Lockport-Fabius Fire House

The Menard’s development will be next door to another venture in the same general area with the recent purchase approval of a 35 acre site for a new Lockport-Park-Fabius Townships Fire Department by the three-township fire board. The new location from West Millard Road of the new fire house to outlets on Broadway Road and M-60 will allow the department to increase its operation from an existing 6,000 square foot building to 16,000 square feet. A new building costing between $1 and $2 million is planned for later development. The original building was constructed in the 1950s after the department dispatched itself from the Three Rivers Fire Department.

Source: WLKM's News Site

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Laissez faire: leave the people alone, let them be, in their economic activities, in their religious affairs, in thought and culture, in the pursuit of fulfillment in their own lives.

Plans for the construction of a new fire station for the Lockport-Fabius-Park Townships Fire Department near Three Rivers are moving forward with design plans in the finishing stages and the location selected. Cost of the new facility will range just under $2 million, the same figure estimated in initial planning in the past few years. The new facility, which will contain six bays for firefighting equipment, will be constructed under present planning on a 35-acre site on the south side of Broadway Road just west of U.S. 131. Each of the three townships comprising the department will be required to pay an equal share of the just less than $2 million price tag for the new building. The joint townships fire board has been studying the possibility of a new facility with growing department responsibilities and shrinking space to operate in its Millard Road operation. Previously, the Lockport-Fabius-Park Fire Department operated from the old Three Rivers Police Station on the banks of the Rocky River in downtown Three Rivers.

Source: WLKM's News Site

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Laissez faire: leave the people alone, let them be, in their economic activities, in their religious affairs, in thought and culture, in the pursuit of fulfillment in their own lives.

Petition signatures for a public vote on funding for a new fire hall and property presented to the Lockport Township Board of Trustees could be verified in just a few days, township officials say. If approved, a vote could be taken in January to determine if funding for 14 years to support a new $1.8 million fire station could be assessed township property owners. The funding would be a part of a three-way split with Fabius and Park townships for a continued three-way department operations that has been in place for the past 50 years. A citizens group Monday presented petitions for a vote on the issue after Lockport trustees had given tentative approval for a special assessment district to fund the operational costs with a separate $180,000 land purchase agreement approved earlier. Property for the new operation, if all systems are eventually approved, would be some 30 acres off Broadway Road just west of U.S. 131. Proposals for the construction costs have been received but are not considered firm bids until the potential election cycle has been completed and an actual vote taken, township officials say. With a projected levy of 1.44 mills annually over the life of a bond issue, the average cost to the 2800 property owners in Lockport Township would be about $40 a year. The issue is under discussion in Park Township - Fabius Township is awaiting the outcome of the discussions and have appropriated its funding from surplus sources for the project.

Source: WLKM's News Site

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Laissez faire: leave the people alone, let them be, in their economic activities, in their religious affairs, in thought and culture, in the pursuit of fulfillment in their own lives.

I heard some disturbing news the other day and wondered if anyone in cyber land could shed some light on these issues.

First, I was told that by someone who wished to remain anonymous that if the township of Lockport voted down the proposal for the new multi-million dollar fire station that the township of Lockport would withdraw from the LFP pack and leave the township without fire protection. Is the city prepared to cover that township if this turns out to be true? Could mean extra revenue for the city!

Second, which is totally opposite, I heard from a different individual that some high ranking official in city hall was looking at the possibility of contracting LFP to cover the city for fire protection. Are there any plans in the works that we, the citizen of Three Rivers, are unaware of?

I would imagine if the township was no longer going to support their share of LFP the township would effectively no longer be a part of the fire dept. I suppose the township could hire what would then be called "Fabius-Park" fire dept. or Three Rivers City to cover the township for a fee, much like Flowerfield will be doing now. I would certainly hope that people in Lockport would take a real good look at how much this would actually cost them, and consider that for the last 50 YEARS the fire costs have been paid out of the general fund of the township. It is ridiculous for people to actually complain and oppose paying $60-$100 per YEAR for fire protection. The level of service of the current LFP Fire Department is, I believe, unmatched in the county. This is in comparison with other dedicated volunteer and full-time departments. We are very lucky to be covered by a department like this. Think people-can one really say one cannot "afford" $100.00 per year??

Mattie,

If I had to guess, it sounds like your source may have some of the details a few hands down line that may have morphed from the original. Here is what I know. The city was asked if it was interested in countywide ambulance service but I am unaware of any proposal for fire. I certainly would not support it. I am not sure it would be automatic but if Lockport opts out of LFP fire department, they could indeed solicit the city but the commission has not been approached on this. I could support that in theory but I would want to ensure we didn't degrade service to the city in the process. I would have to see a whole lot of detail on any such proposal before making up my mind.

Daryl

Originally posted by Lockport

The level of service of the current LFP Fire Department is, I believe, unmatched in the county. This is in comparison with other dedicated volunteer and full-time departments.

I believe the issues are the amount of money requested for such a lavish place. I would disagree about the level of service. LFP does a good job, so I heard, just like the other departments in the county. People want a well organized department, not one that has the mind-set of a social club with ponds, hunting grounds and houses for volunteer members. No other department in Michigan supplies houses for volunteer members that I have been able to find.

