Volunteer firefighter/county commissioner & family accused of interfering as their business burns. Confrontation sheds light on training issues at Michigan's Grand Traverse Rural Fire Department.
Addison “Sonny” Wheelock Jr. is a Grand Taverse County commissioner and a volunteer firefighter in Long Lake Township which is the Grand Traverse Rural Fire Department‘s Station (Battalion) 10. He also owns a welding company that caught fire on October 23. The actions of Wheelock and his family during that fire have brought to light some fire department issues.
Addison "Sonny" Wheelock Jr. from Grand Traverse County website.
The department’s chief fire investigator, Capt. Ron Taylor, cited Wheelock for fire code violations at his business and also filed a formal complaint about what occurred as the fire was being fought.
Taylor said Wheelock brought the wrong truck to the fire, didn’t wear firefighting protective gear, and allowed family members and employees to go in and out of the building, opening doors and hindering firefighters’ efforts. Firefighters also reported they were threatened by Wheelock’s father and brother, who pulled a hose out of their hands while on the roof, a move that toppled their ladder.
“I understand that the potential loss of their family business created a myriad of emotions for Addison Wheelock Jr. and his family,” Taylor wrote in a letter to Grand Traverse Rural Fire Chief Bill Sedlacek that was obtained by the Record-Eagle under the state Freedom of Information Act. “However, Addison Wheelock Jr.’s actions on Oct. 23, 2009, were deplorable and placed himself, his family, and firefighters in a dangerous position.
“This incident exemplifies years of negligence, tactical incompetence, a lack of training and a general disregard for the laws, standards and standard operating guidelines required to function as a fire department and firefighter,” Taylor continued.
Captain Ron Taylor from the Grand Traverse Rural Fire Department website.
Wheelock said most of Taylor’s letter “is full of unsubstantiated allegations.”Sedlacek declined to discipline Wheelock for his actions during the fire. He also recently decided to give Wheelock up to four months to bring his business into compliance with the fire code by installing approved fire-suppression equipment.
But Sedlacek said he’s not taking the allegations lightly and he addressed some issues with Wheelock over his failure to attend training and wear personal protective equipment. But emotions run high when someone is watching their livelihood burn, he said.
Wheelock reported the fire and drove to Station 10 in Long Lake Township. He returned with a water tanker that has no independent firefighting capability, as opposed to a ladder truck with 400 gallons of water.
Firefighters who arrived at the welding shop had to wait for an engine to arrive from Lake Ann in Benzie County before they could attack the blaze.
Wheelock said he requested a fully manned station be dispatched to the fire, and contends bringing the tanker “was the right thing to do.”
But ranking officers who responded to the fire called it a “significant mistake.”
Anthony Wolff, battalion engineer for Green Lake Township, wrote he earlier warned Addison Wheelock Sr. to stay out of the building and told Wheelock Jr. to control his father.
Chief Bill Sedlacek from the Grand Traverse Rural Fire Department website.
Firefighters then entered and approached the blaze and the elder Wheelock opened a side door that allowed fresh, cool air on the fire, Wolff wrote.Wheelock Sr. and son Randy Wheelock then followed firefighters onto the roof where they confronted them and threatened to sue if firefighters cut through part of the roof.
“At that point R. Wheelock pulled the hose line from my hand which in turn pulled tight against our ladder, knocking it to the ground,” Wolff wrote in his report.
The Wheelocks retreated when fire commanders radioed for a sheriff’s deputy to remove them.
“It’s a dangerous situation, a volatile situation, but my firefighters were not trapped on the roof,” Sedlacek said.
Sedlacek said he told Wheelock he needs to begin wearing proper gear on calls and attend fire training.
“Training will either make it or break it,” Sedlacek said. “He will be either allowed to turn out for fires or just be allowed to turn out on the medical side.”
Taylor said he’s never seen Wheelock Jr. attend training sessions he’s conducted over 14 years.
Wheelock said he will take an upcoming annual proficiency exam with everyone else at his station.
