Tecumseh Fire Rescue Services are looking for input from the community as they work to put together their 10-year Fire Master Plan.
In their ongoing efforts to ensure they're meeting the needs of the community, officials are creating the plan which will guide operational improvements and enhance how the service is provided throughout the community.
The fire service has engaged the Emergency Management Group (EMG) to help them carry out the information and data gathering, as the consulting firm has worked with many fire departments in developing their fire master plans, station assessments, and fire service reviews.
Director of Community Safety and Fire Chief Wade Bondy says part of the process is an online survey where residents will be able to weigh in on a number of things.
"It'll look at all the services we provide, things we could provide, things we possibly don't provide right now. The facilities we have, the equipment we have, the apparatus we have, staffing levels, response times, absolutely everything that involves this department," he said.
Bondy says given that it's a 10 year plan it's all about looking at things as they are now, and then taking into account community growth.
"Risks that currently exist and risks that could potentially come up in the next 10 years, within a foreseeable possibility. We're asking for the community's input because we want to know how we're doing today, if there's things they want to see improved, if there's things they want to see improved and if there's services that we currently don't offer that maybe they would like us to offer."
He says this is an chance not only for town administration but also the general public to shape their department's operations for the next 10 years.
"This plan is crucial for our department, it's hard to advance forward if you don't know where you're going," he continued. "And this is kind of the guiding principal document for our department, so it's vital for our continued success."
The Tecumseh Fire Department is a volunteer fire service operating out of two stations, each with a complement of 21 volunteer firefighters.
To get as good of an understanding of where things stand today and what improvements are needed in the future, Bondy is asking for everyone in Tecumseh to take the time to complete the survey and have their say.
Bondy says the entire process is expected to be complete by sometime later in the summer.