4548 Madison Street
Clifford, MI 48727
Chief Jim Rye (810) 614-7678
Welcome to the Summer of 2026 Newsletter. Throughout the year there have been many members going above and beyond. Five members have undergone many hours of Medical First Responder Training, with two of them doubling down right into the Fire Academy, the Assistant Chief completed his Fire Officer Two Certification, and the Captain competed his Instructor One, several other members completed their National Incident Management System 300/400 Certifications, and, along with the Fire Prevention Officer completing her Fire Science Degree. The members of Burlington Township Fire Department aim to continue to grow to serve the community better.
We would like to remind the citizens that you must have a burn permit when burning yard waste. Burn permits can be filed through our website at https://burlingtontownshiplapeer.com. Burn Permits are good for 10 days from the day they are issued. The information needed to obtain one is. First and Last Name, Street Address, Town, Nearest Crossroad, Phone Number, and What is being burnt.
We are looking for new members to help provide emergency services for the citizens of Burlington Township. The department needs people interested in helping provide medical services and firefighting. There is a very large shortage of firefighters and medical responders across the county, state, and nation. Some may ask, “What if you’re not interested in fighting fire?” Well, you can still join the medical first responders. The department pays for all required training, meetings, and while on calls for the department. Our training meetings are held on the first Sunday of each month at 9:00am, and there is a business meeting on the third Wednesday of the month at 7:00pm. There are also opportunities to attend additional training and events throughout the year. Once a member is trained, we also provide them with a department uniform. This is a chance to help your neighbors and other citizens in the township. To join you must be 18 years old, have a valid driver’s license, high school diploma/GED, pass a medical physical, and a drug screening (both paid be the department). If you are interested in more information, or joining the department, contact Chief Jim Rye (810) 614-7678 between 8:00am and 8:00pm. You can also see our Facebook Page (Burlington Twp. Fire Department) and message us there.
The fire department also has a cadet firefighter program. This year we have started our seventh year of the cadet program. We have members from Burlington Township, Kingston, Marlette, Mayville, and the North Branch area. We accept young people from 14-18 years old. The cadets meet at 7:00pm on the last Tuesday of each month to learn firefighting and medical skills. The program was put in place to help get youth interested in the emergency services. If you know of anyone that maybe interested have them, call, or text Chief Rye at (810) 614-7678 or email btfdcadetprogram@yahoo.com for more information.
This past February Burlington Township Fire Department held an awards ceremony where members were recognized for Firefighter of Year, Life Saving Awards, and Certificates of Commendation. These awards take a lot of dedication and earned with the hardest regards.
The Burlington Township Fire Department would like to invite all our community and friends to our annual Fire Prevention Library Events in conjunction with the Clifford Library. For June the event BTFD members will be covering Campfire Safety & Reading with a Firefighter on June 15, 2026, from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm. On July 13th, 2026, the department will be holding a Touch a Truck & Meet a Firefighter event from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm. And our final series will be the Firemen’s Obstacle course from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm on August 10th. We look forward to seeing the community there and will be prepared to ask any questions possible. More details about these events can be seen on our Facebook page, at the Clifford Library, at the Clifford Post Office, and at other various locations.
We are very thankful for all the continued support we receive from the citizens of Burlington Township and the surrounding area. This support allows us to maintain and operate a well-trained fire department that is here to provide help in your time of need.
Please look for us on Facebook and like our page for more information on events and other important information we may post!