Sumpter Board gets demonstration of new fire dept. turnout gear

By Rosemary K. Otzman
Independent Editor
The Sumpter Township Board of Trustees, plus a number of people in the audience at the Jan. 27 board meeting, got a demonstration of the new, recently purchased fire department turnout gear.
“It’s nice to see where some of our tax dollars are going,” said Supervisor John Morgan.
Fire Chief Joseph Januszyk said since the fire department got delivery of $20,000 worth of new turnout gear they thought fire fighters should show the township what it bought.
Chief Januszyk first showed the old turnout gear that was manufactured in August 1995 and has holes in it that can’t be fixed. He said they no longer will fix gear with 7-10 years of use.
He showed the old, plain, rubber boots that have steel toes which make your feet feel like they are in a vice. They are not comfortable, he emphasized.
The helmet he held up is three years old and still serviceable.
Trustee Bill Hamm, who has been a paid per call fire fighter for eight years, got up from his place at the board table and went into the front of the audience with Januszyk to show off his new equipment.
Chief Januszyk showed the drag strap hidden in a pocket between Hamm’s shoulders on the new suit that can be used to pull an injured fire fighter out of a building. It also can be hooked to a helicopter line to pull the fire fighter up from a problem location.
Hamm showed the new leather boots that have arch supports, good traction, and are comfortable.
The brand-new helmets are equivalent to what Van Buren and Augusta Township fire fighters wear, Hamm said. There is a light on the helmet that pierces the smoke, he said.
Januszyk said when the light is on it also allows a partner to see where a firefighter is inside a smoky house. Each light is powered by two lithium batteries.
Hamm said he has worn used equipment for the past eight years and it is exciting to get the newest equipment.
He showed where his name is on the back across the bottom of his jacket, so it won’t be covered by his breathing tank on his upper back.
The colors are yellow and silver stripes on light tan suits, so they can tell their Sumpter fire fighters from those in other departments at a fire scene.
In other business at the Jan. 27 meeting, the board:
• Held a public hearing on use of the $101,824.06 in 2015 federal Community Development Block Grant funds and then approved the budget during the regular meeting. The budget includes $49,566.03 for demolition, $26,270 for housing rehabilitation, $15,505.62 for senior services (grass/snow), and $10,182.41 for administration. Joan Hennessey is the consultant helping the township with CDBG funding;
• Approved the hiring of part-time civilian employee Sue Dufrane in the police department office. Dufrane, a former dispatcher, came in to help when Jewell Leonard had to be off for medical treatment and now Leonard is back but still has doctor appointments to keep, so Dufrane is needed to help with the paperwork;
• Approved holding the 2015 Sumpter Country Fest over Memorial Day week end;
• Heard Trustee Don Swinson report that the food vendors are lined up for the festival and the festival committee is working on other details. He also read a letter from a parent thanking the township for the children’s Christmas party and the presents. Also, Trustee Swinson, said Supervisor Morgan did a fantastic job in speaking about Sumpter at the Chamber of Commerce’s recent luncheon;
• Heard Trustee Hamm announce that the Public Service Credit Union, now open in the Community Center, will close. Its last day open is March 6. Treasurer Alan Bates clarified that just this branch is closing. They are not going out of business, he said. “They tried to make it work and it just didn’t work,” said Supervisor Morgan;
• Heard Supervisor Morgan say that the library reminds everyone to fill out a library survey, so the library board will know what the public wants;
• Heard Trustee Matthew Oddy report on the committee work on the marijuana provisionary centers ordinance. The committee also has been asked to look at the 2011 Caregivers ordinance to make sure it’s being applied in the way it was written. He said they hope to have something on provisionary centers to present to the board by March so they can put it in place in the township. Attorney Rob Young said people are welcome to attend the meetings which are every other Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the township. The township currently has a moratorium on provisionary centers;
• Heard Mary Ban ask about giving financial support to the museum. Supervisor Morgan said he has talked to other board members about it. If Sumpter gave $10,000 to match the city of Belleville’s donation that still wouldn’t be enough to keep the museum going. He said Van Buren Township said it gives $32,000 a year. “We’re willing to help, but don’t know if our help will be enough to keep it going,” Supervisor Morgan said. Trustee Oddy said they had talked about using library funds for a spot for books about Sumpter in the museum. Attorney Young said the previous library millage has some funds left and that has to be expended for library purposes. “Can we take a corner of the museum – I don’t want to call it a branch, that’s got a …” he paused. “We’re working on it”;
• Heard Ban ask if the police vehicle accident on Jan. 16 caused the power outage in her area that night. Hamm said the power pole snapped right in half and was dangling from wires. “I thought it would be a day and a half to fix it,” Hamm said, noting he was amazed when DTE brought a machine in, propped up the wires, and then by the next morning there was a brand new pole in place. Ban said she was glad all the people involved were safe, especially the township’s police woman; and
• Heard Ban talk about license plates with pink on them like in other states for breast cancer awareness. She said a truck driver has seen them in other states and wondered why Michigan didn’t have them. Ban said she contacted former Sen. Bruce Patterson because his wife was in charge of the Cancer Care Center at University of Michigan. He told Ban that Michigan does have a license plate with a pink ribbon and it can be ordered through the Secretary of State.