John DuPuy

"It's a basic skill level," said John DuPuy, the former Glen Arbor fire chief, who is now the manager of Munson Healthcare's department of emergency medical education. Licenses for emergency medical technicians (EMTs) require 223 hours of coursework and 40 hours of clinical experience in a hospital emergency room. Paramedic licenses require nearly four times the number of hours in the classroom, plus an internshipsand "ride along" experience with an established ALS unit. "The EMT coursework takes about 5½ months — paramedics usually take 1½ to 2 years to complete," DuPuy said. The most urgent cases, identified as "Priority One" calls, require advanced medical service. In areas without ALS, first responders provide limited service before handing patients over for ALS care, most often through North Flight EMS. DuPuy said the level of service offered is to crucial in Leelanau County, which by land can be as much as a 45-minute trip to the nearest medical facility in Traverse City. "In emergency medicine, time is muscle and brain. There's a ,golden hour' in which the lives of a majority of critically injured trauma patients can be saved," he said.
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"There's turmoil out there and there has been for 25 years," DuPuy said. "There are all these fiefdoms and nobody wants to give them up , It's a case of not wanting anyone else playing in your sandbox." Changes in demographics, increased training requirements and a lack of affordable housing in the county have pushed more and more townships toward paid professional staffs. This requires money — a lot of money. "The fact is that there is more time involved to get people trained," DuPuy, the former township fire chief said.
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"It depends on what people want and how they feel about the level of service they're receiving," DuPuy added. "My wife's life is more important to me than the cost." Rockwood agreed. "People don't think about the level of service until it's too late," he said.

"I don't think there's a life here that wasn't affected by what happened a year ago today," said Glen Arbor fire chief John DuPuy, who led the ceremony.The department hosted the gathering.Some took a moment to tell how Sept. 11 affected them and what images they remember most from news accounts of that day.DuPuy said the most powerful image for him was of people running to escape the rolling cloud of smoke and dust as the towers of the World Trade Center collapsed.DuPuy said the ceremony was an opportunity for local residents to remember both the events of last Sept. 11, the firefighters and rescue personnel who died trying to save others and the military personnel who still are working to protect our country."Let's think about those people past and present who have made this country what it is today," he said.The ceremony also featured an international signal that lets firefighters know that one of their own has been killed in the line of duty.The "5-5-5" signal is five short chimes on a bell three times in succession. A bell outside the Glen Arbor Fire Hall chimed 5-5-5 twice Wednesday - once to commemorate the collapse of the south tower of the World Trade Center at 10:05 a.m. and a second time to commemorate the collapse of the north tower at 10:28 a.m.During the first ringing of 5-5-5, the flag outside the fire hall was lowered to half staff.The Rev. Paul Schneider of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Glen Arbor told those gathered to remember how last September made them feel and let those feelings guide how they treat one another.As long as Americans continue to treat each other with love, terrorism cannot win, Schneider said.

Glen Arbor Township Fire Chief John DuPuy says that the four Day roads are already very confusing to the Fire and Rescue Department.

Glen Arbor Township Fire Chief John DuPuy says that the four Day roads are already very confusing to the Fire and Rescue Department.Imagine having a fifth road with a Day name.Governor Engler did not sign name-changes for two other highways in southern Michigan because he was concerned about the potential for public confusion over duplicative or dual signing of state highways. Certainly , five roads with the Day name within a few miles could cause public confusion..