WALKER, MI - Chief Russell “Rusty” Shoultz has a vision for Walker’s fire department, one that makes the city’s public safety offices fast enough to catch up with Walker’s rapid growth.

Starting Oct. 4, the new fire chief, 52, will begin to see that vision realized, with 24-7 staffing for the Walker Fire Department.

It’s the first time since 1937 that the department has been staffed all 24 hours in a day, something Shoultz said he believes will help firefighters respond more quickly to emergencies that may crop up across the city.

“The quicker you get to an emergency, whether it be a medical emergency or a fire emergency, the better the outcomes,” he said.

Shoultz - selected by the city to head the fire department in June - comes to Walker with 34 years of public safety experience.

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