We are a volunteer department. Everyone at Station #1 has another job.
Whatever you ask us for below, tell us the days and times that suit you and we will do our
best to meet them — but we cannot guarantee them, because emergency calls always come
first. What we can promise is that we will tell you honestly where things stand.
Free smoke alarms
Three out of five home fire deaths happen in homes with no working smoke alarm. We will come
to your home, put working alarms where they belong and walk the house with you — at no cost.
Station #1 is an enrolled partner department in MI Prevention, the State Fire
Marshal's alarm program — the alarms and the process are the state's. That means two things
worth knowing before you ask:
- We install them; we can't hand them out. The state requires that alarms
be mounted by firefighters and that we do a short home safety walkthrough with you.
- Two of us come to the door, at a time you agree to in advance. We may
not be in uniform, but we will arrive in a marked township fire department
vehicle — that is how you know it is us. The visit takes about half an hour.
What we install
- Smoke alarms with sealed 10-year lithium batteries — one in every bedroom,
one outside the sleeping areas, and at least one on each level. Up to six per home.
- Carbon monoxide detectors, one per level or one per home depending on
what we find.
- Alarms for deaf and hard-of-hearing residents, and other specialized
alarms. The state keeps four types. Tell us who the alarm is for and we will get the right one.
We do not replace hard-wired alarm systems. If yours are hard-wired but
past their ten-year date, we can add alarms alongside them.
Ask for a visit
Fill in the request form and we will call or email you to agree a time. It asks how many
bedrooms and levels the house has, so we arrive with the right number of alarms and only
have to come once. Prefer to write to us? info@sjctfd.org works too — just
tell us:
- Your name, address and a phone number we can reach you on
- How many bedrooms and how many levels (count the basement)
- How many working alarms you have now, and whether they are battery or hard-wired
- Whether anyone in the home is deaf, hard of hearing or would have trouble getting out
- Days and times that suit you
We have alarms on hand. If we ever run short we will tell you plainly
where you stand — and a home with no working alarm goes to the front of the list.
More about the state program: MI Prevention
from the Bureau of Fire Services.
Knox boxes
For commercial property. A Knox box is a small key vault mounted by your front
entry. It holds your keys, and only the fire department can open it. When an alarm sounds at
2 AM and nobody can reach the keyholder, it is the difference between us unlocking your
door and us forcing it.
How to order one
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Go to knoxbox.com
Order direct from the manufacturer at knoxbox.com.
Boxes are keyed to the department, so they cannot be bought anywhere else.
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Find us — exactly this department
Search State: Michigan, department
St. Joseph Charter Township Fire Sta #1. You must select us before you can
go any further, and the box will be cut for whichever department you pick — so make sure
it is ours.
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Choose a commercial box
Under Commercial Knox Box. About 98% of local businesses use the
KnoxBox® 3200, standard capacity model 3261. If your
property needs something different, ask us first.
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Submit the order
Your order routes to the Fire Chief automatically. Nothing ships until it is approved.
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The Fire Chief approves it
We check the order for accuracy and that it meets department standards, then release it.
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Install it, then call us to lock it
The box arrives unlocked so you can mount it. Put it near your front
entry, where a crew arriving at night will look first. When it is up and your keys are in
it, contact the Fire Chief or Assistant Chief and we will come and lock it.
Question before you order, or a box mounted and ready to be locked?
Tell us where you are with it and the Fire Chief or Assistant Chief will take it from
there. Or email
info@sjctfd.org
Knox box request form →
Gate on the property? Knox makes padlocks and gate switches keyed the same
way. Ask us before you order one.
Online requests coming soon
Pool fills
The department fills residential pools. To request a fill, pick up a pool fill request form at the St. Joseph Charter Township Hall, 3000 Washington Ave.
Pool fill request form
Available now at the Township Hall. Online requests are coming soon.
Questions? Email us
Station visits
Schools, scouts and community groups are welcome to tour Station #1. Tours are arranged in advance with the Fire Chief or Assistant Chief.
Please ask well ahead of your preferred date by emailing info@sjctfd.org — the
further out you ask, the better our chances of covering it.
Fire reports
Need a copy of a fire report, for insurance or other purposes? Fire report requests are handled by the township office at the St. Joseph Charter Township Hall, 3000 Washington Ave.
