Hartford Fire Department

09/01/2026

08/20/2026

Helpful tips for those back to school social media photos!

08/18/2026

MISSING 90-YEAR-OLD MAN LOCATED SAFELY

Sheriff Daniel E. Abbott reports that on August 18, 2026, the Hartford Police Department responded to the 61000 block of 63rd Street for a report of a 90-year-old man who had walked away from his residence and could not be located.

The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist with the search. Deputies learned the man had been missing for approximately three hours.

🌽 Challenging Search Conditions

The residence was surrounded by fully grown cornfields, making the search especially difficult. The Sheriff’s Office immediately deployed both Drone and K9 Teams to assist personnel searching the area.

🚁 Drone Locates Missing Man

After approximately 30 minutes of searching, a Sheriff’s Office drone pilot located the man in a cornfield approximately one-half mile west of his residence.

Using the drone’s aerial view, the pilot directed deputies to the man’s location and helped guide Hartford Fire Department personnel responding into the field with a UTV.

🚑 Located Safely

The man was safely transported by UTV out of the cornfield to an awaiting ambulance. He was then transported to a local hospital for evaluation.

Sheriff Abbott and the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank all of the agencies and personnel who assisted with the successful search:

• Hartford Police Department
• Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office
• Pokagon Tribal Police
• Hartford Fire Department
• Van Buren EMS

The coordinated response between agencies, combined with the rapid deployment of drone and K9 resources, helped locate the missing man safely and efficiently.

We are grateful this search ended with the outcome everyone hoped for — safely bringing him home.

07/29/2026

Hot summer days, heavy gear, and long responses make hydration a top priority. Thanks to and Volunteer Fire Council for the generous donation of DripDrop electrolyte drink mix as part of the 2026 DripDrop Hydration Giveback Campaign. This will help us fight dehydration and keep our crews at their best!
DripDrop National Volunteer Fire Council

07/16/2026

🚨 SPRAY & PLAY WATER DAY – CANCELED 🚨

Due to the poor air quality caused by wildfire smoke in our area, we have made the decision to cancel today's Spray & Play Water Day.

While we know many families were looking forward to the event, the health and safety of our community—especially our children—comes first.

Don't worry—we're planning to reschedule and will try again during the last week of July or the first week of August. We'll announce the new date as soon as it is finalized.

Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to seeing everyone when conditions are safer!

– Hartford Fire Department