Garfield Township To Augment Ambulance Department Ranks; Marina Open
By Paul Gingras

Garfield Township has agreed to increase the ranks of its ambulance department by paying tuition for residents to take medical first responder classes this fall at Helen Newberry Joy Hospital. The decision was made at the township board meeting Monday, June 18.

Classes begin Monday, September 10. Applications must be in by Friday, August 10. To participate, contact the Garfield Township Volunteer Ambulance Department at (906) 477-6481.

Trainees who do not complete the course will be required to reimburse the municipality for the $600 class, and new recruits are expected to remain in the department for at least two years.

Medical first responders (MFRs) are often the first to arrive at the scene of an emergency, and they significantly improve patient care, partly by communicating with ambulances en-route to the site, said Lieutenant Rick Hopkins of the Ambulance Department. Using first responder information, ambulance crews can be much better prepared to serve the needs of a patient.

Classes this fall will be offered by teleconference.

The department needs at least two people to conduct an ambulance run. The MFR, who has First Aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training, assists an emergency medical technician (EMT) or a paramedic. The department prefers to have a driver also, enabling medical workers to focus on patients, Mr. Hopkins said.

Four potential EMTs in the area are expected to take their certification test by July, reported John Ross, a Garfield EMT.

Responding to board questioning, Mr. Ross explained that medical technicians and first responders are trained differently. Technicians who do not pass their certification tests do not have first responder status, he said.

In other business, the township reported that the Naubinway Marina is open for the summer. Boats can access the docks from Lake Michigan, although drifting sediment has rendered the boat launch unusable.

The state has not provided a grant to improve the site, reported Township Clerk Linda Bennett.

In previous years, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has provided grants that paid 100% of marina maintenance and improvement costs. For further grants, the state now requires a 5% township contribution. The municipality will also need at least two permits, each with associated costs, to make DNR-recommended improvements. Getting approval for the permits may take up to two years.

At the meeting, the board authorized Linda Bennett to find out how much the permits will cost. Securing them is the first step in upgrading the site. The basin must be altered to protect it from the drifting sediment that continues to hamper marina activities. Estimates gathered by the DNR for the work total $2.5 million.

The township has asked the state to prioritize and separate costs for each component of the project. Most important is construction of a $495,000 rubble mound, to protect the northwest side of the basin.

The township plans to apply for separate grants for each part of the project. Owing to the township's required 5% contribution, "we obviously have to watch our money," treasurer Debra Bennett said.

Garfield has applied for a separate permit to dredge the boat launch area, in hopes of getting it up and running for the summer. The township plans to bear the expense but has not received an estimate, Mrs. Bennett said.

The state has granted Garfield's request to charge marina patrons at a five-night rate, for seven days of mooring.

Vandalism has occurred at the marina twice this year. Bathrooms and lights on site have been damaged, and the board has requested help from the Mackinac County Sheriff's Department. If the problem continues, the board will be forced to lock the bathroom doors, requiring marina patrons to get keys from Harbormaster Larry Wyse.

In other business, the township granted a request to close Bougha Street, from the local ball field to the end of the road for approximately five hours to accommodate the annual Black Bear Run Wednesday, July 4. One lane will be open between the ball field and US-2.