GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, MICH. — Grand Rapids Township residents are concerned about a long-standing rule involving the township firefighters.

Current policies in place prevent state-certified firefighters from responding to medical calls, even within their borders.

The township currently has an agreement with Rockford Ambulance Services, in effect since 2002.

It allows the company to respond to medical calls in the community, with priority over firefighters.

The partnership says Rockford is providing two ambulances staffed by a paramedic and a medical technician.

The municipality responds to more than 2,300 calls for service each year, which they say outsourcing helps with.

Some residents are unhappy with current plans. As Anthony Mojica, a current Muskegon firefighter who most recently worked in Grand Rapids Township, says this isn’t normal.

“Even if a municipality has a contract with a private ambulance agency, its firefighters are still the first response to these calls in conjunction with the ambulance service,” Mojica said. “Normally, a fire department will be the first response to Priority 1 calls, the highest priority level call. But here in Grand Rapids Township, firefighters are not allowed to respond to any of those calls.”

The issue also cuts across the political spectrum: Justin Sheldon is running for township supervisor in the November election and has made it a major focus of his campaign.

Sheldon pointed to an Oct. 5 accident at Cascade Road and Beltline Avenue as one of the main reasons he is pushing for change.

“They ran a red light and got hit by a truck,” Sheldon said. “The first ambulance arrived within minutes, which is great. It took a second ambulance, then a third ambulance, and one of those ambulances had to come from as far away as Lowell, which is 25 minutes from road.

These in-between minutes can be extremely critical, especially in a medical emergency.

“Without having your hands on the patient, without being able to do that assessment of the patient, provide care, you don’t have the full picture of what’s going on,” Mojica said. “So what could have been a minor injury? Half an hour later the injury has now spread to a more serious injury which has not been treated.

When Fox 17 contacted Township Supervisor Mike Devries, he referred our team to a statement on the website that said:

“Emergency medical services have been provided by Rockford Ambulance since 2002. Grand Rapids Township has contracted First Responder and Advanced Life Support ambulance vehicles, staffed by a paramedic and a medical technician located at Fulton Street Station 24/7, and 3 Mile Road Station 12/7. The township receives more than 2,300 calls for service each year, with the majority originating south of Leonard Street, where senior housing, medical services and retailers are located along Fulton Street, Cascade Road and east from Paris. north of Leonard Street with the expansion of Corewell’s facilities and new multi-family housing developments. The township will continue to adapt to compensate for growth.

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