By David Fleet
dfleet@mihomepaper.com
Atlas Twp. — In January, the township board of trustees OK’d Ed Klimek as the new Atlas Township Fire Chief.
Klimek, 57, has been with the department since September 1996. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2007, captain in 2012 and assistant chief 2018. Klimek replaces Township Fire Chief Steve Bullen who retired March 31 after 45 years of service as a firefighter which included 25 in Atlas Township and eight as chief.
Klimek is a 1985 Pontiac Catholic High School graduate who grew up in the Auburn Hills area and moved to Goodrich in 1995. He attended Oakland University. He replaced Rodger Davis who retired from the department after 22 years of service to the township.
“I was motivated to join the fire department by my father, Frank, who served on the Auburn Hills Fire Department for 15 years,” he said.
“It’s an exciting time with a lot of changes coming to the department. The township board has been very supportive with great equipment. We are proud of this department.”
Klimek will continue to emphasize pride in the department and continue to seek additional fire wells in the township.
“Our goal will continue to establish hydrants to make all residents a minimum of only two miles from a reliable water source,” he said. “We’re currently looking at the southwest corner of the township for a new well.”
In 2020 the township board of trustees moved forward with six new wells to supply water for the township fire department. The cost of each well is about $30,000. In addition to the Atlas Township Fire Hall, Clarence Street, downtown Goodrich there are currently three water sources with electric pumps: Streamside Lane and Hill Road, covering the north side of the township; Hawthorn Circle and M-15 north of Hegel Road and the Atlas Township Hall, Gale Road. In 2023 a well near State Road and Linda Kay Drive was activated.
A Brandon Township well is located at Bedrock Express, 1290 N. Ortonville Road just north of the Oakland County line and is used by Atlas Township Fire Department when needed.
“My goal is to avoid the status quo,” said Klimek. “If there is a better way to make improvements we’ll make it happen. We’ve stopped with the dry wells, it’s not reliable.”
“Right now every department nationwide are contending with staffing, “ he said. “There’s a need to be more efficient since we have fewer firefighters.”
“We have more than 8,000 residents in the township and only 18 firefighters,” he said. “We need people to step up and help the community. We need help.”
With fewer firefighters greater efficiency is needed including the modernization of tools.
Klimek will strive to utilize cordless equipment and eliminate hydraulic tools such as the Jaws of Life along with other extraction equipment.
Ed and wife Monica are the owners of Italia Gardens in Oxford and have two children Kyler and Kali both Goodrich High School graduates.