The Northville City Fire Department responded to 552 calls across its Plymouth and Northville stations in the first quarter of 2026, a 13% increase from 489 calls in the same period last year, Fire Chief Matt Samhat reported to the Northville-Plymouth Fire Advisory Board.
Average dispatch-to-arrival response time also climbed: 6 minutes 27 seconds department-wide in Q1 2026, up from 5 minutes 59 seconds a year earlier. At the Plymouth station specifically, response time hit 6 minutes 33 seconds, compared to 5 minutes 23 seconds in Q1 2025.
Samhat presented the data at the board's April 20 quarterly session. The five-member board, established in 2011, makes recommendations on budget and capital purchases for the shared fire service that covers both the City of Plymouth and the City of Northville. The board held its next quarterly meeting July 20 at Plymouth City Hall; minutes from that session have not yet been posted.
Staffing concerns
The department has 51 members: 27 at Station 1 in Northville, 23 at Station 2 in Plymouth, and one administrative staffer. Nineteen members respond to calls at both stations.
Of those 51, only 21 have a response percentage above 20%, Samhat told the board in April. At least 17 members have a response rate below 10%. The chief said letters were being sent to those low-response members.
Deputy Chief Brent Muller, a retired battalion chief from Northville Township, was set to start May 26. He is listed on the department's current officer roster.
Inspections surge
Fire inspections jumped in early 2026. The department completed 234 inspections through Q1, up from 143 in the same period of 2025. That included 102 new inspections, 110 re-inspections, five plan reviews, and 11 other types.
The department also reported increased training hours after adopting new online training software.
The NPFAB includes Chair Brian Turnbull, Plymouth Mayor Linda Filipczak, City Manager Chris Porman, Jim Rachwal, and George Lahanas. Filipczak also serves as the city's liaison to the board. Residents with questions about fire service can contact the Plymouth station at (734) 453-1234, ext. 281.
