South Kalamazoo County Fire Authority

Welcome to the South Kalamazoo County Fire Authority website. SKCFA covers the southern quarter of Kalamazoo County. The authority covers approximately 144 square miles. SKCFA is a merger of three, previously separate fire departments, consisting of the villages of Schoolcraft, Vicksburg, and Fulton, Michigan. The population of the coverage area is approximately 20,000. Along with the normal operations of the fire service we also do ice and water rescue.

 

Mission Statement:

• To reduce and control fire losses in the Authority through a comprehensive program of fire prevention, public education, fire suppression and training.
• To provide emergency medical services to the best of our ability and training.
• To maintain adequate emergency preparedness to control ad handle a variety of potential life or property threatening situations, in order to provide adequate levels of safety for the community.
• To engage in fire prevention planning efforts to ensure the most cost effective system of community fire protection, both now and in the future.
• To establish and maintain a relationship with other fire departments and outside agencies, so as to be able to give or receive reciprocal support to accomplish an assigned mission.

SKCFA News

• Rescue Vehicle
  At the September 16, 2009 regular board meeting, the board members present unanimously approved 
  the purchase of a 2010 Ford F-550 Rescue Vehicle.  The new vehicle will be placed at Station 2 in 
  Vicksburg. 
   
  As time has moved forward, the amount and size of the equipment needed has changed.  Personnel have 
  been working from a vehicle that does not have the space to handle the required equipment.  The new 
  vehicle will cost $56,000 fully equipped with the storage and space for personnel to take the
  Authority well in to the future.

• Radio Grant
  Communication is key to any organization.  In the fire service lives depend on the ability of 
  the responders to communicate effectively.  
  
  In the summer of 2008 the department did a full assessment of its communication equipment and 
  procedures.  It was clear there was a problem with the radio equipment's ability to work reliably.  
  Options were reviewed on what the department needed to do to correct the problems and the
  Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) was applied for.  Initial estimates for the upgrade were well 
  above $100,000.
  
  In February 2009, South Kalamazoo County Fire Authority was awarded a grant in the amount of 
  $128,444 through the AFG Program.  AFG is a federal program run and sponsored by the 
  Federal Emergency Management Agency.  Through a bidding process, the project was awarded 
  to Tel-Rad, Inc.
    
  All three stations have new base stations installed that allow for communication between dispatch, 
  the station, and the responders.  All active personnel have been issued portable radios.  When a 
  responder needs to communicate, they will have the equipment to perform their duties instantly.
  Most of the vehicles have also received new radios.  The upgraded equipment works on the 
  800 MHz frequency and will increase the responder's ability to communicate, even during multiple 
  incident periods.  
  
  This improvement in communications will benefit the personnel, the department and the community. 
  

• New Extrication Equipment
  New Extrication Equipment was purchased for Stations 1 and 2.  Each Station has 1 New Champion Hydraulic Pump, 1 Cutter, 1 Spreader, 1 Spreader Attachment, 1 Cutter Attachment. The old extrication tools location is TBD.