Leelanau Township Fire Department, situated at the tip of the peninsula in Northport, has also dealt with its share of recruitment and retention struggles.
In 2023, the department reported having a total of 427 runs, noting that they had 298 medical-only runs, an increase from 2022. Although accidents were up with a total of 16 reported, structure fires, downed power lines, trees blocking the roadway, and water rescues were all down from last year. Currently, the department has 20 personnel, including 11 fulltime members and nine paid on-call members.
Hugh Cook, Leelanau Township fire chief, said every year, they face two big challenges when trying to hire, including the employee finding a home and the pay, which is not as competitive as other area departments. The department does, however, offer a $3,000 signing bonus. Cook, who has been with the fire department for decades, said recruitment has always been an issue though.
