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

Grease fire in fryer at McDonald’s in Battle Creek

Equipment failure is being blamed for a fire Monday morning at a McDonald's location in West Michigan. The Battle Creek Fire Department says crews were dispatched to the McDonald's on West Columbia Avenue just after 5:30 a.m. on April 15. Firefighters found a small fire near the grease fryer in the kitchen. Employees used two fire extinguishers to knock the flames down. Firefighters used a third to finally get the flames out. Preliminary investigation results show the fire started behind the fryer equipment. The report lists equipment failure as a probable cause of the fire, but did not elaborate on what equipment failed. The flames did not go beyond the fryer area. According to the fire department, the damage was limited to $5,000. No one was hurt.
WXMI-TV FOX 17 Grand Rapids

Why you should thank a Michigan 911 dispatcher this week

Several law enforcement agencies are thanking 911 dispatchers this week for National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week. The week takes place from April 14 to April 20. The Kent County Sheriff’s Office in a Monday social media post said its dispatch center answered close to 400,000 calls for service in 2023, a 4.45% increase from the year prior. In Muskegon County, the Muskegon Central Dispatch says its dispatchers take more than 250,000 calls each year. “Join us in thanking them for their hard work and dedication to keeping our community safe!” it shared in a Monday social media post. Several other West Michigan dispatch centers took time on Monday to thank its dispatchers, including Newaygo County 911 Central Dispatch.
WOOD-TV NBC 8 Grand Rapids