The Township Fire & Rescue Department has a continuing involvement in the planning of growth in the community. Our planning process focuses on five main functions:

1. Fire Prevention and Risk Reduction - mainly accomplished by progressive Building and Fire Code adoption, development plan reviews, examination of significant fire risks, inspection of those identified risks for code compliance, and public education activities relating to fire safety.
2. Fire Suppression - accomplished by training and drilling of personnel, maintaining adequate fire equipment for the anticipated risk, and requiring built-in fire suppression systems in construction including sufficient water supply to support those systems.
3. Rescue and Emergency Medical Services - accomplished by continuing education, updating and maintaining rescue equipment, and working cohesively with the area ambulance services and medical community to provide the most efficient service to the taxpayer.
4. Hazardous Materials - designated by State law as the primary manager of hazardous materials emergencies (with the State Fire Marshal), training and education of fire personnel is the primary goal. We must also identify and limit the risks to the community resulting from the storage, use, transportation, and disposal of hazardous materials.
5. Disaster Planning - accomplished by comprehensive response plans, coordination with County, State, and Federal agencies, and training of response personnel.

The Fire & Rescue Department currently utilizes about 23% of the Township General Operating Fund for day-to-day operations. The Township receives 8/10th of a mill from property taxes for the General Operating Fund. Out of that, the Fire & Rescue department uses about 2/10th of a mill (about $118,500.00). The remainder of the Fire & Rescue budget is made up from revenue shared by the State of Michigan (received from sales & gasoline taxes), or about $355,800.00. This money must be utilized for wages, equipment and vehicle maintenance, and replacement of supplies and equipment. There is no tax funding in Texas Township dedicated to the Fire & Rescue department for operations. We set aside about $50,000 yearly for apparatus and facilities improvements allotted from the General Fund.  We currently have $263,580 in this savings fund.

Increasing commercial and industrial development continues to outpaced the capacity of the current fire apparatus fleet. The demands of larger buildings and required increases in water delivery rates necessitate larger apparatus pumps, water tanks and ladder capacities.  Development in the Township is occurring at further distances from our single fire station (at Texas Corners) than acceptable standards allow.  If development is to continue at its current pace, the Department must be ready to provide protection at or above the growth rate.  Currently, the cost of a new pumper truck averages $280,000 to $350,000.00, new fire station facilities average $1.5 million. 

The current State of Michigan budget shortfall is threatening our shared revenue from the State. Nearly 75% of the Fire & Rescue Departments budget is derived from these funds. If State shared revenue continues to be cut, this will severely limit the capabilities of the Department.  We anticipate an 11% reduction in these funds for 2010.

In 2008, the Township contracted with an independant firm to evaluate, review and study the Fire and Rescue Department and make recommendations to the Township Board on their findings.  That document can be found here: http://www.texastownship.org/Files/Texas_Twn_Final_Report.pdf.

2010 Budget Breakdown  (2009 budget, $502,800.00)