Fire Chief Ken Chapman submitted his letter of resignation to the Highland Board of Trustees on February 7, informing the board that his last day on the job will be February 19. Captain Nick George will assume the position as Acting Chief on February 20. The board will vote to appoint George to the position of chief in March.
Thanking the board for support since he assumed the position of Fire Chief in 2016, Chapman said: “With the support of our community, we have been able to adapt to the rapidly changing landscape we have experienced. We have:
- Created an efficient and functional operational system.
- Assumed the responsibility of Advance Life Support EMS for our residents. (Assumed responsibility for emergency medical services and upgraded the level of service.)
- Managed the community’s emergency needs during a global pandemic.”
In addition, Chapman was instrumental in the passage of a Capital millage in 2018 and new Operations millage in 2022 that allowed the Township to replace two of its three fire stations.
The new Station One is located at 1600 Highland Road and Station Two at 2250 East Wardlow Road. Both stations are staffed 24 hours per day, seven days a week. Future renovation plans for Station 3, located at 510 Clyde Road, have not been announced.
Captain Nick George joined the Highland Fire Department in 2019. George said that he “has big shoes to fill. He (Chapman) has done a great job and I plan to continue what Ken started.”
In his letter of resignation, Chapman told the Board of Trustees that he is proud of the fire department.
“We have built a system that has become a model for other community fire departments. Our team has created a path that is not only focused on the goals, but adaptable to any situation that they may encounter in the future by keying in on preparedness and pursuing education.
The Highland Fire Department includes a total of 32 staff members and is headed toward setting a new record for the number of emergency calls in 2023. In the last twenty years, the department has experienced a tremendous growth in calls. In 2002 the department received 732 calls compared to 1,798 in 2022 and 142 calls as of January 9 this year.
Chapman will serve as the Romulus Deputy Chief of Fire and Emergency Services, effective February 21, 2023. The move marks a return to his roots in Romulus where he graduated from high school and began his career as a paid, on-call firefighter in 1987.
Chapman served in the City of Wayne and as Fire Chief in Fostoria, Ohio before becoming Chief in Highland. In a news release from the City of Romulus, Mayor Robert McCraight stated that he is pleased to add Deputy Chief Chapman to the administration, adding “returning another local talent back home to Romulus.”