South Haven Area Emergency Services Authority

Want to serve your community and become a member of South Haven Area Emergency Services? Here’s a road map on how to get started!

SHAES provides fire protection and emergency medical transport services to three townships and South Haven City. A total of nearly 100 sq. miles! We have a staff of seventeen career members and twenty-five paid-on-call members. We operate out of three stations and have an outstanding line of ambulances and fire apparatus. Members often begin their careers as paid-on-call. After achieving firefighter certification, paid-on-call members respond directly to the incident scenes after being alerted by dispatch via our paging system…. in other words you get to do all the fun stuff, fight fires, extrication, etc. Paid-on-call members that wish to further their education to pursue a career position will be sponsored by SHAES. If the member remains in good standings with the department all education associated with obtaining a career position with SHAES will be reimbursed! SHAES offers ALS transport ambulance service to our coverage areas, all career members are Firefighter/Paramedics. Once career positions become available, any members of SHAES that have been diligent in their paid-on-call careers to that point, made effort and are in good standings with the department will stand a good chance at a career position.

To become a member of SHAES: 1. Members are required to live in our coverage area (Casco Township, Geneva Township, South Haven City, South Haven Township). 2. Firefighter 1 & 2 certifications must be obtained at a minimum to be an active member of SHAES.

If You Are Under 18 Years of Age Van Buren ISD offers an exceptional Firefighter 1 & 2 program. If you’re still in high school we highly suggest this route. Why not take the program during school hours? The VB ISD program is top notch and highly recommended. The class instructor is a FF on a neighboring department of SHAES. Four career SHAES members are graduates of the ISD program as well as multiple paid on call members!

Van Buren ISD also offers an EMT-Basic program, also regarded as one of the best EMT programs in the area. This certification is required prior to enrolling in an EMT-Paramedic program, which is required to be a career member of SHAES but not required to be a paid-on-call member.

SHAES will sponsor candidates for both programs under our newly formed Cadet Program. If accepted, Cadets will be full fledged members of SHAES, able to respond to incidents and assist at the station.

If You Are Over 18 Years of Age Van Buren County offers a Firefighter 1 & 2 academy every Fall from September- May. Two nights per week, 6-10 PM, with an eight-hour Saturday class per month. SHAES would sponsor accepted members for the program. Once certification is achieved candidates become SHAES paid-on-call members able respond to and assist at fire calls. If further education is desired, members will be sponsored by SHAES and reimbursed for training pertaining to a career position with the department.

Sound good?! Check us out, ask questions! Not only would you be serving your community, you also become a member of our family. SHAES is a proud, well-trained, professional department. Work yourself into a great job, with great people!

Questions: Contact Chief Brandon Hinz – email bhinz@shaes.org

The SHAES Honor Guard joined elementary-age children at the North Shore and Lincoln schools in raising the flag on Veterans Day.

Read South Haven Tribune article – https://www.heraldpalladium.com/southhaventribune/localnews/sh-firefighters-visit-schools-for-veterans-day/article_4e4be3e8-134f-57f7-a01a-869406cae1e9.html

South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) has been awarded a $40,000 State of Michigan Fire Equipment Grant that will be used for the purchase of firefighter turnout gear.

“This grant funding is certainly welcomed and greatly appreciated as equipment costs continue to rise,” said SHAES Executive Director Brandon Hinz.

Using local funds, a recent SHAES purchase of turnout gear for eight firefighters cost $26,000. SHAES employs a total of 17 career members and 30 paid-on-call members. Turnout gear has a 10-year lifespan. SHAES, at a minimum, has sought to purchase five complete sets of bunker gear annually to ensure members are protected and safe. This grant will help the department accelerate its purchases.

“Especially with studies linking increased cancer rates among firefighters, SHAES has been very proactive in recent years to ensure members are properly protected. These grants are moving us closer to our goal of providing all our members with two pairs of turnout gear. One as a back-up while the other is laundered,” said Hinz.

In recent years the department has replaced its entire inventory of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and installed laundering equipment at its stations.

Firefighters from South Haven Area Emergency Services delivered the fire safety message to school kids during October. We are grateful to the educators of our community for opening their classrooms so we can annually deliver the important fire safety message to our kids.

See photos of our school visits - http://www.shaes.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=public:oct_2023

Restoration of the Firefighters Memorial in downtown South Haven has been completed. We are grateful for the craftsman from Lakefront Roofing and Exteriors. Proceeds from our pancake breakfasts are allowing this important work to occur.

This memorial to first responders was placed at the entrance to downtown South Haven in 2000. Contributions from local businesses and fund-raisers by members of SHAES made construction of the monument possible. It stands eight-feet-tall with an 800-pound fire service emblem handcrafted from black granite at the top. The monument was designed by Fire Chief Randy Van Wynen and handcrafted by mason Willy Wildt. St. Joe Monument Works created the etchings on the granite. The etched panels include the Fireman's Prayer and recognitions of the service provided by those in the Fire Service: Challenge, Respect, Honor.

Read more SHAES News – http://www.shaes.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=public:2023_review