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The ACW-Unionville Fire Department is currently seeking approval from the board and it's townships for the construction of a new fire hall.
The current fire hall has served well for many decades; however, it no longer meets safety or space requirements needed by a fire department in the modern era. It also does not have the appropriate style of construction to be renovated in a cost-efficient manner.
Below is a Q&A and some photos of our current hall and situation to offer as a way for us to remain transparent about the entire project.
We remain committed to providing the best possible services to the areas we serve and now we are looking for your support as we work on moving forward together.
Our 2 Engines must be parked very close to the wall and the door to allow room to get to our gear.
Our 2 Engines must be parked very close to the wall and the door to allow room to get to our gear.
Our gear dryer, fuel, and rescue sled take up the little space we have between trucks
The tanker and grass rig must be parked just right to allow use of our breathing air filling station while also allowing for room to move between them.
The shed is currently holding the Boat, UTV and Dive trailer. It is not temperature controlled and we often have to remove one item to get to another.
We need to remove trailers currently stored in the shed owned by the Volunteer group so we can access our breakfast equipment, spare gear, and training supplies. This building is not designed for storing apparatus but became necessary.
Our only storage in the hall for extra items is the silo, which leaks and allows for birds to get in. Anything not covered has to be washed and sanitized before use as birds consistently create nests and leave exriment on anything stored there.
Our Squad has no where to park meaning it has to be defrosted in the winter before it can respond to calls. We also have to remove drinking water in the winter which is often necessary on scene.
When this photo was taken, multiple doors are frozen shut stopping us from accessing equipment.
Our gear currently remains in the hall as we have no other place to store it. This is grandfathered in, however, it is against OSHA standards as truck exhaust and fumes embed in our gear contributing to an increased risk of developing cancer, the Number 1 killer of firefighters in the U.S.
Our meeting room is set up with enough room to seat 8 firefighters comfortably. Often, many of us have to stand for training and meetings. There is also no dedicated, quiet space available for firefighters taking training or classes; despite a roster of 19 staff.
We have a fire hall, why do we need a new fire hall?
The current hall has served us well for decades, however, it wasn’t built to meet the needs of a modern fire department. It is currently grandfathered in to multiple new OSHA requirements that the hall cannot meet including some safety equipment such as adequate ventilation for truck bays, a clean space for gear storage and decontamination to reduce the risk of cancer to the fire fighters, and building security to meet Homeland security requirements.
The current hall also is not able to accommodate any new equipment with the building being both too short and not long enough. Our doors and trucks have to be modified to fit the current building and both engines are near or over 20 years old. Modern trucks are taller and longer and simply won’t fit. Additionally, multiple apparatus are being stored in a shed that does not have adequate room to move equipment around when needed and is not temperature controlled.
Training needs also are not able to be met with a training/conference room where multiple firefighters need to stand during meetings and training. In the winter, trucks cannot be stored outside for 4 hours as the water lines will freeze. Our physical training area has been re-purposed to store new equipment.
New fire halls are expensive, how will this affect the tax payer.
The hall is still in the quoting stages therefore the final responsibility for each township is unclear. We recommend reaching out to your township board if you have further questions regarding your township's budget; however, rest assured we are doing everything we can to keep costs as low as possible during the planning phases while aiming to get the most “bang for our buck.” Our goal is to see little or no increase in taxes as a result of this project.
Why did the fire department spend money on a dive team, ice rescue team, a boat and a UTV if that money could have been used for a new hall?
The fire department did not pay for any of these pieces of equipment with the exception of a trailer for the UTV. The ice rescue team was formed using money from fundraising efforts with only a couple of new suits being purchased since. The boat was donated from the City of Bay City Fire Department including its trailer. The UTV was obtained for free through the awarding of a grant from Firehouse Subs. The Dive Team was initially formed by four firefighters who paid for their own equipment and training. The dive trailer was part of the former county dive team which we now store and host with each department in the county responsible for their own divers regarding pay and equipment maintenance.
What improvements are you seeking with a new hall?
Our primary goal is to have safe, appropriately sized spaces for apparatus storage and firefighter training. We currently need more, taller truck bays so all of our apparatus can be stored indoors and properly maintained. We will also be looking for a larger community space with a training center for classes. While the library generally works for smaller classes it also has its limitations and becomes logistically difficult when we need to shuttle equipment and supplies between buildings. Finally, our goal is to provide a cleaner environment for our gear and for the firefighters. Cancer is now the number one killer of firefighters in the United States due to contamination of gear. Proper storage and a space to clean up is a necessity. Our current hall does not meet modern safety standards. We also want to set up the hall so that in another 50 years the department at that time can grow without needing to build a new building.
I heard the fire department is taking over the ambulance, is this true?
At this time there is nothing in the works. The fire department has plans to add back up medical to our coverage area for the times when ACW Ambulance is actively on a call and an additional call comes in. While some firefighters also serve on ACW Ambulance there is not currently anything happening to merge the two as they serve slightly different coverage areas.
I heard that my section is going to change fire departments. Why and how will that affect me?
There has not been any official move to change coverage areas at this time and we recommend reaching out to your township board if you have questions or concerns. The ACW-Unionville Fire department remains committed to providing the best service possible to the citizens we serve and will continue to do so to the best of our ability which includes a dive team, ice rescue team, boat and water rescues, and multiple medically trained staff with plans to provide back up medical service in the near future. ACW-Unionville also serves over 20 miles of shoreline for these rescue services and is the only department between Caseville and Bay City offering all of these services. Soon it will be more necessary to keep these types of services as the Coast Guard plans to discontinue rescue services out of its Saginaw-Bay area division effective June 2024.
Who can I contact if I have any more questions or hear rumors?
Feel free to reach out on our Facebook page or fill out the contact form below ↓ if you have any questions. Rumors are always bound to happen when change is happening. We will do our best to provide factual information when it becomes available. When in doubt, it can also be beneficial to contact multiple sources to get the most accurate picture rather than relying on a single source of information. All citizens of our coverage area are also welcome and encouraged to attend the fire board meetings for further information. Click or Tap Here for Fire Board Contact Information
Some Additional Thoughts...
We understand that a new fire hall is a huge undertaking. We live and work in the communities we serve. You see many of us around day to day at the gas station or at family functions. We share a stock in our communities including the need for an exceptional fire service. We pay the same taxes, shop and eat at the same businesses, drive the same roads and visit family and friends within the same communities. Seeking this approval has been a long process in the making so far with over 2 years of research involved including exhausting options such as expanding the current hall. This isn't a process or decision we're approaching lightly and will work diligently to avoid excessiveness while still meeting needs.
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