A life-threatening fire exposed a dangerous gap

Cascade Fire Chief Adam Magers remembers the day his department ran out of engines.

Multiple calls for service had already pulled crews across Cascade Township. Then a structure fire call came in with a victim trapped inside. The department had no engines available to respond.

"We got lucky on that one, where I was able to pull that victim out, but that could have went a lot worse," Magers said.

That incident is now driving a proposal that could make Cascade the first fire department in Kent County to operate its own ambulance transport service.

The numbers behind the problem

The Cascade Fire Department responds to approximately 3,000 calls each year. More than 1,000 of those are non-life-threatening medical calls, including falls, lift assists, medical alarms and general illnesses.

Officials classify those calls as "low acuity" or "med three" responses. Private ambulance companies often delay responding to them because higher-priority calls take precedence.

Those delays create a chain reaction. Firefighters who respond to the scene end up waiting for an ambulance that may be hours away. In the meantime, their engine and crew are tied up and unavailable for other emergencies.

The department sees a 5% year-over-year increase in calls, according to Magers. Daily call volume averages seven to 10 calls, with about 25% of calls overlapping on any given day.

"Just about every day we will have an instance where the township has a gap in coverage, and so every day we see that issue, and this would eliminate having those gaps," Magers said.

What the proposal would do

The Cascade Township Board approved the concept at a Wednesday night meeting. Fire officials are now developing a Basic Life Support (BLS) transport program that would add a dedicated township ambulance.

The program would handle the low-acuity medical calls that currently tie up fire engines. Firefighters would transport patients to hospitals rather than waiting for private ambulance companies.

If approved, Cascade would become the first fire department in Kent County to provide its own ambulance transport service. Fire-based EMS transport is common on Michigan's east side. It is less typical in West Michigan.

Fire leaders say they have studied programs in Ann Arbor and departments in Barry County as models.

No new taxes, officials say

The township is designing the program to be self-sustaining. Revenue from insurance reimbursements and transport fees would cover operations and staffing costs.

"There is a funding mechanism, so it would not be a tax burden on our residents, it would hopefully sustain this operation and allow us to hire firefighters," Magers said.

Community voices support the change

Local care providers say the need is real.

Emily Gugino, owner of Senior Helpers of Grand Rapids, provides personal care services to seniors in the community. Her agency sees frequent falls among clients.

"We hear of falls quite often," Gugino said. "Falls for our seniors can be catastrophic and result in hospital stays."

Gugino said her agency always recommends calling emergency services when a client falls, even if no injury appears obvious.

"It would be extremely helpful to have a specific group that focuses on that," Gugino said of the proposed program. "I know there is a high need, and it also requires specific training, and so I know that they are dealing with a lot on a daily basis."

What comes next

Fire staff will spend the coming months refining the plan. Details include staffing models, equipment needs, billing procedures and operational protocols.

Officials plan to return to the township board in August with a fully developed proposal for a final vote.

Magers said the fire staff has embraced the change despite the discomfort that often comes with operational shifts.

"Firefighters don't love change, but this is an example where I think they see the benefit of it, and it has been supported," Magers said.