Fire

Q. Is open burning allowed in the City of Allen Park?
A. Please click here for ordinance info.

Q. What Fire Code is used by the City of Allen Park?
A. The City of Allen Park has adopted the most recent addition of ALL NFPA codes. Please click here for additional information.

Q. What are the rules for lighting off fireworks in the City of Allen Park?
A. Please click here for info.

Q. How do I obtain a copy of a fire report?
A. An official fire report can be obtained at:

Allen Park Fire Department
Deputy Chief / Fire Marshal Edward Cann
6730 Roosevelt
Allen Park, MI 48146
313-928-1103

Please be advised that it usually takes 3 to 5 business days for the Fire Marshal’s Division to complete a fire investigation. Questions related to fire reports can be directed to 313-928-1103.

Q. How many Fire Stations are in the city of Allen Park?
A. There is 1 firehouse strategically located in the center of the city.

Q. How many fire trucks does Allen Park have?
A. There are 2 pumpers and 1 aerial tower stationed in Allen Park. There are also 2 advanced life support ambulances.

Q. How many Firefighters are on duty at a time?
A. The number of Firefighters assigned to the firehouse can range from five (5) to seven (7). The number of Firefighters on duty varies according to the number of Firefighters on leave. There will be at least 5 Firefighters who work 24 hours a day.

Q. Are there always Firefighters at the fire station?
A. No. If the firefighters are called to an incident the station will be empty.

Q. What kind of work schedule does a Firefighter/Paramedic have?
A. A Full Time Allen Park Firefighter works 50.4 hours per week. This is accomplished by working 24 hours on duty, 24 hours off duty. 24 hours on duty, and 72 hours off duty, then the cycle repeats itself. This schedule works out to be approximately 109, 24-hour shifts per year. The Allen Park Fire Department also utilizes Part Time, Reserve Firefighter/Paramedics. Reserve Firefighter/Paramedics are allowed to work up to 29 hours per week.

Q. What is a typical workday for a Firefighter?
A. The Commanding Officer assigns fire station duties to the crew for that day. Duties include cooking, cleaning, apparatus and station maintenance, and many other duties. Firefighters also participate in community events and in-service training activities. The in-service training involves classroom instruction and hands-on training at the fire station and/or out in the community. Emergency incidents may interrupt assigned duties, such as emergency and non-emergency incidents, which includes but are not limited to residential, commercial, vehicle, and trash fires, false alarms, vehicle accidents, Haz-Mat situations, and EMS calls. Firefighters are permitted to rest and sleep during their 24-hour tour of duty when all of the duties of the day are complete.

Q. Are there ranks among the Allen Park Firefighters? If so what are they? How is a Firefighter promoted?
A. The Allen Park Fire Department has many ranks within the department for firefighter advancement. The sequences of ranks for promotion are:

Firefighter/Paramedic to Fire Sergeant
Fire Sergeant to Fire Lieutenant
Fire Lieutenant to Fire Captain
Fire Captain to Deputy Chief / Fire Marshal
Deputy Chief to Fire Chief

Also, the Allen Park Fire Department has a Reserve Firefighter / Paramedic program which is a part time position.

Promotions in the Department are based on length of service. The firefighter employee having served the longest period in any position shall be advanced to fill any vacancy in the next higher position, if he/she has the qualifications for the promotion. Promotion to any rank shall require successful completion of Fire Officer Classes at each level.

Q. Who is in charge of the Allen Park Fire Department?
A. The Fire Chief is appointed by the Mayor and Council to provide overall management and leadership of the Fire Department. The Fire Chief is in charge of all divisions of the Department.

Q. What does an Engine company do on a fire scene?
A. The Engine Company is charged with extinguishment of the fire and search and rescue.

Q. What does a Ladder company do on a fire scene?
A. The Ladder Company will gain access, “forcible entry” and “ventilate” (open windows, doors, and chop a hole in the roof) the process of removing heat and smoke. The Ladder Company is also responsible for disconnecting utilities, placing ladders in an effort to provide an alternative exit for trapped civilians or for Firefighters.

Q. Why do Firefighters break windows and chop holes in the roof at a fire?
A. Firefighters ventilate (chop holes in a roof and break windows) to remove the blazing heat, smoke, and toxic gases.

Q. Why do Firefighters chop holes in walls?
A. The process of chopping holes in walls is necessary to expose hidden fires inside the walls.

