Fort Gratiot Fire Department looking to increase staffing

Lina PortmanMay 25, 2024

0 2 minutes read

The would-be firefighters climbed ladders, dragged hoses and crawled blindly around furniture as they were each tested for a job offer at the Fort Gratiot Fire Department on Wednesday.

Although only one position is immediately open, Fort Gratiot Fire Chief Michael Fronimos said applicants will also be considered for six full-time positions he hopes to add in the near future.

Fronimos said he hopes to significantly increase the fire department's staffing so the department can have six firefighters on duty at any time, up from the department's current standard of two. The expansion is dependent on a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help fire departments meet staffing standards set by the National Fire Protection Association.

“We do 2,000 runs a year,” Fronimos said. “It’s hard to do with only two people on duty.”

Fronimos said he expects call volume to increase as he anticipates the department responding to more medical calls following recent changes in how St. County fire departments Clair coordinates with Tri-Hospital EMS.

On Wednesday, 14 candidates took a written exam and an interview before undergoing a test of their physical abilities.

The skills exam required candidates to perform tasks commonly performed by firefighters, such as climbing a fire truck ladder to see how quickly they could climb their way up, or having to follow a garden hose out of a fire truck. blindfolded building to simulate escape from a burning building when smoke can reduce visibility.

Fronimos said candidates are not necessarily graded as pass or fail. Instead, the department identifies their strengths and weaknesses to note areas in which they can improve.

Each candidate must have their Firefighter I and II certification to be eligible for the position and have EMT training.

One of the candidates, Annmarie Hayden, has completed EMT training, but has yet to complete her firefighter training. As a result, she is not eligible for the only position immediately available at the fire department, but Fronimos encouraged her to apply to be considered for the six other positions it hopes to add.

Hayden was confident in his performance on the qualifying exam, citing his previous experience in the U.S. Marine Corp.

“My dad was a paramedic and I knew I wanted to be some sort of first responder,” Hayden said.

If the grant were to be awarded, Fronimos said he hopes the new hires will allow the department to improve each firefighter's work/life balance by expanding the workload.

“If we have to wait, that means our taxpayers have to wait,” Fronimos said.

Lina Portman

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