Fire Hall Project

The current hall has served us well for decades, however, it wasn’t built to meet the needs of a modern fire department. It is currently grandfathered in to multiple new OSHA requirements that the hall cannot meet including some safety equipment such as adequate ventilation for truck bays, a clean space for gear storage and decontamination to reduce the risk of cancer to the fire fighters, and building security to meet Homeland security requirements.

The current hall also is not able to accommodate any new equipment with the building being both too short and not long enough. Our doors and trucks have to be modified to fit the current building and both engines are near or over 20 years old. Modern trucks are taller and longer and simply won’t fit. Additionally, multiple apparatus are being stored in a shed that does not have adequate room to move equipment around when needed and is not temperature controlled. 

Training needs also are not able to be met with a training/conference room where multiple firefighters need to stand during meetings and training. In the winter, trucks cannot be stored outside for 4 hours as the water lines will freeze. Our physical training area has been re-purposed to store new equipment. 

The hall is still in the quoting stages therefore the final responsibility for each township is unclear. We recommend reaching out to your township board if you have further questions regarding your township's budget; however, rest assured we are doing everything we can to keep costs as low as possible during the planning phases while aiming to get the most “bang for our buck.”  Our goal is to see little or no increase in taxes as a result of this project.

The fire department did not pay for any of these pieces of equipment with the exception of a trailer for the UTV. The ice rescue team was formed using money from fundraising efforts with only a couple of new suits being purchased since. The boat was donated from the City of Bay City Fire Department including its trailer. The UTV was obtained for free through the awarding of a grant from Firehouse Subs. The Dive Team was initially formed by four firefighters who paid for their own equipment and training. The dive trailer was part of the former county dive team which we now store and host with each department in the county responsible for their own divers regarding pay and equipment maintenance. 

Our primary goal is to have safe, appropriately sized spaces for apparatus storage and firefighter training. We currently need more, taller truck bays so all of our apparatus can be stored indoors and properly maintained. We will also be looking for a larger community space with a training center for classes. While the library generally works for smaller classes it also has its limitations and becomes logistically difficult when we need to shuttle equipment and supplies between buildings. Finally, our goal is to provide a cleaner environment for our gear and for the firefighters. Cancer is now the number one killer of firefighters in the United States due to contamination of gear. Proper storage and a space to clean up is a necessity. Our current hall does not meet modern safety standards. We also want to set up the hall so that in another 50 years the department at that time can grow without needing to build a new building. 

At this time there is nothing in the works. The fire department has plans to add back up medical to our coverage area for the times when ACW Ambulance is actively on a call and an additional call comes in. While some firefighters also serve on ACW Ambulance there is not currently anything happening to merge the two as they serve slightly different coverage areas. 

There has not been any official move to change coverage areas at this time and we recommend reaching out to your township board if you have questions or concerns. The ACW-Unionville Fire department remains committed to providing the best service possible to the citizens we serve and will continue to do so to the best of our ability which includes a dive team, ice rescue team, boat and water rescues, and multiple medically trained staff with plans to provide back up medical service in the near future. ACW-Unionville also serves over 20 miles of shoreline for these rescue services and is the only department between Caseville and Bay City offering all of these services. Soon it will be more necessary to keep these types of services as the Coast Guard plans to discontinue rescue services out of its Saginaw-Bay area division effective June 2024. 

Feel free to reach out on our Facebook page or fill out the contact form below ↓ if you have any questions. Rumors are always bound to happen when change is happening. We will do our best to provide factual information when it becomes available. When in doubt, it can also be beneficial to contact multiple sources to get the most accurate picture rather than relying on a single source of information. All citizens of our coverage area are also welcome and encouraged to attend the fire board meetings for further information. Click or Tap Here for Fire Board Contact Information

We understand that a new fire hall is a huge undertaking. We live and work in the communities we serve. You see many of us around day to day at the gas station or at family functions. We share a stock in our communities including the need for an exceptional fire service. We pay the same taxes, shop and eat at the same businesses, drive the same roads and visit family and friends within the same communities. Seeking this approval has been a long process in the making so far with over 2 years of research involved including exhausting options such as expanding the current hall. This isn't a process or decision we're approaching lightly and will work diligently to avoid excessiveness while still meeting needs.