Something to watch out for:
http://www.newsday.com/news/specials/nyf-infire,0,3691882.story?coll=ny_news_specials_util_2
I'm all for enticing volunteers and providing something to compensate them for the time and the risks they take to help us but...

This has been a big issue on Long Island. There's a lot of entitlement feeling going around. Personally I agree with making sure the equipment and safety is foremost and the best you can get (for what your town can afford, a nice comfortable place to rest and relax between fires is good, but not to the extreme of what they're describing here. I'm not saying go dorm room style, but no need to go country club either. They deserve our respect, kudos, and some degree of comfort for the risks they take to protect and serve us. But the money spent on the "clubhouse" they describe in the article above could have been put to better use. They could've still gotten a very nice place to rest and work just for less money, and the remainder could've been used for other good works as well.

I'll bet that 50 years ago, when the present firehouse was being built, there was a question about why it was so big-people saying "Why such a big building, you only have 2 trucks?" "Why do we need extra room? " etc., etc. I sure there was some griping about the building then. 50 years ago, the main firefighter equipment was some protective gear and their dress uniforms. The volunteers were dispatched by phone calls to their homes. Fast forward 50 years. Today's firefighters have a large amount of gear never thought of in 1957. They have at least 6 trucks, much larger than past vehicles. There are hazmat issues, environmental regulations, training requirements, the list goes on and on. This building will store gear, protect the trucks, allow for training, look ahead to expanded services in the future, and more. The construction of firefighters homes is a capital expense compared to a yearly expense-the department effectively has full-time personnel for the cost of yearly upkeep on these homes, instead of $50,000 or more each year for wages and benefits for EACH full-time firefighter. Keeping a department staffed 24 hours a day for 365 days a year will require more than one firefighter. Those homes housing a firefighters allow LFP to be among the fastest, if not THE fastest responders in St. Joseph County. Unless you have had the experience of seeing your home (or a family member's) on fire-and I have-you cannot begin to imagine how significant that fast response is. I hope that the citizens will carefully consider the importance of safety and firefighter's response to help save lives and property and will see that this small amount of money per citizen is money well-spent.

If LFP wants to have fulltime response times then why do they not merge with TRFD instead of building a rural station less than a mile apart from each other(which to this day I still do not understand). Then they could provide the best service(for the people) with ambulance, fire and rescue all under one roof or two stations if so required. They could share the grant money, training budget, and tax base for the entire 155 square miles of coverage that they provide. The fulltime paramedics and EMT’s could staff the station for first response, ambulance calls, and trucks to roll immediately to fires, and the on-call firefighters/medical first responders would provide manpower for all the above as well as a combined effort to provide the best in rural and city fire protection and life saving emergencies. Just a thought. I do guess that if LFP wants to build where they plan on building they will end up like Sturgis city and Tri-Township and have the rural station be inside the city limits in less than a year or so.

Lockport, I think some clarification is due. You stated LFP has the fastest response time in the county, you must not be aware of the full-time departments in Three Rivers and Sturgis who send (usually 4) firefighters to a call as soon as it is dispatched. As far as the houses, what sense does it make to have 1 person (who lives at the house for free) respond by-himself to a fire in a truck, 1 person can not do anything until more help arrives but stand a wait and watch the fie grow (seen it first hand). My point is a lot of money for no better amount of protection or response time.

What is all the fuss over? Is it the cost of the building? The location of the building site? Or the homes they want to build for their people? Not sure...Somebody point me in the right direction. All I know is they (LFP) needs a new Firehouse, the one they have is a tad outdated. What are we comparing LFP to? Colon, Mendon, Centreville? C'mon, we can't compare LFP to those or any other FD in OUR county, look at Oshtemo, South County or somebody else. They all have better facilities than LFP. It is time for change, it is after all almost 2008.

What are we comparing LFP to? Colon, Mendon, Centreville? C'mon, we can't compare LFP to those or any other FD in OUR county, look at Oshtemo, South County or somebody else.

Are you kidding? Why can we not compare, its apples to apples not apples to grapefruit like you are. LFP in not even in the same league as Oshtemo, look at the difference in the tax base and revenue that Oshtemo protects and then compare. You cannot compare with South County because they are a fire district. That means that they share all money and grants with like five or six other stations and townships. LFP is funded with three and a half townships and they are not among the richest, not to beat on them, but what you are trying to use is not correct. Try again. If I were Colon, Mendon, and Centreville I would take offence to what you are implying about them. LFP is trying to pull a fast one on the taxpayers of the townships they protect. They need a bigger building!!! They do not need all of the extra stuff they are trying to put in it. If they want sittting rooms, tv rooms, sleeping rooms, and offices for fulltime staff then why do they need three 1700 square foot houses. Sounds like they want a fulltime dept to me.

If I lived in Lockport, I would just pull out of the LFP. Then when my house is ablaze. I will pray to the firefighter fairy to swing down and sprinkle magic dust to keep my property safe.

or

Pony up...like the other townships...maybe skip a couple of meals out at Applebees.

Or maybe re-think the amount of money requested at not worry about all the luxury items they want. I don’t think the idea of a new and bigger station is the issue, the issues is all the extra items. Lower the amount of money, this would not even be an issue.