Danielle James
mlive.com
(TNS)

BYRON TOWNSHIP, MI – After nearly two years of planning and construction, Byron Township has opened its $2.4 million fire station, the area’s second station built to address a growing population.

Since its opening Sept. 22, the addition of the 6675 Clay Ave. SW station has shortened response times, according to Byron Township Fire Chief Bryan Looman.

“When there’s a fire in this area, you’re going to get two trucks right away,” he said. “We can use each other for vehicle accidents that are manpower intensive. We can use each other if this unit ends up going to the other side of our township and we get another call.”

Since the 1950s, Byron Township has relied on the Cutlerville Fire Department, which serviced both Byron and Gaines townships through an agreement where each jointly owned and operated the department.

Cutlerville is located in Byron and Gaines townships, with Division Avenue being the dividing line between the two. The Cutlerville fire station is located at 11 68th St. SW.

But in July 2023, Byron Township leaders voted to give a one-year notice that they would be leaving that agreement. Township leaders said the decision was prompted by population growth.

Byron Township, located in the southwest corner of Kent County, had a population of 26,927 as of the 2020 census, an increase of over 6,000 from the 2010 census.

Looman said at the time the township began to consider expanding, call volumes were only increasing. Last year the Cutlerville station was getting approximately 2,500 calls a year.

“There’s enough work here for both of us along that Division corridor,” said Looman, a township employee for over 10 years and fire chief for the last six.

In 2023, it was determined that one township would take over and fully operate the Cutlerville station, while the other would build and staff its own fire station in Cutlerville.

Byron Township built the new station, housed on about 3.5 acres formerly owned by the state Department of Transportation. Looman said the township worked with the state to purchase the land.

The property was especially favorable because of its proximity to both M-6 and U.S. 131, two higher-traff

In this episode of Talking Trucks, Chris Mc Loone sat down with fire service veteran Ricky Riley to discuss the NFPA 1900 standard, particularly the recommendations governing fire apparatus service lives. The conversation tackled the practicality of the “15/25 year rule” — that is, retiring rigs from frontline service at 15 years and fully from service by 25 — amid today’s fiscal and operational realities as well as fire apparatus reliability. This Podcast is brought to you by our friends at Rescue Intellitech.

Chris and Ricky clarified the 15 and 25-year service recommendations are in the annex of NFPA 1900 rather than the body of the standard itself. This distinction means fire departments are not legally bound to retire rigs at these ages but are strongly advised to plan along these timelines.

Ricky emphasized that this guidance primarily reflects safety and parts availability concerns. Older rigs often lack modern features such as three-point seat belts, airbags, and rollover protection. Additionally, as rigs age beyond 15 years, manufacturers may no longer support critical components like engines or electronic valves, making repairs both difficult and costly.

That said, neither Chris nor Ricky advocate blindly discarding trucks solely based on age. A well-maintained rig with a sound chassis and functioning key systems can perform effectively beyond 25 years. The decision must balance mechanical integrity, safety upgrades, and operational readiness, supported by a formal replacement plan that considers local funding and apparatus usage.

Ricky emphasized the critical role of rigorous annual inspections—preferably conducted by independent third parties—in managing aging fire apparatus fleets. These inspections identify wear points and needed repairs impartially, reducing the risk that aging rigs remain in service without meeting safety standards.

Comprehensive inspection reports also provide fleet managers with evidence to justify apparatus replacement requests to governing bodies and funding authorities. Citing NFPA recommendations alongside documented maintenance findings strengthens the case for capital investments.

Effective replacement plans must incorporate vehicle usage patterns, mileage, and expected delivery times.

In the end, maintaining a safe and reliable fleet means balancing the art of equipment management with the realities of budget constraints and changing technology. This conversation invites departments to revisit their replacement strategies with fresh eyes, while respecting the underlying reasons behind NFPA’s guidance.

The post Talking Trucks: NFPA 1900 Recommended Service Life for Fire Apparatus appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.