Cedar Area Fire & Rescue

02/24/2026

Level up! 📈

We have a new Paramedic in the house! 🚑

Congratulations to FF/Paramedic Newfer on passing his national boards. Paramedic school is a marathon, not a sprint—requiring hundreds of hours of medical training and clinical rotations.

Newfer’s hard work means our department is even better equipped to serve you during your toughest moments. Thank you for your sacrifice and your drive to excel, Newfer!

02/20/2026

Always Training. Always Ready. 🚒🚑

Your Cedar Area Fire and Rescue paramedics recently hit the books (and the manikins!) for their mandatory ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support) and PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) refresher courses.

What does this mean for you?
While all our responders are highly trained, these certifications are what set our Paramedics apart.
• ACLS: Focused on adult cardiac arrest, stroke, and life-threatening drug administration.
• PALS: Specialized emergency care for our smallest patients—infants and children.

The Medic Difference:
While EMTs provide essential life support, our Paramedics are trained in "Advanced" care. This means they can perform intubations, interpret complex EKGs, and administer life-saving medications right in your driveway.
We renew these certifications every couple of years to ensure our skills stay sharp and our community stays safe.

02/17/2026

Happy Anniversary to FF/EMT-B Ken Fritz! FF/EMT-B Fritz has been with the department as a part-time member since 2020.

Part-time members have to keep up on their training just like full-time members, and FF/EMT-B Fritz can be seen here in a Rope Rescue Operations training scenario!

02/16/2026

January 2026 continued to be a very busy month for CAFR, with 53 calls for the month. You will notice that the call type category names have changed somewhat - this is due to a switch in the federal reporting system from NFIRS (National Fire Incident Reporting System) to the new NERIS (National Emergency Response Information System), used for reporting call information to the federal level. Some of the reporting for this system is still being built out, so you may see some variability in our reported call volume totals over the next few months as the final implementation for this new system is completed and all of our calls are properly recorded and reported!

02/13/2026

Did you know ... that our new ambulance arrived on Tuesday?!

We still have a few weeks of outfitting and license inspections before you'll see it out on the road, but it is now in the station! Once it is ready to go, it will become our front-line ambulance, while our 2019 ambulance is moved to backup status. This new ambulance has been designed so that when the chassis becomes worn out, the box can be moved to a new chassis at a cost savings for the department over a fully new vehicle. Stay tuned later in the month for a full video tour of the new rig!

02/06/2026

Did you know ... that space heaters account for over 40% of home heating equipment fires?

See the graphic below for tips on how to prevent space heaters fires, and remember - NEVER leave a space heater unattended!

02/03/2026

From all of us at Cedar Area Fire and Rescue, we hope you had a happy Groundhog Day! While we wait for spring, let’s not let our guard down on safety. If you haven’t checked your carbon monoxide detectors recently, today’s a great day to do it. Have a safe and warm day!

01/30/2026

Did you know ... that your CAFR firefighters complete inventory and operational checks on each of our apparatus weekly?

Plus, the ambulances get checked at the beginning of each shift (every two days). The crews perform a deep dive inspection at supplies that range from the small medical items to the heavy duty extrication tools.

This keeps crews familiar with their tools and their placement in each rig so we never waste a second looking for tools while on scene. There are also performance tests of the small engine tools to ensure 100% reliability. The rigs themselves receive a thorough check by looking at the tire pressures, fluid levels and testing the pump systems.

Come along with us as we do an apparatus check on Engine 811.

Engine 811
Pierce Saber
Year= 2020
Category= Class A Pumper
Model= Custom
Drive= 4 Wheel Drive (One of the Only Custom Cab 4 Wheel Drives In Michigan)
Occupancy= 4 Firefighters
Engine= Cummins ISL
Horsepower= 450 HP
Pump= Waterous
Pump GPM= 1500
Max Discharge= 400 PSI
Primer= Air
Tank Size= 750 gallons
Preconnect 1= 200’ Triple Load of 1 3/4” with a G-Force Combination Nozzle Attached
Preconnect 2= 200’ Triple Load of 1 3/4” with a Task Force Smooth Bore 7/8” Straight Tip
Bumper Line= Preconnected Flat Load of 100’ 1 3/4” with a G-Force Combination Nozzle
Hose Bed= 1000’ of 4” LDH, 500’ of 2 1/2”, 300’ of 2 1/2” with a Connected Akron Assault Combination Nozzle, 2 Sections of Hard Suction with a Low Level Stariner and a Backboard
Special Operations- Extrication Tools such as the Hurst Battery Powered Cutters, Spreaders and Ram; Water and Ice Rescue Equipment; Low Angle and High Angle Rope Rescue Equipment; Wildland Fire Equipment
Engine 811 Also:
-Was Recently Upgraded to a Non-Transport BLS Apparatus
-Is a MABAS Complient Unit (Mutal Aid Box Alarm System)

Stop by the station to see it in person!

01/23/2026

Did you know ... that the required monthly training for our staff members is often season-specific?

This month, all crews are brushing up on their ice rescue skills, with training both in the classroom and out on Lake Leelanau. Crews practice hands-on scenarios for rescue of individuals on both unstable ice and already in the water. We recommend double checking ice thickness and not going out on thin or unstable ice, but if you do, we're ready to come help you get back to shore!

01/20/2026

Happy Anniversary to Lt. Joe Voiles! Lt. Voiles joined the department in 2020 and now serves as a Lieutenant, Training Officer, and Firefighter/Paramedic.

In the last year, amongst other accomplishments, Lt. Voiles competed in the World's Strongest Firefighter competition, taking 7th place overall, while also spending time in the classroom completing the Leadership in Supervision class at the National Fire Academy and achieving his Fire Officer 2 certification!

01/18/2026

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning covering our service area stretching from 7 pm tonight to 7 am Tuesday morning. This storm is expected to bring 6-8" of new snowfall, windchill well below 0 degrees, and hazardous travel conditions. The NWS is also beginning to issue warnings about wind chills in the -10 to -20 degree range later in the week, so please prepare for very cold temperatures and poor driving conditions for a large portion of this upcoming week!

Heavy snow and bitter cold wind chills are expected to begin tonight and continue through Monday. New snowfall of 4-8” with locally higher amounts are possible by Monday night/Tuesday morning. Wind gusts of 30-45+ mph are expected Monday morning and afternoon. Wind chills will drop well below zero through Tuesday as well. Combination of heavy snow, winds, and cold will create widespread hazardous travel conditions across northern Michigan with whiteouts possible at times, especially across open areas. Be sure to use caution if traveling tonight through Tuesday.

01/16/2026

The National Weather Service is beginning to issue warnings for a potential severe winter weather event early next week. Please take some extra time this weekend to prepare for "dangerously cold wind chills and travel-impacting lake effect snows" from Monday into Tuesday.

Higher end impacts continue trending likely with an arctic air mass set to pass through the Great Lakes. Widespread dangerously cold wind chills and travel-impacting lake effect snows are anticipated Monday into Tuesday. Be sure to keep tabs on the forecast for updates!