The Cedar Springs Fire Department fights a fire in Northland Estates in 2013.

By Carolee Cole

The Cedar Springs Fire and Rescue Department is a lean, clean, helping machine, full of spunk, kindness and compassion. These men and women volunteer to do many different things in our community and while all volunteers are important and keep the community moving forward with their efforts, I think I can safely say that no other volunteer group has as much responsibility or is required to be as available, without forewarning, as our amazing Fire and Rescue Department. 

Fire Chief Marty Fraser

There are 13 active firefighters and five first responders currently serving the department. Marty Fraser is our Fire Chief and the only salaried employee of the department. He is a most unassuming, humble man focused, number one, on keeping us and our possessions safe, and number two, on leading his department well. He’s been involved with the fire department for nearly 40 years having joined in April of 1977. I’m just going to say, this good-looking, kind-hearted man must have still been a teenager when he joined! 

A few members of the team have been serving the department for over 25 years and several joined in 1998, so there is a lot of cumulative experience represented in your local fire department. You can count on them to be there when you need them and to know what to do! To become a firefighter, you attend school one night per week and one Saturday per month for 6 months. Medical First Responders (MFR’s) typically attend training to become a firefighter and then attend MFR school for an additional 12-14 weeks. After initial training is complete, each member of the department is required to continue training once per month for a total of 60-80 hours per year to keep their training and certification up-to-date. School and training is paid for by the department.

In addition to keeping us safe and keeping their training relevant, firefighters participate in a lot of community events like parades, car shows, going to the elementary schools or career day at the high school as well as Girl and Boy Scouts’ events and other clubs in the area. Fire Chief Fraser noted that the firefighters are quick to volunteer for these events and donate countless hours to keep our children and us clear on safety things like, “Stop, Drop and Roll” and scream and holler if you’re ever trapped in a burning house, as well as child car seat checks and much more. This team has a real sense of Cedar Springs pride and community contribution.

I bet you are wondering what your firefighters get paid to keep you safe, attend the training, and show up with the fire trucks at school, girl scouts and parades. Let’s break it down. They get paid $0 for showing up at parades, school activities, girl scouts and other such scheduled events. They get $120 per year for attending all trainings and meetings. And, they get paid $11 for each emergency response. That’s it, unless the run goes over three hours, then they get an additional $11 for the second three hours! I’m actually doubting that these payments cover their gas money! But, That. Is. It! And they have to be ready at a moment’s notice since heart attacks and car accidents as well as fires are not scheduled into our days. 

While we were talking to Chief Fraser, a call came in. Stacy Velting, a medical first responder (MFR) for the department, responded to a medical situation at a local business. Stacey got there before the ambulance, assessed the situation, and developed a rapport with the person collecting their health history, name and contact information. The person was transported to the hospital and Stacy returned to the station where she repacked the “First In” bag and made sure it was ready for the next call.

We are so lucky to be the beneficiaries of the commitment the Cedar Springs Fire Department brings to the job of keeping us safe. In the next few weeks we’ll do a follow-up article to get you even more impressive information about how effective they are. Between now and then, drive by the department when the team is out washing the trucks, training or preparing the equipment for another call and yell out a thanks to them. 

By Judy Reed

Exciting things are happening this summer at the new Cedar Springs Community Library, and Monday is just the beginning as the annual Summer Reading Program kicks off.

The kickoff event to their biggest program of the year starts Monday, June 12, at 10 a.m. and runs until 6 p.m. And this year, there will be lots of room to move around in the building.

“We have so much room!” said Library Director Donna Clark. “Five of our old building would fit in the new one—going from 2,000 sq. ft. to 10,000!”

During the kickoff event, adults and kids—from babies to seniors—can register and receive a reading log in the large classroom, and then move on to the community room to sign up for special programs that will happen throughout the summer, and take part in a new woman’s bike raffle. Themed t-shirts will be on sale there, and the Friends of the Library book sale will also be in the community room.

There will also be fun outside for everyone. Outside by the large tree and the historic well will be the Double K Petting Barn with Animal Junction 4H members assisting. Cindy Karafa says that there will be lots of new baby animals to show. Classic Kelly’s is giving away free ice cream cups again this year, the Cedar Springs Fire and Rescue trucks will be there, and Ronald McDonald will come to share a book and some magic tricks from 2-4 p,m. These activities will end between 3 and 4 p.m. The ice cream will then be moved to the Community Room.

At closing on Wednesday, June 7, 321 people had already preregistered for the summer reading program. “We usually have over 700 after the first two or three weeks of our kickoff,” said Clark.

June and July will be filled with reading and special events. The more hours a person reads (K-12) and the more books adults read, the better his/her chance is to win one of the prizes offered by 29 local businesses.

