05/16/2026
The Jackson Township Fire Department would like to address the recent public statements regarding emergency response services within Jackson Township.
First and foremost, our department remains fully committed to protecting the residents of Jackson Township and providing the best emergency services possible to our community. We understand the seriousness of the concerns raised, and we believe it is important for residents to have accurate information and context regarding the current state of our department.
Jackson Township Fire Department officially assumed responsibility for fire protection services on January 1, 2026. In just five short months, we have worked diligently to build and organize a functioning department from the ground up. Our members have dedicated countless hours to training, staffing coverage, equipment preparation, and operational development to ensure that our community receives dependable service.
Jackson Township Fire Department is a completely volunteer department, similar to several other departments throughout DeKalb County and across the State of Indiana. Volunteer fire departments remain the backbone of fire protection in many rural communities, and staffing challenges are not unique to Jackson Township.
We currently have a strong core group of firefighters and EMS-trained personnel responding to calls and providing emergency care. In addition, we have a large number of dedicated members actively pursuing Firefighter and EMS certifications. One of the challenges facing volunteer departments across Indiana is the limited availability of fire academies and EMS training programs. These courses only accept a limited number of students, and class availability is often spread across several counties and months at a time. Despite these challenges, our members continue progressing through training as quickly as opportunities become available.
To further strengthen our medical response capabilities, we are actively working toward hosting our own Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) course so every member of our department can achieve at least a baseline level of medical certification and better serve the public.
We also want to address statements regarding assistance from the City of Auburn. Contrary to claims that the township refused payment, we had been informed that a check would be issued along with a thank-you letter acknowledging Auburn Fire Department’s assistance during periods when staffing shortages occurred. We appreciate any neighboring department that responds to assist our residents and believe mutual aid is an important and necessary part of emergency services.
No fire department — volunteer, combination, or career — can safely and effectively handle every emergency incident alone. Mutual aid exists for that exact reason. Departments throughout DeKalb County, including fully staffed and part-paid departments, rely on automatic aid and mutual aid agreements to ensure adequate manpower and resources are available during emergencies. Alarm systems and response plans are specifically designed around this principle because major incidents often require assistance from multiple agencies to ensure firefighter safety and the best possible outcome for the public.
Like many volunteer departments nationwide, staffing challenges do occur, particularly during daytime hours when many volunteers are at work. Because of this, we are actively exploring additional staffing solutions, including implementing part-time firefighter coverage to help ensure manpower availability during critical times.
Concerns were also raised regarding members living outside the township. It is important to note that members who live outside the township are required to pull duty shifts from the station to help maintain coverage within the district. This staffing model is commonly utilized by volunteer and combination departments throughout Indiana and across the United States.
At the end of the day, our focus remains where it belongs — serving the residents of Jackson Township. Building a department takes time, commitment, and community support. While no new organization becomes fully established overnight, we are proud of the progress our members have made in only five months and remain committed to continual improvement in staffing, training, response capability, and service to our community.
For those who may have questions, concerns, or an interest in helping serve the community, we encourage you to come speak with us directly. Jackson Township Fire Department trains every Monday night at 6:30 PM. Community members are always welcome to stop by, ask questions, meet our members, or apply to volunteer and help serve your neighbors.