Q. What is your Department’s average response time to an emergency?
A. Our average response time is 3 to 4 minutes.

Q. How many emergencies does your Department respond to each year?
A. There were 3301 responses in 2014.

Q. What do I do when I see an emergency vehicle approaching when I am driving?
A. Motorists should pull their vehicles safely to the right when an emergency vehicle is approaching. It is not recommended to stop in the middle of the road or proceed through an intersection against the signals. Remember to safely pull to the right.

Q. Why do I see fire trucks at the grocery store or at other stores?
A. Firefighters work 24-hour shifts, which require grocery shopping for food to cook, and shopping at other stores for other items needed to stock the firehouse. Firefighters take the fire trucks to the store so that they are ready to respond immediately to an emergency, should one occur, without returning to the station to get the fire truck.

Q. Why do the fire trucks turn on their lights to back into the station?
A. The Allen Park fire station is not set up for the fire apparatus to pull through the bays. Therefore, it requires the fire apparatus to back into the fire station. In an effort to back the fire apparatus into the bay the driver of the fire apparatus turn on the emergency lights (red lights) to warn all vehicles to stop.

Q. Why does the fire engine respond to auto accidents along with the fire department ambulance?
A. In many instances auto accidents require Firefighters to remove injured persons who are trapped. Firefighters also assess the scene for hazards, such as fuel leaks, disabled airbags, and auto batteries that may need disconnecting.

Q. What does it mean when my smoke or CO alarm chirps?
A. The smoke or CO alarm will chirp when it’s time to replace the battery. We encourage residents to change the smoke alarm battery when they change their clocks for Daylight Saving time in the spring and fall each year.

Q. Is it possible to tour a fire station?
A. Yes, to request a fire station visit. Call 313-928-0024.

Q. Does the Allen Park Fire Department refill fire extinguishers?
A. Unfortunately, the Fire Department does not refill fire extinguishers. It is recommended that you contact a commercial fire extinguisher company for recharging. A listing of commercial fire extinguisher companies can be found online by searching fire extinguishers, service. Many household fire extinguishers cannot be recharged and must be discarded after use. An annual inspection of the expiration date is encouraged to ensure that the manufacturer date has not expired.

Q. When should I call 9-1-1?
A. The Allen Park Fire Department recommends dialing 9-1-1 for injury or life-threatening emergency medical or any fire incidents.

Q. When reporting a FIRE, what do I tell the dispatcher?
A. To report a fire, remain calm and provide the dispatcher with the following:

Where the fire is located.
What is on fire?
Who is in danger or trapped.
How the fire began.
Give brief details about the fire. (Example: odor, smoke, or flames)

Q. When reporting a MEDICAL emergency, what do I tell the dispatcher?
A. To report a Medical emergency, remain calm and provide the dispatcher with the following.

The location of the sick or injured person?
Age and sex of the injured or ill person.
What the symptoms are of the injured or ill person.
Does the person have a known history of illnesses?
Does the person take medication?
Is the person breathing?

Q. When reporting a VEHICLE accident, what do I tell the dispatcher?
A. To report a vehicle accident, remain calm and provide the dispatcher with the following:

The location of the accident scene
The number of injuries at the accident scene
How many vehicles are involved in the accident
Report a brief description of the vehicles
Report harmful hazards (gasoline leaks, chemical spills, and wires down)
Who witnessed the accident

Witnesses should remain on the scene until Allen Park Fire and Police arrive on scene.

Q. Will I receive a bill if I am transported to the hospital by the Allen Park Fire Department?
A. There is a charge billed to the patient’s medical insurance company for payment. Patients are responsible for all bills not paid by insurance companies.

Q. How do I become an Allen Park fighter?

Full Time Firefighter/Paramedic Positions

A. The City of Allen Park establishes an eligibility list for the position of Firefighter every two years or as needed if the previous list is exhausted.

Application - When a new list is to be established the City of Allen Park will advertise that they are accepting applications for Firefighter/Paramedics. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age, a United States citizen, possess a valid motor vehicle operator’s license (with good driving record), possess a high school diploma or G.E.D., Have Michigan Firefighter I and II certification, Haz-Mat operations level certification, a Michigan Paramedic License, and both BLS and ACLS certification.

Testing - All applicants must possess, at time of application, a current Conference of Western Wayne test score and certificate of 75% or better. And a current passing certificate for the CPAT physical agility test.

