Tecumseh Fire Department

The Fire Department provides fire, rescue, and EMS response to the community.

Who we are:

The Fire Department is a combination department, employing a mixture of career and volunteer, or part-paid, firefighters. Full-time positions include the Chief and three firefighters with medical licenses at or above the EMT-Specialist level. These three firefighters work a 24-hour rotation, which ensures the department is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Part-paid members of the staff carry pagers and are on call around the clock to respond to all calls. The department provides fire protection to the City of Tecumseh and by contract to Tecumseh Township from one station, located at the intersection of South Evans Street and Russell Road.
Helpful Links: Fire Service Organizations & Resources

Government (Local, County, State and Federal)

Additional Sites

Department History: The history of the Tecumseh Fire Department began in 1837 when the newly created Village Council appointed the first Fire Marshal. His job was to enforce the Village's new fire codes. It would be another ten years before the first organized Fire Department was established.

In 1839, the Village Council passed the following ordinances for the Fire Marshal to enforce the following:

All stoves and Franklins must be piped through brick or stone chimneys unless given a variance by the Marshal. Non-compliance would cost a $5.00 fine.
No combustibles are to be stored within 50 feet of a fire or live ashes unless in a secure building. Non-compliance would cost a $1.00 fine.
No candles, lamps, etc. in stables, farms or any other building with stores of straw and similar combustibles. Non-compliance would cost a $1.00 fine.
A permit was required for the open burning of trash, brush, and the like. Non-compliance would cost a $5.00 fine.
A permit was required for fireworks and fireballs. Non-compliance would cost a $20.00 fine.
Over the years, stations, uniforms, hose carts, and horse drawn engines followed. The new Council Chambers were finished and ready for use in 1873. The bell was purchased in 1874.

The above examples are only a few of the ordinances, and laws that was enforced. To read about the complete history and facts about the Fire Department back in the 1800's, click on the links below to open the completed documents.
History 1837-1900
History 1879-1950

Special Thanks to Mr. Phil Hendershot for compiling this History of the Tecumseh Fire Department and also Mr. William Ingersoll for supplying the 1879-1950 document.