Emergency Services

Fire Suppression

The city is serviced by three fully operational fire stations, which are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Approximately 90 percent of the city is equipped with fire hydrants to provide an adequate water supply. For those few areas of the city unprotected by fire hydrants, automatic tanker aid from neighboring departments is in place to supply water to a fire scene. A mutual aid agreement is in place with other Kalamazoo County fire departments to provide additional support as needed or requested depending upon the type and location of an incident.

Emergency Medical

The Fire Division is a medical first response agency. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) calls are prioritized by dispatchers trained in local protocols. Firefighters respond to all serious medical calls and provide initial care, generally in advance of an advanced life support ambulance.  The city has a contract with Pride Care Ambulance.

Hazardous Materials Response

The Fire Division is part of the Kalamazoo County Hazardous Materials Response Team. This team assists local fire departments located in Kalamazoo County with accidental or intentional hazardous materials incidents. The team uses specialized equipment and is comprised of specially trained personnel qualified to evaluate the situation and take the appropriate remedial action. Cleanup then becomes a job for the party responsible for the incident, using a qualified private cleanup company.

Technical Rescue

Technical rescue includes vehicle extrication, water and ice rescue, high angle and confined space rescue. Additionally, assistance is provided to the Fire Division through County wide mutual aid agreements.