Chief: Firefighter health a ‘priority’ in Battle Creek station upgrade proposal

VIDEO: The first of several community conversations was held to discuss a proposal that would bring major changes to Battle Creek Fire Department stations. The meeting was held Wednesday at Station 1. Plans were unveiled to build a new Station 2 near where the current one stands on Washington Avenue. It would close Station 3 on Cliff Street altogether and merge its crew into Station 1 on E. Michigan Avenue. Both Station 2 and Station 3 were built in the early 1900s. Over the years, there have been issues with the size and being able to fit equipment into bays that are smaller than modern firefighting equipment. The fire chief said call volume and call types have changed and the historic buildings are no longer suitable as modern fire station buildings.
WOOD-TV NBC 8 Grand Rapids

Damage, downed trees and power lines left behind in Ferndale after severe storms

VIDEOS/PHOTOS: A line of severe storms that sailed through metro Detroit Wednesday afternoon left a trail of damage, downed trees and power lines and ripped roofs off buildings in parts of the area. Reporter Simon Shaykhet assessed damage in Ferndale and talked to residents. “Whatever came through here and tore this down must have been pretty powerful,” said Darryl Martin, who witnessed the storm. Ray Fairbanks was on his way to work when the wave of wild weather created destruction that littered the area with debris. "Half the roof blew, air conditioner blew off, stuff all over everybody's car," he said outside the Voyager restaurant on Vesper Street, where part of a roof landed on cars. Cleanup efforts continued Wednesday night. Firefighters spent hours with DTE to clean debris and remove downed power lines.
WXYZ-TV ABC 7 Detroit

West Michigan under red flag warning for fire dangers

The dry weather and high wind in West Michigan has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning. The warning means people should be extra cautious with open flames because of “very dry” conditions, more wind and “dry vegetation,” NWS Grand Rapids posted on its social media Tuesday. A combination of those conditions increases the risk of fire. The NWS warned people to avoid open flames and be extra careful while discarding burning material. The International Association of Fire Chiefs recommends avoiding the use of lawn mowers in dry grasses, putting outdoor fires out properly by drowning them with plenty of water, soaking ashes and charcoal in water and throwing them away in a metal can. IAFC says never to throw cigarettes out of a vehicle, drive a vehicle in tall grass or let trailer chains drag on the ground.
WOOD-TV NBC 8 Grand Rapids

Norton Shores woman severely injured after dog drags her out of her home, attacks her on front lawn

A Norton Shores woman is recovering after she was attacked by a dog at her home Monday morning. Norton Shores Fire Chief Bob Gagnon said his crew, along with Norton Shores Police, responded to a call about the attack. He said a person driving by noticed the woman, who has not been identified, lying facedown on her lawn as the Rottweiler attacked her. The victim already had a dog at home. Officials said her son had brought home the dog that attacked her after he found it. "The son noticed it in front of his place of employment, that there was a dog chained to a fence or chained to a telephone pole. And the son, you know, wanted to do good and brought the dog in. Unfortunately, that dog was the aggressor of the two dogs and caused this incident to happen,” said Gagnon.
WZZM-TV ABC 13 Grand Rapids