Plymouth Township Turns to Other Communities for Fire Services

Plymouth Township is looking to neighboring communities, including Canton Township and the City of Livonia, to partner with on fire and emergency services before its agreement with the City of Plymouth expires at the end of this year.

According to Plymouth Township Supervisor Richard Reaume, the township is looking to the City of Livonia and Canton Township for “shared 911 dispatch services.”

This is being done to cut spending in an attempt to eliminate the $1 million hole that will be made when the City of Plymouth pulls out of the fire agreement. 

"We're looking at any and all options for dispatch and fire services," Reaume said.

But firefighter and paramedic Greg Mangan, Treasure of Plymouth Firefighters Local 1496, thinks the township seems to be leaning toward one option more than another.

Mangan believes that the township is looking most seriously at what is called the "hybrid model" which functions on 10-14 firefighters working full-time during the week, with part-time firefighters taking over nights and weekends.

However, Mangan says Plymouth Township firefighters believe there is another way to fill the deficit without reducing fire services. He says that if firefighters take the place of Huron Valley Ambulance and assume responsibility for transporting injured people to local hospitals, it would solve the deficit problem and keep firefighters employed.

Mangan points to Northville Township as a successful example of firefighters assuming transport responsibilities.

“They have found this transition very successful, collecting nearly $50,000 a month in revenue from transporting, and Northville Township Fire Department does approximately two-thirds of the runs PCFD does,” Mangan said.

But Reaume sees a potential risk in firefighters assuming transport responsibilities.

“For the firefighter paramedics to do all the transport would require the community to take the risk of having the firefighter paramedics out of the community more frequently, leaving the community uncovered,” Reaume said.

With Medicare cutting reimbursements of transports, Reaume warns that increased revenue would not be a guarantee.

“Plus the firefighters union in the past has insisted that if they did all the transports they would require additional firefighter manpower, which does cost the taxpayers more tax dollars,” Reaume said.