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The Glen Lake Fire Department is a combination fire department. Presently, through the use of full-time, part-time and volunteer personnel, the department provides its 24 hour/7 day-per-week coverage.  Full-time staff members include the Chief, three paramedics and 12 EMT-firefighters. The daily duty crew is comprised of a Paramedic/firefighter and five EMT/firefighters. Due to increased availability of volunteer firefighters at night, often the evening staff includes a part time EMT/firefighter. The duty crew ensures emergency vehicles and equipment are ready and responds as dispatched to any emergency or call for service.  The duty crews are also responsible for maintaining the stations and grounds, frequent training, and many other tasks that are vital to the daily operation of the fire department.

 

Response Area Information
.Glen Arbor and Empire are rural communities located on the east shore of Lake Michigan in northern lower Michigan.  The region is covered with sand dunes and its terrain is hilly and heavily forested.  The communities are located in Leelanau County, a rural area with diverse local and seasonal populations.   

The Glen Lake Fire Department has a primary service area of approximately 75 square miles.  The service area includes private property in both Glen Arbor and Empire Townships as well as the significant public lands.   Approximately 80% of the Glen Lake Fire Department's area is within the 46,000 acres of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. 

 
 
winter trainingThe current year-round population of Glen Arbor is approximately 800 and steadily growing.  The combined population of Empire Township and Village is approximately 1100.  This population expands seasonally to 10,000-11,000 residents, with an additional one million or more transient visitors and campers within the National Park each year.  Glen Lake Fire Department protects and responds to 31 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and many inland lakes and rivers.  The response area also includes just over 50 miles of marked hiking and skiing trails, mostly within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. 
 
 

The days of small lakefront cottages have long passed. The majority of shoreline and seasonal cottages have been replaced by larger, multi-story homes, many well over 5,000 square feet in size.  The fire department protects and serves the downtown business districts, a ski and golf resort, many campgrounds, several large hotels and restaurants, in addition to the single family dwellings in the district.

 
 
ice rescue GAFD
Dune rescue by GAFD
(click on photo to enlarge)
 
       
 
     
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Glen Lake Fire Department
Station 1, 6401 W. State St.    PO Box 212    Glen Arbor MI 49636
Station 2, 11530 S. Lacore,     Empire MI 49630                           
phone: 231-334-3279       fax: 231-334-4050        E-Mail Us


 
 

 

2006 GAFD. additonal photos, Joanne Rettke, Jane Greiner, Joy Blair. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction by any means, physical or electronic without permission is prohibited. Web design services donated by Joanne Rettke