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Lansing Fire Commissioners made a tough decision that may mean no Easter Egg hunt in April and no carnival in May.  The field behind Lansing Central Fire Station, traditionally used for both events, will house construction equipment and supplies while an addition to the station is built stating this Spring.  Fire commissioners fear that inviting the public to the site during construction is asking for trouble.

"The insurance company had a problem with public events behind Central Station while construction is going on," said Fire Commissioner Chairman Robert Wagner at a commission meeting Tuesday.

Commissioner Jeff Walters has been working closely with the architects and contractors to guide the  $2.3 million project that will will add an additional equipment bay so that emergency vehicles won't have to be shuffled to get them on the road in emergencies, a decontamination room, emergency medical storage, and space for up to eight live-in firefighters.

While they are closely entwined, the Fire Commission and Fire Department are two separate entities.  The commission owns the four Lansing fire stations, fire trucks and equipment, and is the taxing authority that controls the budget for the department.  The department consists of the volunteer emergency responders, both fire fighters and EMTs, and it holds fundraising and community events in its own right.  Some of the money raised goes to fund scholarships for Lansing High School graduates.  The decision on how the field behind Central Station may be used underscored the different missions and responsibilities of the two entities.

"We have to look at it as district commissioners," Wagner said.  "I don't think that should change our decision.  It doesn't matter what the department wants to do.  It's up to us to protect the rest of the town.  I think we should allow nothing back there until this project is completed."

Walters said that it is in the best interest of the district to restrict access to the field for any reason except to firefighters on the concrete training pad that is off to the side from the area contractors will be using.  A fenced area will contain the construction equipment in a part of the field near the fire station, with the far part of the field unused.  That part could house department events, but public access would pass near the construction site.  Walters said Commissioners could choose to allow events there, but the district's insurance company was leery of that idea.


"They would rather have us not do anything on the premises for liability reasons," said Commissioner Jeff Walters.  "If something happens we have insurance.  We're covered.  But they would like to see nothing happen back there.  They feel we would be opening ourselves to liability."

"The easter egg hunt takes up that whole field," Wagner added.  "With that many kids I think we should not allow that (on the property) this year."

Commissioners voted unanimously to restrict access to the field strictly to firefighter training sessions during the construction process.  The department's Carnival Committee will meet tomorrow morning to discuss whether to cancel the carnival, or try to find a different location.  Walters said he would be attending the meeting to address concerns about the commission vote.

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