CHESTERFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Families in Chesterfield Township are demanding answers after a busy fire station was shut down despite voters approving two fire millages.
Monday night's board meeting drew a large crowd of people wanting answers.
The Chesterfield Township Fire Department is one of Macomb County's busiest fire departments. So far this year, it has already had 1,728 calls for service.
There are only 18 firefighters in the community, down from 28. There's no chief or deputy chief, and now a station that services more than 3,000 homes has been closed.
The board meeting was packed with people supporting their firefighters after news that the fire station would be closed.
The board of trustees said Fire State No. 2 was in deplorable conditions with numerous building and fire code violations. The fire station in question sits across from several homes on Jefferson Avenue and Forbes Street. The two firefighters stationed there daily have now been moved three or four miles away.
Residents are concerned about increased response times.
Over the last decade, voters have approved two fire millages. Last year, the newly formed Public Safety District created one millage for both its police and fire departments.
The sudden closure of this station comes as the firefighters union is negotiating its contract.
The supervisor said he believes this is a "media hoopla." He said residents trying to make the fire station closing seem like a bigger issue than it actually is. He said response times will not increase.