South Haven Area Emergency Services Authority

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.

Countryside Nursing and Rehabilitation Center provided a free breakfast earlier this month to members of South Haven Area Emergency Services for all the help they provide to nursing home staff during medical emergencies involving nursing home residents. Countryside staff volunteered to prepare the breakfast items, which included waffles, pancakes, egg and cheese casseroles, gravy and biscuits, fresh fruit, quiche, muffins, orange juice and coffee. Clockwise from left are Ron Ridley, Jim Lindemulder, James Quinn and David Griessel. Photo courtesy South Haven Tribune

SHAES has received a $1,542 fire prevention grant from FM Global, one of the world's largest commercial property insurers. The award will be used to purchase tablet computers that will placed in the department's engines. The computers will help responding firefighters to more quickly access pre-fire planning data related to local community buldings, according to Ronald Wise, SHAES Executive Director who is pictured with Ryan Middleton of FM Global.

Because fire continues to be the leading cause of property damage worldwide, during the past 35 years FM Global has continued millions of dollars in fire prevention grants to five service organizations around the globe. Locally, the company has awarded grants to a number of Michigan-based organizations.

“At FM Global, we strongly believe the majority of property damage is preventable, not inevitable,” said Michael Spaziani, manager of the fire prevention grant program. “Far too often, inadequate budgets prevent those organizations working to prevent fire from being as proactive as they would like to be. With additional financial support, grant recipients are actively helping to improve property risk in the communities they serve.”

Through its grant program, FM Gobal awards grant to department that best demonstrate a need for funding, where dollars can have the most demonstrable impact on preventing fire, or mitigating the damage it can quickly cause.

SHAES personnel recently practiced cold water rescue techniques on the icy Black River. SHAES is now equipped with eight cold water rescue suits that will facilitate quicker responses to emergencies. The department has also acquired an advanced rope deployment device to improve rescue capabilities. The device has the ability to shoot a rescue rope up to 500 feet. It replaces hand-thrown devices. Acquisition of the device was made possible in part through a grant from the South Haven Community Foundation.

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