This page highlights in photos the activities of South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) during 2016. At the bottom of this page will be a news archive for the current year. When you click on a photo it will enlarge.

SHAES is pleased to announce that 911 calls now received by the Allegan County 911 Center are being dispatched directly to SHAES. In the past, 911 calls received by the Allegan Center were relayed to the Van Buren 911 Center which then dispatched SHAES to the emergency. This change will expedite the response to emergency calls in Casco Township and to mutual aid responses to other Allegan County departments. SHAES is grateful to the staffs at the Allegan and VanBuren 911 centers and Frontier telephone for facilitating this change that will better serve our citizens.

The South Haven Area Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed SHAES as a new Chamber member. Read More.

South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) along with Bangor Community Fire Department has been awarded $398,182 for 73 new Self-contained Breathing Apparatus through the 2015 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program.

“The new Self-contained Breathing Apparatus replaces existing units that are 20 years old and do not meet today’s stringent standards for firefighting and hazardous materials,” said SHAES chief Ron Wise.

The AFG program provides federal money directly to local fire departments to help address a wide variety of equipment, training and other firefighter-related needs. SHAES and Bangor firefighters last received an AFG award in fiscal year 2010, through a countywide regional grant which funded mobile radios for fire apparatus along with portable radios and pagers for firefighters throughout Van Buren County.

There is no set geographical formula for the distribution of AFG grants. Rather fire departments throughout the nation apply and award decisions are made by a peer panel based on the merits of the applications and the needs of the communities.

South Haven Area Emergency Services and Bangor Community Fire Department will match 10% of the grant with local funding that has already been set aside in anticipation for the grant award. The total project cost will be $438,000. Which include local match of $39,818.

SHAES and the American Red Cross are collaborating on a program to provide FREE smoke alarms to residents in the fire department's service area. The installation of the alarms by SHAES personnel and representatives from the Red Cross will occur on Friday, June 17th. To schedule an in-home visit call 269-353-6180, ext. 7181.

The Beach Safety Flag Program is underway for the 2016 summer season. The flags are flown at the seven Lake Michigan beaches in the City of South Haven. Lake conditions are monitored seven-days-a-week by SHAES personnel with flags flown from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The flags are now more explanatory than those in the past. The red flag, for example, has a no-swimming symbol on it. The green and yellow flags have the words GREEN and YELLOW on them to better people who are color-blind. SHAES personnel also check the life-rings and throw-ropes on the piers and monitor the swim-zone buoys on the lake. See Lake Michigan Beach Safety Webpage

South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) honored its members during the department's annual banquet on Saturday, May 7. Cesar Garcia, a paid-on-call firefighter, was presented the department's 2015 Leadership Award. Garcia has been a member of the department for 10 years. “This year's leadership award goes to an individual who has demonstrated the qualities of a leader without holding any rank within the department,” noted Chief Ron Wise. “Cesar has led by example, he is always willing to participate, taking classes on his own time. He has shown everyone that training is important no matter how much time you have on the department.” Wise lauded Garcia's true passion to serve his community. “He is a very humble public servant who does not need validation to know that what he is doing is important.” Garcia is pictured with Chief Ron Wise (left) and Deputy Chief Tony Marsala. Click here to see other recognitions and honors

The service of a longtime employee of the South Haven police department and South Haven Area Emergency Services was recognized during the annual dinner of SHAE on Saturday, May 7. Vickii Nichols recently retired after serving 17 years as a clerk-typist and overnight shift office assistant for the two departments. She is pictured receiving a proclamation recognizing her service from Mayor Robert Burr.