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Northville, MI….The Northville City Fire Department (NCFD), which serves the cities of Northville and Plymouth, has been awarded $808,146 in three separate FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) requests, which will be used to purchase a new ambulance, new hoses and new radios. The latter two grants are regional grants. The new hoses will be purchased for three fire departments (NCFD, Northville Township and Plymouth Township.) The radio grant was submitted by the Dearborn Heights Fire Department on behalf of 16 departments within the Western Wayne Fire Department Mutual Aid Association, which includes Northville and Plymouth (cities and townships).

FEMA’s website states that the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) “provide funding for critically needed resources to equip and train emergency personnel to recognized standards, enhance operations efficiencies, foster interoperability, and support community resilience.”

“The AFG program is vitally important to the health and welfare of the fire service in this country,” said Fire Chief Steve Ott. “Without these funds, we would not have been able to obtain the needed equipment or would have had to divert resources from other areas.”

Mayor Ken Roth said, “I want to thank our Fire Chief Steve Ott, and everyone else who was instrumental in pursuing these grants. A grant of this dollar amount will dramatically assist in updating our department’s equipment, and save taxpayer dollars. This is a great example of our department leveraging resources to improve our operations.”

The grants require the grantees to pay a small percentage of the cost of the item being purchased.

For the new rescue ambulance, the funds will cover the cost of the vehicle and specialized equipment, including power-lift technology, which reduces stress on EMTs when moving patients into and out of the vehicle. The vehicle will be housed at Station #1 (215 W. Main Street). The project amount is $250,000. The federal share is $238,095, and the grantee share (5% of federal share) is $11,905. The ambulance will replace an 18-year-old unit, and will handle an estimated 500 runs annually.

For the hoses, approximately 44,600 feet will be purchased and much of it will replace older hose that has been in use for 20 years or more. As the host agency for this grant application, the NCFD will purchase the new hoses, keeping approximately 22,000 feet, and distributing the balance to other fire departments in the grant. The project amount is $257,118, with the federal share at $233,743.63, and the grantee’s share at $23,374.37.

The radio grant will enable the NCFD to replace its entire supply of radios (mobile, portable and base stations) with newer, more reliable radios made specifically for fire department use. The NCFD is currently using radios that are between 8-10 years old (end of their life cycle) and are no longer made. The new radios are made specifically for fire departments and are more durable and safer than older models.

The NCFD’s share of the radio grant is for $369,936 of which $336,309 will come from the federal government and $33,627 will be paid by the City. As the host department, Dearborn Heights will manage the grant, and purchase and distribute the equipment.

Special note: The NCFD will host a week-long open house at Fire Station #1, 215 W. Main, Northville, in recognition of Fire Prevention Week. The Northville event runs Oct. 7 – 11 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. On Oct. 9, the Fire Dept. will conduct its annual “Great Escape” program in which area school children and their families practice their home escape plan in case of fire. The test will begin when the Fire Dept. activates the siren at 6 p.m. on Oct. 9 to remind families to begin practicing their plan. Afterwards, they are invited to come to Fire Station #1 to review their plan with a firefighter, learn more about fire safety, and enter a drawing for a chance to win “Lunch with the Firefighters.”

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Northville…Former Wayne Police Chief Alan Maciag has joined the Northville Police Department as police chief, leading a full force of 13 officers in a city of 6,000 residents known for its Victorian charm, Historic District, Downtown Business District, and well-kept neighborhoods.

He began his new post in Northville right after Christmas. It’s a role he says he couldn’t pass up based on the City’s reputation for having a respected, community-focused police department.
“The tradition of respect, integrity and service is part of the culture of Northville’s Police Department and those are traits that I live by,” he said.

Maciag started his career at the Wayne Police Dept. nearly 21 years ago and rose to become police chief. He was named Wayne’s Police Officer of the Year in 2001. He earned a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Western Michigan University; an M.A. in Criminology from Eastern Michigan University and graduated from the FBI National Academy (251st session) in Quantico, VA. He is also a graduate of Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command.

“Alan Maciag has an impressive background in terms of his training and professionalism. We think he’ll be a great fit for the department and the community,” said City Manager Pat Sullivan.

Small-town policing in Maciag’s view means “being an integral part of the community, knowing the business owners and the residents, and knowing what issues are taking place in the community.”

In a compact city of 2.2 square miles, he is sure to become a familiar figure. He is eager to police events that draw residents and visitors alike to the streets of downtown – such as the Heritage Festival in September and Skeletons are Alive throughout October.
Maciag knows the former police chief (Mike Carlson, who retired in July 2018) and the two often compared notes on each City’s policing challenges and best practices.

Despite disturbing national trends of rampage shootings, opioid overdoses and property crime, Maciag is optimistic about police work. “We need to talk about crime with the community, look at policies within the department, and prevent and respond,” he said. "The community is our biggest ally. They should know what’s going on in Police Department operations and about crime trends.”

He likes to “be hands-on and get out there with the officers, and become integrated with the community as much as possible,” he said. “Having a great line of communication helps solve problems and combats crime.”

When he’s not working, he likes to do DIY projects at his home in Grass Lake, work on cars, and golf. He is married to June and they have two sons: Jacob, 24, and Alex, who died in 2017 at age 21. Maciag is dedicating his second career, in Northville, to Alex because he always wanted to be a police officer.