The Utica Fire department was first organized
as a village fire department at the village council meeting
in December 1925. During the same meeting, council authorized
Fire Marshal Deneau to appoint firefighters to form the new
department. Council also authorized the purchase of a Ford Truck
with a pump, fire hose and nozzles.
In January 1926 the 1st organizational meeting
of the new volunteer fire department was held. At that meeting
Fire Marshal Deneau appointed officers, consisting of a Captain
and Lieutenant, and twelve Fire Fighters.
At the fire department's inception in 1926, the
Utica Village Fire Department was charged with fire protection
for the Village of Utica. Additionally, the fire department
provided fire protection outside the village from 14 Mile Road
on the south to 26 Mile Road on the north (What is now Sterling
Heights and Shelby Township).
The department became a City Fire Department in February of
1960, consisting of eighteen firefighters and one 1942 Pirch
Chevrolet Pumper.
At that time (February 1960), the City became sole owner of
what had been the Shelby-Utica-Sterling Fire Hall. Which was
originally built in 1948, by donations of area businessmen and
residents. Under an agreement between the three governments,
as each organized a separate Fire Department the building would
belong to the remaining governments for Fire Protection.
Thus, the City of Utica started officially in
the Fire Protection field with the above equipment and personnel
and were charged with protection of the City's $5,705,000.00
of assessed valuation. In 1960, the Fire Department answered
a total of twenty-seven alarms with a fire loss of $39,850.00.
The first big addition to the Fire Department came about 1963,
when the City Council, being faced with a twenty year old pumper
and a recent annexation, which had doubled in area of the City,
authorized the purchase of a new 1963 Ford Pumper w/750 gpm
pump, from Fire Trucks, Inc.
In 1965, Fire Chief Carl Albrecht, and his officers become aware
of a new need within the City. That being a vehicle and resuscitator
to be used for rescues runs. With this need in mind they approached
the City Council and related their ideas on the subject. The
Council understood, however, they felt that the City could not
afford another vehicle at this time. However, they did authorize
the Fire Department to purchase a resuscitator and train the
firefighters in its use so that emergency calls could be answered
with one of the pumpers. Mayor Fred Beck, felt that this was
such a necessary service for the City, that he approached the
City businessmen for donations for such a vehicle. In June of
1966, the City took delivery of a new Ford Econoline to be used
as a rescue squad.
During the following year the City continued to grow and again
in 1968, it became evident to Fire Chief Beck, that the City
was in need of another new Fire Truck, sine the old 1942 Chevrolet
could not be relied on as a first line pumper any longer. The
Council agreed with Beck, and authorized the purchase of a new
1968 Mack Pumper w/1000 gpm pump to bolster the expanding Department.
Upon delivery of this new pumper the Fire Station that once
housed apparatus for three communities was completely filled
with apparatus of only the City Fire Department.
In early 1969, the City faced a potential crisis, that of adequate
ambulance services. The commercial firms that had originally
operated with the City were on the verge of leaving. Such a
move would leave the closest emergency ambulance service at
least fifteen to twenty minutes away. Fire Chief Robert Beck,
approached City Council with a proposal to operate an ambulance
service out of the fire hall. After considerable discussion,
Council authorized the purchase of an ambulance for the Fire
Department to operate on a one-year trial basis. This service
has been so successful and beneficial to the citizens that it
has now become a permanent fixture of the Utica Fire Department.
The addition of this extra vehicle to the Fire Department required
expansion of the fire hall to house the ambulance and other
rescue service equipment. City Council approached the Building
Authority to investigate the feasibility of a Fire Hall addition,
and in 1970, completed an authorized 2100 square foot addition.
Additional Federal and State regulations created a need for
an area that provided the Fire Department personnel a classroom
and training room. Chief Beck pointed out this deficiency to
the Council, resulting in another addition completed in 1975.
In 1991 the department purchase of an Automatic Defibrillator
enhanced the medical services provided to the community. The
Utica Fire Department was the first volunteer department to
place this type of apparatus in service in Macomb County. In
1992 the department furthered their capabilities with the purchase
of an air refill system for use when performing work in a smoke
filled or contaminated area.
In 1993 it became evident to the Fire Chief and Department Officers
that turn of the century regulations, methods and equipment
had created a need for a dedicated support vehicle. This vehicle
would transport large tools and additional supplies to the incident
scene. The City Council was appraised of the situation and agree,
authorizing the purchase of a 1993 International Emergency Command
Center Support Vehicle.
The continuing increase of emergency medical calls prompted
the Department to review its emergency medical response capabilities.
This resulted in the purchase of an additional Automatic Defibrillator,
which is transported on our second ambulance.
In 1994 Fire Chief Beck informed the Utica Firefighters Association
that a computer at the incident scene would be a tremendous
asset to safely dealing with various emergency incidents. The
Association agreed, authorizing the purchase of a system through
proceeds from various fund raising activities. The system is
kept in the command module of the Emergency Support Vehicle.
In October 1998 an Emergency Medical Service study was complete.
The results of the study indicated a need for Advance Life Support
Emergency Medical Services in lieu of the Basic Life Support
Service then provided. The Mayor and City Council was provided
the study results along with the recommendation that the City
of Utica provide Advance Life Support Service as recommended.
The Mayor and City Council agreed and voted unanimously to approve
the service, which was implemented in early November 1998. In
September 1998 a fire station building renovation and addition
project began. In September of 1999 a 2500 square foot addition
along with a major building renovation was completed and rededicated.
This addition provided the necessary storage capacity for fire
apparatus and the much needed office space.
The additional space allowed us to replace the 1963 Ford Pumper,
a replacement pumper was delivered in December 1999. And placed
in service February 2000.
In October 2000 a new ambulance was purchased. This vehicle
replaced the 1979 ambulance. This replacement vehicle then became
the first line EMS response unit and allowed us to use the 1994
ambulance as a backup unit.
With the construction of the large hotels and commercial buildings
in the area, east of M53, it became evident that our aging 1969
pumper-ladder truck was not adequate due to its reach limitations
and age, therefore the Mayor and City Council approved a proposal
to replace the 1969 truck with a used 1990 100 foot ladder truck.
Presently the Utica Fire Department operated six emergency response
vehicles including two ambulances, one emergency support vehicle
and three firefighting units, as well a boat for water related
emergencies. The Department is staffed with a full-time Chief,
part-time Assistant Chief, Fire Inspectors and paid on-call
Firefighters. The Fire Department is charged with protecting
the City's residents and more than $900,000,000.00 of valuation.
The
department statistics can be viewed on our
statistics page at FIRE
STATISTICS
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