Canton Michigan Fire Department

The Canton Fire Department Honor Guard had the privilege of presenting the colors during pre-race ceremonies at Michigan International Speedway yesterday for the NASCAR race weekend.

Representing our department and community on such a large stage is a tremendous honor. We are proud of our Honor Guard members for their professionalism, dedication, and commitment to honoring those who serve.

Thank you to Michigan International Speedway for the opportunity to be part of this special event.

Leadership Canton participated in a day with Public Safety, gaining a behind the scenes look at the services that help keep our community safe. Participants learned about the Fire Department, 911 Dispatch Center and the Police Department.

The group took part in hands on demonstrations, including trying on firefighter turnout gear, operating extrication tools, and observing a cardiac arrest response demonstration. Thank you to the Canton Chamber for including us in the Leadership Canton program!

2026 Canton Youth Academy Applications Open

The Canton Fire and Police Departments are once again hosting their annual Youth Academy for Canton teens ages 13-17. This free, four-day program gives participants a behind-the-scenes look at public safety through hands-on activities, demonstrations, teamwork exercises, and opportunities to learn directly from police officers and firefighters. Participants will also have the opportunity to earn CPR certification.

Dates: July 13–16, 2026
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily
Lunch provided each day
Includes light physical activity
Open to Canton residents ages 13–17 with no criminal history.

Applications are being accepted through June 7, 2026, and participants will be randomly selected from qualified applicants due to limited class size.

Interested in joining? Apply here:

https://www.cantonmi.gov/1145/Youth-Academy

This is a great opportunity for young people interested in public safety, leadership, teamwork, and learning more about the important work performed by Canton’s firefighters and police officers.

We would like to thank the DPS Roads Division for their prompt response to public safety concerns involving the Canton Center Rd bridge over Willow Creek.

To ensure the safety of the traveling public and protect the structural integrity of the bridge, weight restrictions were implemented, including restrictions impacting fire apparatus. Through their efforts, those concerns have been addressed, and the bridge's structural integrity has been improved, allowing the weight restrictions to be lifted.

We appreciate their commitment to maintaining safe and reliable infrastructure for our community.

Duckling Rescue at Arctic Edge

A big thank you to Kristyn for sending us these photos and helping us share another successful duckling rescue story!

Green Shift responded to Arctic Edge, where three ducklings were stuck in the storm drain. After a careful rescue, the crew safely reunited all three with their mom in a nearby pond.

Nice work, Firefighters Hatter, Martzolff and Withington!

911: Call If You Can, Text When You Can’t

A direct call to 911, is always the fastest way to contact emergency services, however it is not always possible. If you’re in a situation where you’re unable to speak, deaf, hard of hearing, or require language interpretation, utilizing text to 911 is a great alternative. To use text to 911, simply enter 911, with no dashes, in the recipient field, compose the message, and send.

Canton’s 911 Dispatch Center utilizes a text to 911 solution called Texty. Texty allows the dispatchers to not only receive and respond to text messages sent to 911 but also initiate text messages. When communicating through text, with speakers of another language, the translation feature can be turned on by the 911 dispatcher, to attempt to identify the speaker’s language and translate all incoming and outgoing messages.

Keep in mind that certain factors may prevent your text from being sent to 911. If your text to 911 doesn’t go through, you’ll get a “bounce back” message, telling you to make a voice call to 911.

Employee Spotlight & Shield Presentation: Firefighter/Medic Schnur

Today we are proud to recognize FF/Medic Schnur for completing his probationary year and receiving his department shield. Earning a shield marks an important step in a firefighter’s career and reflects countless hours of training, hard work, and commitment to the profession. We are excited to have him continue serving our community as a member of our department.

Take a moment to get to know FF/Medic Schnur better by reading his responses below about the fire service, teamwork, and what makes this career so rewarding.

What inspired you to become a firefighter/medic?

The unpredictable challenges of the profession ties in with my love for the medical field. Each day brings a unique challenge that keeps things interesting and allows me to better myself daily.

What makes you proud to work here?

The commitment from everyone to be the best version of yourself on and off shift. These higher standards set by my peers makes me proud to represent the township. As an added bonus, the opportunity to serve the community in which I grew up makes coming into work that much more rewarding.

What is one thing you want people to know about firefighting/the fire department?

We are just normal people with families, hobbies and everyday lives. There are sacrifices we make due to lifestyle changes such as working 24-hour shifts, missing holidays, and disrupting ‘normal’ routines. We’re incredibly grateful to have the support of our families and loved ones — everything we do wouldn’t be possible without them.

Why is your shift (Green Shift) the best shift?

The family atmosphere that you’re accepted into on day one. We enjoy each other’s company and will often spend time with each other while off duty.

Congratulations again to FF/Medic Schnur on this accomplishment and thank you for your dedication to our department and community.

Employee Spotlight & Shield Presentation: Firefighter/Medic Crockett

Please join us in congratulating FF/Medic Crockett on successfully completing her first year of probation and receiving her department shield. Completing probation is a major milestone in a firefighter's career and reflects a year of hard work, dedication, training, and commitment to serving our community.

Learn more about FF/Medic Crockett by reading her responses below about her journey into the fire service, the culture of the department, and why Blue Shift means so much to her.

What inspired you to become a firefighter/medic?

I always knew I wanted to be a part of patient medical care but wasn’t sure what that job would look like for myself. I decided to take a short EMT course during the summer in college, and there I was inspired to become a firefighter paramedic. After learning about the fire service and its culture, I finally felt like I found my calling.

What makes you proud to work here?

The dedication we have to our community, and the expectations we hold ourselves to makes me absolutely proud to work here. I firmly believe we use every tool available to us to help serve citizens in our community, and I am glad to be working where that standard has been set high.

What is one thing you want people to know about firefighting/the fire department?

The one thing I wish people knew about us is how much fun we have here. Unlike a traditional 9-5 job, our coworkers become a second family as we share meals and spend 24 hours together each shift. No matter what happens during those 24 hours, we help each other get through the good and difficult moments this job can bring us.

Why is your shift, the best shift?

Without any doubt, the people make Blue Shift the best. I was nervous when I first started working here, but they have not only accepted me here but helped me push myself to better myself every shift. I am grateful to have completed my first year here and am excited to continue serving this community.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Memorial Day Service. Your presence helped honor the memory of our fallen heroes and served as a reminder that their sacrifices continue to live on through the communities they protected. We appreciate everyone who took the time to join in honoring and remembering our nation's fallen heroes.