New Chief Jeremy Watson Isn’t The Only News at Village of Holly Fire Dept.
(Crystal A. Proxmire, April 27, 2024)
Holly, MI – There are a number of things new at the Village of Holly Fire Department, including the promotion of Jeremy Watson to the position of Fire Chief.
Watson took over as interim Chief in November, and was given the official title in February.
NEW LOGO
One of the first tasks was to do some rebranding, giving the department a new logo.
The logo starts with an 8-point Maltese cross which is often associated with firefighting. The center seal has a grouping of firefighting symbols called a scramble. This includes a hat, a ladder, and an axe. There is a Star of Life symbol represents emergency medical services. There is a fire hydrant, and the number 51 which represents the identification number of the Holly Fire Department. The full number is 6351, with the 63 denoting Oakland County, and 51 representing the department. At the bottom is the holly leaf.
“This gives it a fresh look, and a fresh feel,” Chief Watson said.
Graphics on vehicles, letterhead, and clothing is gradually being swapped out for the new design over the next few years. To save money, the department bought their own heat press and transfer sheets to make their own shirts.
“87% of our budget is payroll,” he said. “So we have to be very mindful of how we spend the taxpayers money.”
SAFETY AND OUTREACH
While the Village of Holly boasts less than 6,000 residents, the department is busy – responding to over 1,000 calls each year, including medical runs, traffic crashes, assisting neighboring departments, and of course fires. In June 2022 the department showed it’s value by responding quickly to a large fire downtown, which could easily have spread beyond the handful of businesses that were impacted. The department also responded to the first fire fatality in over a decade in January when a man suffered a fatal heart attack while escaping a fire at his mobile home. The man had not had smoke detectors in his home, a reminder to Watson and his crew about the importance of not just fighting fires, but of the role the fire department has in fire prevention and fire safety.
There are several areas where public outreach is a priority.
“Our department, and many other fire departments, have smoke alarms for residents for free,” Chief Watson said. “We even can order smoke alarms for those with disabilities. There are alarms that go off with bright strobe lights, and those that can shake a person’s bed to wake them up.” Residents can reach out to the department if they are in need.
“They really do save lives,” he said. “Fires spread quickly and it’s important an important warning that can make all the difference.”
Another service the Village of Holly Fire Department can provide is the installation of Knox Boxes. “It’s a secure box that business owners can have installed that has keys, key fobs, alarm codes and contact information so that if we are called to the business we can access those instead of breaking down a door or a window for access,” Watson said. The boxes are designed to only be opened by the department. While there is a nominal cost for installation, the Knox Box can save business owners from expensive repairs to windows and doors, and it can help minimize fire damage by providing quicker access.
Lastly Watson wants to caution the public about grilling safety. Each year the department responds to fires caused by unsafe grilling. He urges residents to make sure grills are a safe distance from structures, that they are lit safely, and they are monitored while in use. For example, in 2016, a four unit condo was destroyed due to a grill being used on a second story deck. While there were no fatalities, four families lost their homes and belongings. Making time to be safe can prevent such losses.
WISH LIST
Watson also started off his time as Chief by having members of his team make lists of things they wanted to see happen in the department. He asked that they not share their ideas until after they were all collected to make sure and get a variety of responses. He then made a list of the top five requests and went to work trying to find solutions.
The first was the need for a new ladder truck. He has already submitted a grant request to FEMA, though his eyes are open for other grant opportunities in case this does not pan out. Watson is optimistic since both Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters sent letters in support of the grant, as did Congressperson Elissa Slotkin.
The second was a power load system for putting the stretcher into the ambulance. Moving people manually causes stress on firefighters and leaves more room for human error. A mechanical lift means rescue workers can use their energy for other lifesaving measures, and have reduced possibility for injury. The cost of the system was $35,000 and Watson was able to secure a donation from a business that wants to remain anonymous. Watson is hoping to find enough donations to purchase one more.
The third is a generator for the fire station. “Earlier this year we had a power outage due to winds and blistering cold,” Chief Watson said. “Staff did not have electric, heat or water and had to lift the bay doors by hand.” Watson applied for a grant that the department did not receive, and he continues to search for funding options for the generator, which would cost about $30,000.
The fourth is hydraulic extraction tools. “Most people think of these as the jaws of life,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of bad accidents in town, but we do have industrial businesses where having better tools can be helpful.”
And the fifth item on the wish list is a fire engine and pump, with a cost of about $500,000 – $800,000.
“When we look at our equipment, we keep it in good shape, but it’s old. Our ladder truck is from 1988. Our engines are from 1999 and 2004. They’ve all exceeded their life spans. You can even see 1988 fire trucks in cars shows now because they are so old.”
“We’re working diligently trying to muster up some money without putting it on the citizen taxpayers. The last thing we want is to have to ask for more money,” he said. Down the line a millage could become necessary, but he’s hoping to avoid that with grants and donations.
TRAINING EVENT
While the economics of small town fire safety are a challenge, there are bright spots as well. One exciting thing on the horizon is that Holly will host a regional rescue training effort using the old Karl Richter Center. The center is in the process of being torn down to make room for a new middle school, and there will be nine fire departments and a Michigan task force using the building for training in early June.
While there will not be any live fires, the property will provide a space for rooftop rescues, wall breaches, maydays, and other training exercises – “activities you just can’t simulate to get the full effect,” Chief Watson said. The training will bring firefighters from around the region to Holly for this valuable firsthand experience.
“We’re proud that Holly can be a place for this training,” he said. “We also want the public to know that it’s happening. The street will be closed off and there will be a number of firetrucks there, so we want people to know what is going on, and not to be worried.”
Even though Watson is new to the position of Chief, he has a long history of service to the community. He started off in a Boy Scout Explorer Program in Fenton Township, then worked in private EMS service before working in Groveland’s Fire Department for seven years, and joining Village of Holly Fire ten years ago. He served as Fire Marshal, taking the lead on programs to encourage fire safety for businesses, including awards for those who made improvements.
“Our Department was established in 1880,” Chief Watson said. “A lot of men and women have walked through the doors of this department. I won’t be around in 2080, but I want to see our department make it to 200 years.”
Learn more about Village of Holly Fire, including how to contact them to make donations towards equipment, at https://www.hollyfiredepartment.org/.