Mt. Pleasant Home Sustains Fire Damage

On December 27, 2023, at 5:44 p.m., the Mt. Pleasant Fire Department (MPFD) responded to a house fire in the 1100 block of E. Michigan Street.

Upon arrival, crews observed a single-story residence with fire exiting one window and heavy smoke coming from the eaves of the structure. The house sustained light smoke damage with heavy fire, smoke, and heat damage to the room where the fire originated.

The resident was not at home at the time of the fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The MPFD was assisted by the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Fire Department, Mobile Medical Response, Mt. Pleasant Police Department, and Isabella County Central Dispatch.

Garage Fire in the 1000 Block of South Crapo Street

On October 18, 2023 at 2:58 p.m., the Mt. Pleasant Fire Department (MPFD) was dispatched to a structure fire in the 1000 block of South Crapo Street.

Upon arrival to the scene, fire crews observed smoke coming from a residential duplex and brought the fire under control by 3:31 p.m. The duplex sustained light fire damage in the garage and eaves. Occupants were home at the time of the incident, but exited safely with no injuries sustained.

The cause of the fire was due to cigarette smoking in the area.

The Mt. Pleasant Fire Department was assisted by the Mt. Pleasant Police Department and Isabella County Central Dispatch.

Fire Damages Mt. Pleasant Home

On April 2, 2023 at 8:52 p.m. the Mt. Pleasant Fire Department (MPFD) responded to a house fire in the 3300 block of S. Isabella Road in Mt. Pleasant.

Upon arrival, crews observed a single-story residence fully engulfed in flames. The fire was brought under control at 10:00 p.m. The house sustained heavy smoke, heat and fire damage, and is a complete loss. No one was in the structure at the time of the incident.

The MPFD is investigating the cause of the fire.

The Mt. Pleasant Fire Department was assisted by the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Fire Department, Deerfield Township Fire Department, Shepherd Tri-Township Fire Department, Mt. Pleasant Police Department, Michigan State Police, Mobile Medical Response and Isabella County Central Dispatch.

Mt. Pleasant Fire Chief Beltinck to Retire

After 25 years of service, Fire Chief Rick Beltinck will retire on December 16. Rick rose through the fire ranks, starting as a Fire Equipment Operator. He then advanced to Sergeant, Lieutenant and ultimately Chief in 2015.

In reflecting on his career with the MPFD, Rick observed, “I have had the opportunity to work with great people within our organization, and the community as a whole. It was truly an honor to be a member of a team which fostered learning and growth.”

“Rick’s dedication and hard work is evident through the numerous roles he filled within the fire department and the many initiatives he spearheaded,” said Director Paul Lauria. “Rick worked diligently on the 800Mhz statewide radio system implementation, the SCBA firefighter pack transition, successfully obtained grant funding, and developed a process for updating policy and procedures. Rick also served as the City’s Emergency Manager,” Lauria added, “and chaired the area fire chief’s board which fosters communication among the regional fire departments. Rick’s commitment to the community, the Division of Public Safety, and his invaluable institutional knowledge will be sorely missed.”

Rick’s retirement plans include spending time with family and enjoying life.

Mt. Pleasant Fire Department Responds to Two House Fires

On November 1 at 10:05 p.m., the Mount Pleasant Fire Department (MPFD) responded to a structure fire at 1006 Bruce Street.

Upon arrival, crews observed two residential structures on fire. The fire was brought under control at 1:30 a.m. Both homes sustained heavy smoke, heat and fire damage. No injuries were sustained in this incident.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The MPFD was assisted by the Mt. Pleasant Police Department, Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Fire Department, Shepherd Tri Township Fire Department, Deerfield Township Fire Department, Mobile Medical Response and Isabella County Central Dispatch.

Innovation and resourcefulness leads to DPS building gear dryer

At the Division of Public Safety (DPS) commitment to safety is not only the focus of service calls, but is embedded in all they do. This philosophy is bolstered by their innovative thinking and resourcefulness. The latest example is the in-house construction of a state-of-the art turnout gear dryer for its firefighters.

After last year’s significant $11,000 investment in a turnout gear washer, Director Paul Lauria and Fire Chief Rick Beltinck began researching turnout gear dryers. They became aware that self-constructed dryers made out of PVC pipes were much more economical and rivaled their commercial counterparts which cost upwards of $10,000 – $15,000.

Lauria and Beltinck shared a picture of a completed PVC dryer with the department’s fire sergeants. Fire Sergeant Rich Clark refined the design and distributed it to all Mt. Pleasant Fire Department (MPFD) shifts for suggestions. All full-time firefighters worked on the construction of the dryer with Shift 3 (Fire Sergeant Rich Clark, Equipment Operator Roger Fuller, Equipment Operator Bernie Schafer) taking the lead. After one month the dryer was completed.

The MPFD dryer possesses a capacity to dry 10-11 sets of gear at a time, whereas commercial dryers generally can handle only four sets at once. The total cost of the MPFD dryer was only $2,500 which included the PVC pipe, fittings and blower which is significantly lower than the $10,000 – $15,000 cost of a commercial dryer. Since the average cost of turnout gear is $3,000 per set, this limits the number of spare sets of turnout gear available. Therefore, it is imperative gear is quickly dried and ready for the next call.

Turnout gear collects chemicals/hazardous materials which can cause a higher rate of cancer if not cleaned properly. These hazardous materials are byproducts of combustion from a fire. The full-time firefighters were dedicated and pleased to be able to build this gear dryer for their Paid-On-Call Firefighters as it is these first responders who enter structure fires.

SPECIAL NOTICE: Fire Department Training Exercise

Fire Department Training Exercise
Jan. 25, 2018
314 South Brown Street
7 – 9:30 p.m.

The Mt. Pleasant Fire Department will be conducting a training exercise today, Jan. 25, from approximately 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the former Davis Clinic building at 314 South Brown Street.

There will be equipment and several fire department vehicles present for the exercise, and firefighters will be using the building to practice forcible entry.

There will be no fire, but loud noises may occur. For your safety, please stay off the property during this time.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Mt. Pleasant Fire Department at (989) 779-5100 or fire@mt-pleasant.org.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we conduct this very valuable training for our public safety personnel!