From Record-Eagle.com:
The Grand Traverse Metro Fire Department recently approved a new policy that will require neighboring fire departments to pay between $1,000 and $5,000 for every two-hour deployment of a Metro fire truck responding to incidents outside the department's primary service area, which includes Acme, East Bay, and Garfield townships. This move comes after Metro provided mutual aid assistance to surrounding departments 25 times last year, compared to only receiving help five times in return.
"Mutual aid is supposed to work both ways," explained Metro Fire Chief Pat Parker. "Yet, clearly, that hasn't been the case here. We've been giving far more than we've been getting."
Under the current system used by Grand Traverse County, the area is divided into 80 geographic zones, with predetermined responses based on the severity of emergencies. A first alarm typically handles smaller incidents, while larger events escalate to second, third, or even fourth alarms. According to the new policy, Metro will charge $1,000 for the first two hours of a second-alarm incident, $5,000 for a three-alarm situation, and $2,500 for a four-alarm emergency. After the initial two hours, the rate jumps to $2,500 per hour.
In addition, board members have proposed redefining the zones so that Metro Fire will no longer respond to first alarms outside the three specified townships. "A lot of these first alarms end up being investigations of potential fires," Parker noted. "There's simply no need for us to dispatch our vehicles for such cases. Established departments should be capable of managing these situations independently."
Parker highlighted staffing levels as the key factor behind Metro Fire's frequent first-alarm responses. Unlike some neighboring townships, Metro maintains round-the-clock coverage at its stations. He argued that taxpayers who fund this level of readiness shouldn't have to provide it freely to others without compensation. "It feels wrong to offer this kind of preparedness without charging," he stated. "I believe we'll soon see similar shifts across the county."
The revised policies passed with a 3-2 vote on December 22. East Bay Township Trustee Beth Friend, who chairs the fire board, acknowledged general agreement on implementing fees but noted lingering differences regarding specific details. Friend emphasized that Metro wouldn't be the first department to charge for mutual aid. "Blair Township already does this and enjoys strong relationships with nearby agencies," she remarked. "We expect other areas to follow suit, and we're open to that development."
Grand Traverse Rural Fire, which received 12 mutual aid requests—mostly from Whitewater Township—will likely experience the biggest impact from this new policy. Meanwhile, Blair Township saw seven incoming mutual aid calls this year but provided assistance only twice, whereas Traverse City received five requests and reciprocated once.
It remains to be seen how this policy shift will affect regional cooperation among fire departments. While some argue that charging for mutual aid could encourage fairness, others worry about potential delays in emergency responses if departments hesitate to seek help due to financial concerns. Only time will tell whether these changes foster better resource management or create unintended consequences within the community.
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