GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Grand Rapids Township has a new fire chief.
John Lovins was selected this week by the Grand Rapids Township Board to replace soon-retiring fire Chief Bob Versluys.
“We’re excited,” said township Supervisor Michael DeVries. “We think we have a wonderful candidate that’s not only going to work on the necessary calls for response, but also the fact that he’s going to be able to build on community education and training programs.”
Lovins most recently served as the emergency center liaison at Beaumont Health Hospital in Troy, serving as a point of contact with emergency medical services and training and educating staff. He holds a bachelor’s degree in public safety studies and healthcare management from Siena Heights University in Adrian.
From April 1990 to April 2016, Lovins served as battalion chief at the Warren Fire Department from April 1990 to April 2016.
The Grand Rapids Township Fire Department has four full-time firefighters, including the chief, and 20 paid on-call firefighters.
Starting salary for the chief’s position is $65,000, with that pay increasing to about $68,000 after a four-month probationary period, DeVries said.
Versluys is staying on until January 2020 to help Lovins transition to the new role. After that, Versluys will continue on at the township as a facilities manager on a contractual basis.
Versluys started at the fire department almost 40 years ago as an on-call firefighter. He’s been chief for nearly the past four years.
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