BRAD KAYE

MIDLAND, MI - The City of Midland has named Joshua Mosher as the next chief of the Midland Fire Department. Effective Jan. 1, Mosher will succeed the current chief, Chris Coughlin, who will retire effective Friday, Dec. 31. The department hired Mosher as a fire marshal in 2012 and he has served as assistant fire chief of training and safety since 2017, according to a City of Midland news release. Mosher holds a long list of accolades in fire safety, including being named Thomas Township Firefighter of the Year in 2002, Saginaw Township Firefighter of the Year in 2011 and the Michigan Fire Inspectors Society’s “Fire Inspector of the Year” in 2015. Mosher holds an associate’s degree in fire science from Delta College and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Northwood University, as well as numerous certifications.

Gretchen Whitmer has asked for a federal emergency declaration due to devastating floods in mid-Michigan. The Edenville Dam broke on Tuesday evening and the Sanford Dam breached after heavy rainfall hit the region, causing massive flooding in the area. By Wednesday morning, water that was several feet high covered some streets near the river in downtown Midland. READ: Investigating who is responsible for Edenville Dam failure that led to devastating floodsThe flooding forced about 11,000 people to evacuate their homes in the Midland area. Midland City Manager Brad Kaye said it was fortunate that the Tittabawassee River crested at just over 35 feet (11 meters), about 3 feet (90 centimeters) below the forecast level.

Gretchen Whitmer provided a complete update on the mid-Michigan floods, touching on the devastating damage to the community, possible legal action against the dam owners and when experts expect the peak water levels to arrive. 500-year eventWhitmer spoke around 1 p.m. Wednesday after she had just completed an aerial tour of the catastrophic damage caused by two dams failing in Midland County. A building almost completely underwater in Midland County on May 20, 2020. Updated information can be found at Midland911.org or The Midland County Emergency Management Facebook page. School buses almost completely underwater in Midland County on May 20, 2020.