Hundreds show support for hospitalized Wayland fire chief

WAYLAND, Mich. (WOOD) — The Wayland community is rallying around its fire chief as he remains in the hospital after a cardiac emergency.

Many in the community continue to send thoughts and prayers to their fire chief, Jim Stoddard . They’re turning out for a man who’s turned out for them for decades.

Stoddard and his family are well known in the close-knit community of Wayland.

“I think it goes way back to the family ties to the community and stuff,” said Dan Miller, the deputy chief for the Yankee Springs Township Fire Department. “The whole family grew up around Wayland and stuck there.”

Stoddard has served in the fire department for at least two decades. He’s been Wayland’s fire chief for about three years now, Miller said. As a firefighter, he was someone crews could always rely on.

“He was real good as an interior person,” Miller said. “We could count on him as being a leader.”

Before his role with the Yankee Springs Township Fire Department, Miller served as the Wayland Police Chief for 2.5 decades until 2012. He has known Stoddard for decades and grew up with his parents. He now works under Stoddard as the Yankee Springs Township Fire Department, which merged with Wayland back in 2016.

Miller said he and Stoddard share a passion for antique automobiles and trucks and talk about them often. They chat every other day about fire department business.

Miller’s niece is Stoddard’s girlfriend. Miller said on Friday night, Stoddard and his girlfriend were driving to a wedding in Ottawa County when he suddenly had a cardiac emergency.

Stoddard’s girlfriend was able to stop the car and performed CPR on him, Miller said.

Stoddard was taken to Zeeland Hospital before Aero Med flew him to Butterworth Hospital. Miller said Stoddard has been there ever since.

“We met Friday night once we found out about it,” Miller said. “It’s gotta be really rough for his family too.”

The fire department posted on Facebook Sunday afternoon that Chief Stoddard has always selflessly cared for the community and now needs the community’s prayers in return. Hundreds of people across West Michigan showed their support and gave their best wishes and prayers.

“We understand that our community is incredibly generous and supportive, so the question: ‘what can do we do to help?’ will inevitably arise,” the fire department wrote. “At this time, we request all to uplift Chief Stoddard, his family and his medical team in your prayers.”

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