On Tuesday, May 19, the Chelsea Area Fire Authority (CAFA) Board learned that after months of delays, the Lima Township fire substation is expected to open next month.
Renovations to the substation are nearly complete, and Chief Jim Payeur, as well as CAFA Vice Chairman Craig Maier agree that the facility should be operational in June. At that point, CAFA will then be able to stop paying the Dexter Area Fire Department approximately $5,000 a month to cover the six eastern most sections of Lima Township.
The CAFA Board unanimously voted to hire three new paid on call firefighters. Ethan Whitaker, Jacob Le Blanc, and Adam Ellis will replace who will replace Steven Tapping, Larry Gakin, and Jesse Chisolm.
In a written statement, outgoing firefighter Chisolm said “Thank you to all the kind firefighters, chief and his wife for making my time at the Chelsea Area Fire Authority one of the most pleasant and best departments I’ve ever come across, as well as one of the best places of employment I’ve had in my career. Chisolm no longer resides within the required 20-mile radius of the CAFA station.
Payeur announced that Washtenaw County will receive a new mobile training facility. CAFA, along with 14 other Washtenaw County fire departments, will share the use of the training facility, which was obtained thanks to a regional federal grant. According to Payeur’s monthly report, “The mobile facility consists of two 40-foot semi-type trailers. It provides the ability to conduct live fire training, and all associated structural fire operations training.”
According to the April report, there were 37 incidents in Chelsea, one in Dexter Township, 16 in Lima Township, 12 in Lyndon Township, eight in Sylvan Township, and two in Manchester Township.
