emergencies for Cedar Area Fire & Rescue (CAFR) is underway.
Kasson Township has issued a request for proposals for preliminary drawings for a stand alone fire station.
“From the very beginning (of the new four-township department) it was obvious that the existing facility is not meant for a full-service ALS department,” said Greg Julian, Kasson Township supervisor and chair of the CAFR board. “We’ve identifi ed what we need to improve the facility as well as the coverage area. It’s one of the largest coverage areas in northern Michigan.”
CAFR has a four-township coverage area, which, in addition to Kasson, includes Cleveland, Centerville and Solon townships. The latter two townships previously operated the Cedar Fire Department, with Kasson and Cleveland townships contracting for services.
This changed in 2016 when the department was reconfigured with representatives of Kasson and Cleveland townships represented on the fire board. Solon and Centerville retain ownership and maintenance at the Cedar location.
From 2016 to 2024, the department has grown from a parttime Basic Life Support (BLS) transporting agency with three full-time medical/suppression staff to the current full-time ALS transporting agency with nine full-time medical/suppression staff, a full-time fire chief, and additional part-time and administrative support personnel.
As part of the CAFR 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, the department determined that a second station on the western side of the service area (Kasson and Cleveland Townships) was needed.
The assessment, performed by CAFR staff, included data on service area, covering population, growth, traffic, and call volume, among others.
Response times vary greatly from the current station in Cedar to the outlying edges of the service area. While drive times to calls within Cedar can take only a minute or two, the average drive time for all calls in 2023 was just over nine minutes. Some portions of the service area average drive times of 11 to 12 minutes and outlying areas along the north- and south-western corners of the service area saw drive times of 15 minutes or more.
Responses to emergencies along M-72 frequently have a drive time of 10 minutes or more.
According to the assessment, when added to the time taken for dispatch and departure from the station, this means that calls along the outlying boundaries of the service area can see response times from 911 call to arrival on scene of almost 20 minutes. In southwestern Kasson Township this response time cannot be improved by mutual aid, as drive time from the closest full-time mutual aid station is just as long to these areas.
Faster response times could also improve the ISO rating, which can substantially affect home insurance costs.
Initially, Cleveland Township was interested in the second station proposal, but has since declined to participate.
Property near the intersection of Co. Rd. 616 and 669 has been identified as the optimal location. However, to date, no property of adequate size (more than five acres) has been identified, Julian said.
The request for proposals are expected to be examined by Kasson Township’s Board next month.
Meanwhile, the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department contacted Chief Andy Doornbos, to tell him that there are not adequate backflow preventers on some of the hose systems at the station in Cedar. Doornbos received a quote from Team Bobs for $4,400 to address the deficiencies for work will be completed to the satisfaction of the Health Department.
Solon/Centerville had requested that Chief Doornbos look into the possibility of putting in a septic system at the fire station. Doornbos spoke to Clay McNitt with the Health Department, who told him there was no chance of putting in any sort of septic system at the existing station due to the high watertable. Two holding tanks Currently capture waste from the fire hall in Cedar, where sleeping quarters were recently added. The cost of this improvement and replacement of the facility’s roof were covered by Solon and Centerville townships.
