As I reflect not only on this year but also on my 28 years with SHAES, I’m amazed at how much has changed in what feels like such a short time… (short because I refuse to believe I’m becoming one of the “old-timers.”)

A quick look back at who we are and how we got here:

SHAES was formed in 1996, when Casco Township, Geneva Township, South Haven Township, and the City of South Haven agreed our communities would be best served to create one consolidated organization to provide both fire protection and EMS transport.

By the early 2000s, we became an Advanced Life Support (ALS) EMS provider — able to bring the hospital to the patient through cardiac monitoring, advanced airways, and life-saving medications. Until 2015, nearly all of our patients went to South Haven Community Hospital. But as local healthcare services have evolved, about 30% of our EMS transports now go to larger regional hospitals — meaning longer transport times and a growing need for more staffing.

Since 1888, the departments that ultimately became SHAES have proudly served this community. Over time, we’ve evolved from all-volunteer to a combination department made up of both full-time and Paid On Call (POC) members. Every SHAES member, at a minimum, is a certified firefighter in the State of Michigan. We pride ourselves on aggressive fire suppression, property preservation, and unwavering fire prevention.

● POC members: respond from home, work, or wherever they are when the call comes

● Full-time members: work 2,808 hours annually

We’re always recruiting new Paid On Call members, and we’re thrilled our Authority Board recently approved adding four new career firefighter/paramedic positions to help meet our growing call volume.

SHAES covers 97 square miles, with an average response time of 5 minutes, 45 seconds — an excellent rate by national standards. On average, our crews handle 8 incidents per day, often overlapping, relying on teamwork between full-time and POC members.

We currently have 16 operational Firefighter/Paramedics and 30 Paid On Call members. Training never stops, from firefighting and officer development to inspection, instruction, and ongoing medical education.

These are just a few highlights of how we serve you every day. If you see our trucks or ambulances around town, know that your neighbors are working hard to keep you safe.

And if you’ve ever thought about joining us — stop by any of our three stations! (But fair warning: I’ll probably try to recruit you.)

Brandon Hinz, Executive Director — bhinz@shaes.org