Who to Call on Mackinac
The numbers that matter — 911, the medical center and the winter air taxi — plus the city-vs-state-park split that decides who handles your street, the trails, and M-185.
The island is run by two different bodies, which is why "who do I call?" is rarely obvious. The City of Mackinac Island governs only about 18% of the land — the downtown, the streets in town, the harbor. The other ~82% is Mackinac Island State Park, run by Mackinac State Historic Parks: the trails, the woods, the forts, and M-185, the state highway that rings the island. Here are the numbers that matter, grouped by who actually handles what.
In an emergency, call 911
911 reaches police, fire and ambulance year-round. The Mackinac Island Medical Center has 24-hour on-call emergency care, but there is no hospital on the island — anything serious goes by boat or plane to the mainland, and bad weather can delay the flight. Call 911 first.
City or State Park? Who handles what
A problem with a street in town, the harbor, or a city ordinance is the City. A fallen tree on a trail, the woods, Fort Mackinac, or M-185 (the road around the island) is Mackinac State Historic Parks. When in doubt, the City can point you to the right office.