Following a series of devastating fires in 1953 Shelby Township voted to establish a Fire Department. Prior to that time the township had no organized or contracted fire services. From 1953 to 1955 the township contracted fire services from the City of Utica while they established and trained their own department. On January 1, 1955 Shelby Township took over their fire protection. The original fire department consisted of Chief Earl Krafs and 45 volunteers. Two fire stations were constructed, one station on Van Dyke near the center of the township and one station on Ryan Road to provide protection to the difficult to access southwest portion of the township. The fire department members joined the International Association of Fire Fighters (I.A.F.F.) in May of 1959 and the Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union (MPFFU) in August of 1959.

Today your fire department operates as a Full-Time Career Department. Our union remains strong in the everyday representation of our members and with our IAFF. Every year we hold a variety of fundraisers for both local and national charities. Local 1338 hosts our Annual Red Hot Night Dinner Dance every February to raise funds for the Great Lakes Burn Camp. Also each summer we hold our Local 1338 Golf Outing with proceeds benefiting Detroit Children’s Hospital. Our members are also able to donate time at the Great Lakes Burn Camp with the support of our Fire Chief. Local 1338 has recently again done the MDA Fill-the-Boot, which raised $5,500.00 for Jerry’s Kids. We also participate in many local community events. We are comprised of 59 sworn members who operate the fire department in various multiple roles above and beyond fire fighting: 15 Rescue Divers, 6 Hazmat Technicians, 12 CPR Instructors, 15 Trench Rescue Specialists, 4 Paramedic Instructors, 3 EMT instructors, and 38 firefighter/paramedics.

Your fire department serves roughly 35 square miles in Macomb County with our borders being Hayes Road to the east, 26 Mile Road to the north, Dequindre Road to the west, and Hall Road (M-59) to the south with the exception of the City of Utica. We have a population of near 70,000 and responded to 4,266 calls for fire and/or EMS service in 2007 with an average response time of 5.4 minutes.

The fire department has 5 Fire Stations strategically located throughout the township with the following apparatus to respond to almost any type of call.

Station 1 is located on 23 Mile Road just east of Mound Road and houses 2 Advanced Life Support (ALS) Paramedic Ambulances, 1 Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS) Engine, 1 Quint, 1 Heavy Rescue, 1 Utility Truck, 1 Trench Rescue Trailer, 1 Emergency Lighting/Generator Trailer, 2 Water Rescue Boats and our Fire Prevention Educational Trailer. The heavy rescue is equipped to respond to confined space rescue, high-angle/technical rescue, ice rescue, dive rescue and also to serve as an incident command post or rehab area for large-scale events.

Station 2 is located on Ryan Road just north of Hamlin Road and houses 1 Engine and 1 Paramedic Ambulance.

Station 3 is located on Shelby Road just south of 25 Mile Road and houses 1 Engine and 1 Paramedic Ambulance.

Station 4 is located on Schoenherr Road just north of 23 Mile Road and houses 2 Paramedic Ambulances, 1 CAFS Engine, 1 Utility Truck and 1 Hazardous Materials Response Trailer.

The department continues to train and educate its employees by forming teams to respond to emergencies which require special skills, providing continuous in-house fire and EMS training and by providing tuition reimbursement for employees seeking an Associates Degree in Fire Science.

This department will continue to provide to best available Fire and EMS Service for the citizens of Shelby Township. Working with our elected officials, we have some unfinished business to benefit each and every one of you. We hope to soon be renovating and adding onto Fire Station #1 to better serve the community. In the near future we look toward the purchase of a Ladder Truck to better serve our heavy manufacturing and industrial areas as well as our multi-story residential areas. We hope to add a 5th Fire Station to be located in the 21 Mile Road and Schoenherr Road area of the township, which has had a boom in residential and commercial development. Together, with your support, these goals will be accomplished!