Fire
July 26, 2004
I spend an inordinate amount of time at Holland Fire Station One, considering I’m not a full-time nor part-time member of the Holland Fire Department. I’ve come to greatly enjoy my morning coffee sessions with the firefighters, AMR paramedics and other various visitors. Not only do our coffees provide me with another look at the lives of others around me, but also at issues regarding the health, safety and general welfare of the region.
The largest topic of conversation today was Saturday morning’s boat explosion and fire on Lake Macatawa. Unfortunately, one man (from Dexter or Ann Arbor, I forget) died in the incident. The talk of the day was the supposed lackluster response by the Coast Guard and Holland Fire Department. The Coasties could only get within twenty feet of the burning vessel, as the intense heat kept them at bay. The HFD had an even rougher time. While the downtown station, where the boat is located, was within sight of the burning boat, the HFD could do nothing to help, for a couple of reasons. First of all, the boat would not start when launched. Second, the boat is a sorry excuse for a fireboat. The sea doo boat only supports three passengers and contains no fire pump, relegating it to rescue operations only, not firefighting. Therefore, there was no chance for the fire on the boat to be knocked down and the man in the boat could not escape.
This whole incident has started to raise questions among citizens and firemen. Should the HFD be involved in water operations? If so, then would their boat cover all of Lake Macatawa? If yes, then shouldn’t the two townships that also border Lake Macatawa contribute money and manpower to the fireboat?
Personally, I’d like to see Park and Holland Townships and the City of Holland form a fire district, aptly named the Macatawa Fire District. Each entity would contribute money and manpower to a fireboat, docked at a local marina. The boat would then be utilized by part-paid and volunteer firefighters and run on weekends just as a show of safety. Grand Haven, South Haven and Saugatuck, all smaller cities than Holland, have very capable fireboats, why shouldn’t Holland?
Posted by paul at 06:54 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Introduction
This is the start of Meer Macatawa - a blog about issues in and around West Michigan. As a life-long Hollander, I feel an intense connection to the land and people surrounding my hometown - the dunes, the farms, the lakes and rivers, the migrant workers and original Dutch settlers.
I will update from time to time about a variety of issues. First and foremost will be issues involving my most recent educational experience - urban planning. Secondly, I’ll comment on local political issues, mostly avoiding partisan politics and sticking to individual issues. Finally, I’ll periodically update on issues not specifically related to West Michigan, but that are of concern to me.
Feel free to comment and enjoy!
Posted by paul at 06:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack