EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Cities of Lansing and East Lansing plan to request that Plante Moran conduct a study of the feasibility of creating a fire authority for the leadership and administration of the two municipal fire departments.
The cities will ask Plante Moran to review the formation of an authority that would serve both communities by combining fire executive leadership, emergency management, fire prevention, equipment and training.
Chief Randall Talifarro has been serving as fire chief for both the Lansing and East Lansing communities for five years. East Lansing and Lansing are also part of an affiliation of six fire departments that have been working to align response, supervision, procurement, training and fire scene management across the Lansing Metro Region. The creation of a fire authority would serve as a next step toward improving the level of collaboration and fire/EMS services for both communities.
“Following years of progress, the Cities of Lansing and East Lansing are looking to take collaboration and shared services to the next level,” said Mayor Virg Bernero. “This feasibility study is a natural next step.”
“The collaboration between the East Lansing Fire Department and Lansing Fire Department over the past several years has proven that efficiencies and improvements to services can result from strategic partnerships with neighboring municipalities,” said East Lansing Mayor Mark Meadows. “We look forward to learning more about the logistics and feasibility of a fire authority through this study.”
The study would also look at ambulance services for both municipalities to study the potential for service benefits if emergency medical services were to be included in the authority.
“Ambulance services are a critical part of the emergency response that we provide to our residents,” said Fire Chief Randall Talifarro. “We know that some communities have a different model for payment that eases the financial burden on those in need of emergency medical transport. We are asking Plante Moran to look into new models for enhancing the services needed by our residents, while also covering those emergency medical transport costs as a community.”
East Lansing City Council will be considering the feasibility agreement at its Budget Meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at East Lansing City Hall, 410 Abbot Road.