FFD drone pilots help find escaped cow in the township
There was plenty of sleep interruption for the members of the Frankenmuth Fire Department last week.
The FFD answered four calls for service, raising the 2026 alarm total to 174. The first two of the were deemed false.
At 4:12am Tuesday, September 22, a general fire alarm was triggered at Kroger Store, 435 North Main Street. It was falsely activated due to some interior renovation work which was underway. The seven firefighters who responded to the call cleared within 25 minutes.
At 8:56am Wednesday, September 23, Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland, 25 Christmas Lane had technicians performing annual testing, which activated Saginaw County Central Dispatch 911 prior to being disregarded by those working on the alarm system. Eleven fire personnel made the trip to the fire station, clearing the scene 20 minutes later.
At 1:34am Thursday, September 24, the FFD responded to a potential inside gas leak at a residence in the 700 block of Country Lane.
FFD Captain Doug VanWormer noted there was no odor detected and a gas appliance was disconnected for evaluation by a service repair technician. Engine 1 and Engine 2 responded and cleared 35 minutes later. The seven fire personnel who responded headed back to bed.
At 4:33am Saturday, September 26, the Frankenmuth Police and MMR Ambulance Service requested assistance to gain entry on a medical call to the 700 block of Heine Street. Ten firefighter answered the bell, clearing shortly after 5:10am.
In other FFD news, FFD Drone Pilots Wayne Nuechterlein and Lance Peterson were in training when they were called into action Sunday afternoon, September 27, when a cow delivery to a local youth didn’t go as planned.
The cow escaped her new home while being off-loaded and was on the loose for three hours, keeping area youths, parents, and wranglers “on a wild goose chase,” FFD Chief Phil Kerns said.
The cow was isolated in a cornfield in the 9000 block of Roedel Road, but remained elusive. Nuechterlein and Peterson were able to spot the resting cow overhead, the youngsters pushed the animal out into the open, and the wranglers lassoed the cow and brought it to an awaiting trailer to return to its new home.
The FFD end-of-the-month training took place Tuesday, September 29. The training opened with the FFD Building Committee reviewing with department members the progress of the new fire station design specifics which are ongoing with the architect, engineers, and city and township officials at weekly meetings. The concluded with training at practical stations utilizing their self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).
Each October, the United States and beyond recognizes Fire Prevention Month. FFD members will be sharing fire prevention information with the public and visit local elementary schools or conduct station tours.
Officially, the National Fire Protection Association recognizes Fire Prevention Week as October 4-10, 2026.
“The motto 𠆌harge into Fire Safety, Safe Charging is a Superpower” focuses on the everyday charging habits that can help reduce the risk of lithium-ion battery fires and keep homes and communities safer,” Kerns explained. “The recent Frankenmuth Community Bulletin mailed to area residents has some batter-charging safety tips and stay tuned to the Frankenmuth News for more information in the coming weeks.”
Also, now is a good time to check with local retailers on fire prevention specials typically honored during October. The motto is “Plug In. Power up. Stay safe.”
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