The last day to turn in reading logs is July 21. The program will end with a carnival at Morley Park on July 27, where the prizes will be given away. But kids in grades K-12 don’t have to wait until July 27 to win something—they win with every one of the five reading coupons turned in throughout the summer. “Every coupon turned in is a special local treat,” remarked Clark. “Come on in and join us and we will ‘treat’ you well, compliments of our local business community!”

The new library has been a big hit with the community. According to Clark, they are averaging 300 people a day. They issued 73 new library cards in their first 12 days of being open, and have updated many of the KDL patrons who use their service as well. If you haven’t made it there yet, stop in Monday, June 12, and have some fun!

A man was killed in Nelson Township last weekend after another driver ran a stop sign and hit his vehicle.

According to the Kent County Sheriff Department, the crash occurred shortly before 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 13, at the intersection of 18 Mile Rd and Myers Lake Ave. Police said that Phillip Allen Garcia, 18, of Solon Township, was driving a Chevy Monte Carlo southbound on Myers Lake Ave and ran the stop sign at 18 Mile. His vehicle then struck an eastbound Chevy Impala that had the right of way.

The driver of the Impala, Edward Allen Czarnecki, 59, of Oakfield Township, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Monte Carlo sustained minor, non-life threatening injuries.

Cedar Springs Fire and Rescue and Spencer Township Fire and Rescue assisted at the scene.

Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash. Both drivers wore seatbelts and the crash remains under investigation.

The Post checked with the Kent County Road Commission to find out how many crashes have occurred at this intersection over the last five years.

According to spokesperson Maura Lamoreaux, prior to this crash, there have been nine crashes at that intersection over the last five years and four months (2013 to April 2017). One of them was fatal (in 2013). So about two per year.

She said that to modify traffic control at an intersection, the Kent County Road Commission must follow warrants in accordance with the “Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices” by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation. “This is the state and national standard,” she explained.

Lamoreaux added that a study was just completed for the intersection, and it showed that the intersection did not warrant changes to traffic control. “We will continue to monitor this intersection for any changes that would warrant a modification in traffic control,” she said.

Spaghetti fundraiser March 8 for lifesaving equipment

By Judy Reed

In 2016, there were more than 350,000 instances of sudden cardiac arrest (outside of hospitals), according to the American Heart Association. About 46 percent had CPR performed on them by a bystander, and only 12 percent survived. That might not sound like a high number, but it’s a number that’s climbed over the last several years, thanks to new lifesaving equipment available to paramedics that will automatically do chest compressions. And Cedar Springs Fire and Rescue is trying to raise money to buy the equipment to treat people locally.

According to Cedar Springs Fire Chief Marty Fraser, the department responded to 11 heart attacks in 2016, and two since the first of the year. One of the two did not survive.

Fraser said that each call averages 8 people per call, averaging 60-70 minutes each, and they must do CPR manually. “60-70 minutes is a long time,” he said, adding that manual CPR calls for 120 compressions a minute. He also noted that daytime staffing can also be difficult, with firefighters working during the day.

With an automatic chest compression system, they could do the call with only three people. And the device would keep the patient’s blood circulating, delivering oxygen to organs while waiting for the ambulance to arrive to transport the patient to the hospital.

Algoma Fire and Kent City Fire both have one of these systems, and Algoma brought it to the Cedar Springs City Council to show them how it would help Cedar Springs. The Council then challenged Chief Fraser to do some fundraising for the $15,000 piece of equipment. “We have some money in next year’s budget, but would like to supplement that,” said Fraser.

He also said that the need for the equipment would only increase, with two senior citizens opening in Cedar Springs in the near future.

Their first fundraising event will be a spaghetti dinner on Wednesday, March 8, from 5-8 p.m. at Cedar Springs Big Boy, 13961 White Creek Ave. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for children ages 12 and under. Tickets may be purchased from any firefighter or medic. You may also purchase at the door. Call 696-1221 to order tickets. Leave a voicemail, the station will return your call.

Alcohol is believed to be a factor in a crash that sent two people to the hospital earlier this month.

According to Sgt. Jason Kelley, of the Kent County Sheriff Department Cedar Springs Unit, the crash occurred on Friday, September 16, at 10:16 p.m. at the intersection of 18 Mile Road and Shaner Avenue. Deputy Emily Canda was reporting officer at the scene.

Investigators found that Tami Link, 44, of Cedar Springs, was travelling northbound on Shaner Ave in a GMC Acadia, when she disregarded a stop sign at 18 Mile Road, and collided with a westbound Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Bailey Poling, 18, of Grand Rapids. Poling and her passenger, Troy Poling, 51, of Grand Rapids, were injured in the crash. Both were transported to Butterworth Hospital via Rockford Ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries.

