Semi-truck driver very fortunate with utility wire on dump box
The Frankenmuth Fire Department responded to six calls for service, including a wire hung up on a semi farm truck.
At 1:24pm Wednesday, October 29, the FFD was called to assist the Frankenmuth Police with a medical call in the 100 block of Beyerlein Street. Squad 4 responded and assisted MMR Ambulance Service personnel and the FPD for approximately 50 minutes.
About 25 minutes later, at 1:50pm, the fire department was summoned of an activated carbon monoxide alarm in the 500 block of Northview Drive.
FFD Lt. Adam Weiss advised an area power outage most likely triggered the alarm. Engine 2, which was on standby at the station for the medical run, responded and the firefighters cleared after 35 minutes on the scene.
Also on October 29, at 2:24pm, a wire on a semi farm truck brought the department to the 10500 block of Roedel Road, Frankenmuth Township. Engine 2 had just cleared the medical call and responded to the scene.
FFD Crew Leader Jeff Weiss said fortunately no one was injured as the driver raised and lowered his dump box under a power line and struck the primary wires, unaware, and did not create a ground in doing so.
“This was an extremely close call. We caution drivers conducting off-road loading operations to be extremely careful of where they are and the location of overhead wires,” FFD Chief Phil Kerns said.
Weiss noted the wires remained intact between the utility poles, but this may have created a local power outage. The truck was also damaged as well.
When the three fire runs were all cleared, a dozen fire personnel reported and cleared 90 minutes later.
Still on October 29, at 10:01pm, the FFD responded to a residential smoke alarm in the 4000 block of Maple Road, Frankenmuth Township.
Further investigation by FFD Captain Brandon Schmitzer said it was likely a malfunctioning detector. Engine 2 traveled to the scene, with 12 firefighters, and cleared after 40 minutes.
On Thursday, October 30, communication wires that had been down for the past week from a prior storm, were reported. Spectrum was contacted again and told of the issue. Brush 7 responded to the scene, confirmed the wires, and cleared minutes later.
Alarm No. 188 for 2025 took place at 9:56am on Monday, November 3, at St. Lorenz Lutheran School, 850 West Genesee Street.
FFD Assistant Chief Dan Schneirla reported that some 𠇌urious fingers” were likely the cause of triggering the pull station alarm. Nine firefighters made the trip to the fire hall.
In other FFD news, in addition to the busy Thursday and the end of the month training, the FFD’s five-year-old air bottles must be hydrostatically tested and that process is underway. Firefighters are also meeting with Boy Scouts to answer merit badge questions. They also took part in joint police and fire department send off for the Frankenmuth varsity cross country teams at 8am Saturday, November 1, as they traveled to Brooklyn’s Michigan International Speedway for the races, and hosted trick or treaters at the station on an ideal fall Friday evening for candy seekers.
The Frankenmuth City-Township Commission met and approved an appropriation for some conceptual design work in their quest to replace the FFD’s 73-year-old station.
“Obtaining information from architectural firms will help the City Council and Township Board in zeroing in on the potential cost for a new building,” Kerns said.
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