Graafschap Fire Department activity, meeting

Fire board receives updates on new truck, staffing.

The Graafschap Fire Department Board meets on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, at the Graafschap Fire Station, 4534 60th St. From left Chairperson Patrick Dietrich of Laketown Township, Jim Johnson of Laketown Township and Bob Yonker from Fillmore Township look over an update on the new pumper/tanker.

Here is the Graafschap Fire Department run report for October 2024 as presented to the Laketown Township Board on Nov. 13, 2024:

Total calls for October: 72

Calls in Fillmore Township

  • 3 fire calls
  • 21 medical/rescue calls

Calls in Laketown Township

  • 11 fire calls
  • 32 medical/rescue calls

Assists to other departments or agencies

  • 2 fire calls – 2 to Saugatuck
  • 2 medical/rescue calls – 1 to Holland, 1 to the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department

Assists from other departments

  • 0 total
A display for the Graafschap Fire Department Board about the new firetruck at the fire station, 4534 60th St. on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024.

Fire board

Chief Doug DenBleyker updated staffing plans at the Nov. 14 fire board meeting at the station, 4534 60th St.

The plan calls for three additional full-time firefighters to provide 24/7 coverage that originates from the station, the department reported on its website.

Currently, full-time staff working during the weekday respond to calls when most paid-on-call firefighters are at their jobs. After 4 p.m. and on weekends, all calls originate from member homes. They must drive to the station, put on gear, and drive trucks to the emergency.

In the case of a medical call, members respond directly from home with a duty officer driving a department response car from home. AMR Ambulance also responds to all medical calls, vehicle crashes, and confirmed fires.

DenBleyker reported that the new commercial chassis for the pumper/tanker that was approved and ordered in the fall of 2023 has been delivered to Spencer Manufacturing in South Haven and will go into the production line soon. The total cost of the apparatus was $578,000.

Graafschap Fire Department station, 4534 60th ST.

About the department

The fire board consists of two members from Laketown Township and two members from Fillmore Township. The fire chief and other firefighters act as advisory non-voting members.

Graafschap Fire Department responds to fire, medical and other emergency situations in all of Laketown Township and part of Fillmore Township, and assists other agencies as needed.

The department also takes a proactive approach to prevention, offering free home safety inspections, free blood pressure checks on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon at the firehouse, 4534 60th St., and blood drives as part of its Community Risk Reduction Program.

For more information, visit the fire department here.