Fire Department News Update
Green Oak Charter Township is placing a 20-year Capital Bond for the construction of a new fire headquarters building and the purchase of a new aerial ladder truck on the August 2nd ballot. The asking millage rate is .5905 Mills. Please click on the following links for more information.
Fire Headquarters Bond Proposal
Millage Fact Sheet
The Green Oak Charter Township Fire Department was established in 1966 to provide fire protection and emergency services to the citizens of Green Oak Township. The Department is managed by a full-time Chief, Deputy Chief, Fire Marshal, Administrative Assistant and staffed by three Career Firefighters as well as Paid on Call Firefighters. The Paid on Call members are residents of the community who volunteer their time and services to respond to emergencies within the Township.
Emergency ResponsesThe Department responds to approximately 1,800 emergencies a year. These include fires, motor vehicle accidents (PIAs), medical emergencies, hazardous materials spills, water rescues, gas leaks, power line incidents and weather related emergencies.
Fire Stations and ApparatusThe Department provides emergency service coverage to the Township's residents from three fire stations. The main fire station is Station 81, located at 9384 Whitmore Lake Road, just north of Silver Lake Road and west of US-23 Expressway. This station houses an engine, a ladder, a rescue and a brush truck, and is home to the Department's Administrative Offices. Station 82 is located at 11411 East Grand River Avenue, just west of Pleasant Valley Road, and houses an engine, a tanker, a rescue truck and a Gator utility vehicle for wild land and off-road rescues. Station 83 is located at 9863 Rushton Road, just north of Ten Mile Road, and is home to an engine, a tanker, a rescue, a utility truck and a water rescue boat. Depending on the severity of the incident, fire apparatus from one, two or all three stations may be called on to respond. The Department is also a member of the Livingston County and Washtenaw County Mutual Aid Associations and the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), meaning that neighboring fire departments are available to provide assistance as needed, just as the Department is called on, from time to time, to provide assistance to the fire departments in adjoining communities.
Training and EducationThe State Fire Marshal's Division promulgates training standards to be met by all firefighters in the State. Green Oak Township Firefighters meet these standards, the exact same standards required for full-time firefighters in large cities. This includes 240 hours of initial firefighter training, 28 hours of hazardous materials training, and 226 hours of emergency medical technician training. Periodic refresher and update training is required in all of these fields. The Department also trains several times a month to insure proficiency in all needed emergency skills and operations. The Department also has state certified instructors in fire service and emergency medical training.
Public Education and Fire PreventionThe Department provides fire safety education to school age children both within our local schools and during fire station tours. The Department's fire marshal is also responsible for insuring compliance with the Township's fire prevention code by commercial establishments within the township. The fire marshal conducts regular fire inspections of commercial establishments, assists residents who wish to obtain burn permits, and is available to assist any resident in their efforts to improve the fire safety of their property via voluntary home fire safety inspections.
Burn PermitsThe Township's ordinances permit open burning in certain circumstances. Only natural products, brush, grass and leaves, may be burned, and only where a burn permit has been issued. Township residents may apply for burn permits at the main fire station. Shortly after the application is received, and usually on the same day, the Department's fire marshal will inspect the proposed burning site to insure its safety and compliance with Township ordinances. Once the fire marshal has approved the site, future permits may be applied for at the main fire station without the site being re inspected. Burn barrels and recreational fires (campfires, bonfires) are permitted, but must first comply with the permit and inspection process. The burning of construction materials and household refuge is prohibited by Township ordinance.
Paid On Call ApplicationsPersons over age eighteen who reside in or near the Township and wish to become paid on call members of the Department may apply at the main fire station. Applications are periodically reviewed, and candidates who pass an initial background, criminal record history and driving history checks are scheduled for an interview with the Fire Chief and Deputy Chief. Successful applicants move on to a second interview with the officers of the fire station they would be assigned to. From there, successful candidates receive a conditional offer of employment pending an examination by a physician and drug screening. The Department is a drug-free workplace. Newly hired paid on call members receive all necessary equipment and training at Department expense, and generally spend two-three nights per week of their first year on the Department attending their initial training.
Visit A Fire StationThe Department exists to serve its citizens, and the main fire station is generally open during regular business hours. Any citizen is welcome to stop in with questions or just to familiarize themselves with the Department. Those citizens involved in community groups and youth groups who wish to visit their neighborhood fire station after hours may call the main fire station during regular business hours at
(810) 231-3663
to arrange a station tour.