Tami Link also sustained minor injuries in the crash, but was not hospitalized. As a result of the investigation, Link was arrested. Charges have not yet been authorized, pending the lab results. Alcohol is believed to be a factor. The case remains open and under investigation.

Cedar Springs Fire and Rescue assisted at the scene.

A woman that ran a red light caused a three-car crash at 17 Mile and White Creek on Wednesday, September 14. Post Photo by J. Reed.

A three-car crash at the corner of 17 Mile and White Creek sent a young teen to the hospital last week.

According to the Kent County Sheriff Department, the crash occurred about 4:34 p.m., Wednesday, September 14, at the intersection of 17 Mile Road and White Creek Avenue.

According to Sgt. Jason Kelley, of KCSD Cedar Springs unit, a 2002 Dodge Stratus, driven by Jamie Wachter, a 46-year-old White Cloud woman, was travelling eastbound on 17 Mile Road and disregarded the red light at White Creek. That vehicle struck a southbound 2013 Ford Explorer driven by Tracy Bucholtz, a 53 year old Pierson woman, causing her vehicle to strike a third vehicle. The third vehicle, a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox, was northbound and driven by Karen Pursley-Wood, a 48-year-old Cedar Springs woman. After colliding with vehicle 3, the Ford Explorer flipped onto its side, coming to rest on the driver side.

A passenger in the Dodge Stratus, a 14-year-old White Cloud female, was transported to DeVos Children’s Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Wachter, who ran the red light in the Stratus, was cited for Careless Driving.

Cedar Springs Fire and Rescue assisted at the scene.

Two men were injured in this crash in Nelson Twp. Photo courtesy S. Harrison.

Two Cedar Springs men were sent to the hospital Tuesday morning, July 5, after a crash near 18 Mile and Ritchie.

According to the Kent County Sheriff Department, Michael Minnie, 25, of Nelson Township, was driving westbound on 18 Mile Road, in a 2000 Nissan Maxima, about 6:50 a.m. when he crossed the centerline and struck an eastbound Dodge Dakota truck.

The driver of the truck, Peter Frazine, 40, of Nelson Township, was pinned inside of his vehicle. He was transported to Butterworth Hospital by Rockford Ambulance, with a fractured femur and internal injuries. He was wearing a seatbelt.

The driver of the car was found unconscious, and sent to Butterworth Hospital with lacerations. Police reported he was not wearing a seatbelt.

Cedar Springs Fire and Rescue assisted at the scene.

A man died Friday evening after being hit by a vehicle while trying to cross 17 Mile Road in Cedar Springs.

A man was killed on 17 Mile Road in Cedar Springs about 6 p.m. Friday evening, October 17, while crossing the street.

Police identified the man as Bruce Hickman, 53, of the City of Cedar Springs.

Chief Chad Potts said the man had just left a store and was trying to cross the road.

A witness at the scene told the Post that while he was waiting to pull out of the Family Fare driveway, he saw the victim on the south side of the road, near the mailbox at 4186 17 Mile (just east of the Cedar Christian Academy sign), enter the roadway heading north. The witness looked away to the west, and when he looked back east, he saw the man get hit by a westbound vehicle.

The vehicle skidded to a stop in front of Choice One Bank.

Chief Potts said that according to another witness, the victim looked west before he crossed the road, but not east.

First responders gave the man CPR, but he did not survive his injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Alcohol was not a factor on the part of the driver. A toxicology report on the victim is not yet available.

Cedar Springs Police, the Kent County Sheriff Department, Cedar Springs Fire and Rescue, and Rockford Ambulance all assisted at the scene.

The accident is still under investigation.

A memorial service for Mr. Hickman, reportedly a longtime resident of an adult foster care home here in Cedar Springs, is set for Thursday, October 23, at the Pentecostal Church of Kentwood, 2627 44^th St. SE, Kentwood, from 6-8 p.m.

The driver of this car was extricated from the vehicle after a crash Tuesday in Solon Township. Post photo by L. Allen.

The Kent County Sheriff Department responded to the scene of an accident about noon, Tuesday, May 6, at the corner of Algoma and Solon Rd.

According to information the Post collected at the scene, a Chevy Silverado heading east on Solon Road stopped at the stop sign at Algoma, and then pulled out in front of a Pontiac Sunfire heading northbound on Algoma and the two collided.

The driver of the Sunfire had to be extricated from the vehicle, and was transported to the hospital. Her injuries were unknown at press time.

This Chevy Silverado pulled out in front of the Pontiac Sunfire. Post photo by L. Allen.

The driver of the truck declined to be transported to the hospital.

Both Solon and Cedar Springs Fire and Rescue responded to the scene.