In Oct. 2016 the Wayland / Yankee Springs Township Fire Department sponsored a firefighter 1 and 2 state-certified fire academy held at the Yankee Springs station, said Wayland Deputy Fire Chief Dan Miller, who administers the township fire station.

Firefighter candidates took instruction two weeknights and at least one Saturday a month.  All classroom instruction and practicals were held at the department with the exception of driver training in the parking lot of the Gun Lake Community Church.

“We’re very thankful they allowed us to use their parking lot for the driving practical exercises,” Miller said. Other practicals training were held at the Wayland Fire Department.

The state’s written exam was held in March and state practicals test on April 1.  The newly certified firefighters received their state firefighter 1 and  2 and HazMat certificates on April 7. One firefighter from Leighton Township, three from Wayland Fire Department and four from Otsego Fire Department also attended the academy.

“This raises the total number of state certified firefighters at the Yankee Springs Department to 15, after we started out with none on April 1, 2016,” Miller said. There are also 12 Medical First Responders (MFR) of Wayland Area EMS who are also firefighters out of the Yankee Springs station, he added.
 

“We’re very pleased with the progress that has been made for the citizens of Yankee Springs Township; those passing through, and the mutual aid given to other departments over the past year,” he said.
 

Miller gave much of the credit to the Yankee Springs Township Fire Committee and the Yankee Springs Township Board of Trustees. “Their assistance is greatly appreciated, and we also appreciate the MFR, the firefighters and, last but not least, their families. Without these people, we would have nothing,” he said.
 

MFR's responded to 222 medical emergencies from April 1, 2016 to April 1, 2017. There were 69 calls for the fire service in the same period.