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Mich. FD stops responding to lower-priority EMS calls

Haring Township firefighters will continue responding to high-priority calls while officials develop an EMS fee ordinance

HARING TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Haring Township has temporarily stopped fire department responses to lower-priority medical calls while officials develop an EMS ordinance and fee structure.

Township officials say the proposed ordinance and fee structure are necessary to sustain the service long-term, UpNorthLive reported.

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Residents may no longer see Haring Township firefighters on lower-priority calls, but officials said Mobile Medical Response will continue providing medical care.

“At the current time, we want to make sure that we have policies in place to protect our responders and to provide the best coverage to our residents,” Fire Chief Jason Baughan told UpNorthLive. “We are responding to priority ones if MMR requests us.”

The change follows the discovery that the township lacked an ordinance establishing EMS fees. Officials said the proposed funding system would help recover payroll costs and sustain EMS coverage.

Township leaders will discuss the proposed ordinance at a special meeting July 27. Officials said full EMS response is expected to resume if the measure is approved.

Officials said the changes are temporary while the ordinance moves through the approval process, which includes a required public hearing before adoption.

Should fire departments stop responding to lower-priority medical calls when another EMS agency is available, or does that risk delaying care and reducing system support?



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Bill Carey is the associate editor for FireRescue1.com and EMS1.com. A former Maryland volunteer firefighter, sergeant, and lieutenant, Bill has written for several fire service publications and platforms. His work on firefighter behavioral health garnered a 2014 Neal Award nomination. His ongoing research and writings about line-of-duty death data is frequently cited in articles, presentations, and trainings. Have a news tip? He can be reached at news@lexipol.com.