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CITY OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN

                                   FIRE SERVICES DIVISION 

DIVISION SUMMARY                                        or remodel of any structure and continues
                                                        throughout the life of the structure with
FIRE SERVICES                                           periodic inspections by fire prevention
                                                        bureau personnel.  This is a true team effort
Division Description                                    that can only be accomplished with all
The Fire Services Division operates as a single         involved working in cooperation and unity of
department providing the following functions:           purpose.  This involves our staff
Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Service,            coordinating and cooperating with staff from
Training, Fire Prevention, Code Enforcement,            all other divisions within city government, as
Fire Safety Education, and Specialized Rescue.          well as the business community.
The Fire Services Division is responsible for
delivery of the aforementioned services within            Sustain the Natural, Cultural and
the City as well as providing fire prevention and       Recreational Resources of the
public fire safety education services for our           Community.
citizens and businesses.                                The Fire Services Division is currently
                                                        working to enhance our ice/water rescue
Divisional Relationship to City                         capabilities to better serve our citizens and
Commission Goals                                        visitors on our waterways and lakes.
     Take Leadership Responsibility for                   Foster Strong Ties Among Governments
   Improving Race Relations and Diversity.              and Community Agencies.
   Fire Services Division is currently working          Fire Services currently uses automatic and
   with labor and Civil Service to redesign the         mutual aid with neighboring jurisdictions to
   testing process. Public education personnel          deliver life-safety services to citizens in the
   are delivering fire safety education                 most rapid and efficient manner possible.
   programs in all elementary schools and               This program also provides us with
   many preschools.                                     sufficient first alarm equipment and
                                                        personnel to handle emergencies in our
     Foster Opportunities for City Youth.               target hazards.  Plans are underway for
   The Fire Prevention Bureau is reaching out           Inspection Services to explore with its
   to our youth through our Firematch and               counterparts throughout the county the
   Juvenile Firesetter Programs to help                 issue of intergovernmental cooperation in
   troubled kids develop a positive image of            providing various inspection services. (The
   firefighters and establish them as personal          idea is to provide the best possible service
   role models and friends.  The Bureau also            to the customer in the most economically
   partners with business and industry to               feasible manner.)  We are also in the
   provide safety education programs to their           process of reaching an agreement with a
   employees and families.                              neighboring municipality to provide
                                                        inspection services.  This agreement will
     Promote Economic Stability, Diverse                strengthen our ties with surrounding
   Economic Growth and Redevelopment.                   communities and afford an opportunity to
   The Inspection Services Department                   provide a uniform approach to code
   enforces all codes as required by the State          enforcement.
   of Michigan and the property maintenance                
   code as adopted by the City of Muskegon.
   This includes enforcement of the applicable
   codes during the construction, addition to,



     Develop and Maintain City Infrastructure
   and Facilities.                                     CITY OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN
   Central Fire Station is in need of
   replacement.  The current structure has                  to uniformly enforce all the provisions of the
   severe structural problems and cannot                    codes in a manner that is consistent and
   accommodate newer, larger firefighting                   when necessary, educational.  
   apparatus.  We are studying possible
   locations for the new station.                           Training:  Maintain an annual training
                                                           calendar for all personnel to track their
     Maintain and Enhance the                              training and document same in order to
   Neighborhoods of the City.                              ensure compliance with established training
   Fire personnel continue to meet with                    needs.
   Neighborhood Associations to maintain
   focus on current problems and assist in             Future Outlook
   setting goals for their resolution.  They
   attend neighborhood functions to become a
   part of the neighborhood where stations are              Administration:  Continue to explore
   located; and Neighborhood residents are                 relocation options for the replacement
   comfortable interacting with fire personnel             Central Fire Station.
   on a regular basis.  At the new Laketon
   Avenue Fire station where there's a                      Prevention Bureau: Continue to streamline
   community room for public groups                        inspection processes.  Administer the USFA
   meetings, residents use the room for many               Fire Grant for the All Ways Safe Program.
   of their gatherings.  Having a community
   room included in future stations renovations
   will further enhance interactions with other
   neighborhoods.

   Inspection Services identifies dangerous
   structures within the city and takes
   necessary corrective action. This approach
   has resulted in a reduction in structural fires,
   fire losses, civilian injuries, and deaths for
   the last two years.  Our city is safer and we
   will continue to improve this process.  Our
   goal is to complete demolition of the
   majority of unsafe structures within the City
   of Muskegon within the next three to four
   years.

2004 Budget Highlights

     Personnel complement reduced to 13 per
   shift this year.

     Operations: Continue to monitor the newly
   implemented dive/rescue operation.
   Improve suppression records management
   and incident reporting system for access by
   all stations and Central Dispatch.

     Inspection Services:  Continue in our efforts