Oral Interview - The candidate will be required to go before an Oral Interview Board consisting of Fire Department officers and the Fire Chief.

Eligibility Roster - The candidate’s written test score and oral interview score will be used, 60% written 40% oral, to rank the candidate on the current eligibility roster.

Conditional Offer of Employment - If it is determined that a new Firefighter/Paramedic is needed, applicants from the established eligibility list will be contacted and given a conditional offer of employment. The offer of employment is conditional on passing the following steps.

Background Investigation - A personal history questionnaire is part of the application. Candidates also will sign waivers allowing the City of Allen Park to conduct an extensive background investigation.

Medical/Psychological Evaluation - This step will involve a physical examination including vision, drug, motor function and cardiovascular stress tests. Candidates must be drug free.

Appointment - If the selected candidate passes their background check, physical, drug, and physiological testing they will be appointed to the position of Probationary Firefighter/Paramedic, and begin their 1 year probationary period.

Reserve Firefighter/Paramedic Positions

Application - City of Allen Park is always accepting applications for Reserve Firefighter/Paramedics. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age, a United States citizen, possess a valid motor vehicle operator’s license (with good driving record), possess a high school diploma or G.E.D., Have Michigan Firefighter I and II certification, Haz-Mat operations level certification, a Michigan Paramedic License, and both BLS and ACLS certification.

Testing - All applicants must possess, at time of application, a current Conference of Western Wayne test score and certificate of 75% or better. And a current passing certificate for the CPAT physical agility test.

Oral Interview - The candidate will be required to go before the Fire Chief for an interview.

Eligibility Roster - If there are no current positions available the candidate will be placed on an eligibility roster. There are however, positions usually available.

Conditional Offer of Employment - If it is determined that a new Reserve Firefighter/Paramedic is needed, applicants from the established eligibility roster will be contacted and given a conditional offer of employment. The offer of employment is conditional on passing the following steps.

Background Investigation - A personal history questionnaire is part of the application. Candidates also will sign waivers allowing the City of Allen Park to conduct an extensive background investigation.

Medical/Psychological Evaluation - This step will involve a physical examination including vision, drug, motor function and cardiovascular stress tests. Candidates must be drug free.

Appointment - If the selected candidate passes their background check, physical, drug, and physiological testing they will be appointed to the position of Probationary Reserve Firefighter/Paramedic and begin their 160 hour training period.

Finance

Property Taxes

Q. How much of my property tax bill goes to the City?
A. Please see below for millage rate schedules. All millages highlighted in yellow are for city operating costs.

2022 Millage Rates

Q. What is a mill?
A. A mill is the measurement unit of the millage rate. One “mill” equals one dollar of tax on every thousand dollars of taxable value. Example: If a property’s taxable value is $30,000, then 1 mill would equate to $30 tax liability.

Q. What time periods do the summer and winter tax bills cover?
A. "Summer" and "Winter" do not refer to the time periods that the bills cover; they refer to the times in which they are due. The summer bill covers from July 1st of the current year through June 30th of the next year, and the winter bill covers from December 1st of the current year through November 30th of the next year.

For Example:

Your Summer Tax Bill covers from July 1st through June 30th.
Your Winter Tax Bill covers from December 1st through November 30th

Q. What is the tax money received by the city used for?
A. The rest is used to fund the daily operations of the City such as:

Police protection
Firefighting and ALS Ambulance services
Streets and park maintenance
Weekly Trash Collection Pick-up, disposal, recycling and yard waste collection
Snowplowing
City Services
Employee pensions and health insurance
Debt service on bonds sold to pay for capital projects (i.e., Streets and Buildings)

Q. What is City and School Debt?
A. Debt issued by the city or schools is usually voted on by the residents after a decision by a governing body that an improvement is necessary. When the City issues General Obligation bonds to pay for capital improvements, one of the conditions of the bonds is that the repayment of the bonds are backed by the full-faith and credit of the City. Therefore, the City is legally bound to levy for 100% of the debt service; however, depending on the project the City may decide to repay the bonds using other sources of revenue. Such is the case for Water and Sewer debt. Water and Sewer debt is backed by the revenue received through water bills and the debt is factor into the rates charged.

Q. When is the tax bill due?
A. The Summer tax bill is sent out July 1 and is due August 15th without additional penalty or interest. Certain eligible seniors may qualify for a deferral of the due date to February 14th. They may file an Application for Deferment of Summer Taxes, available from the Michigan Department of Treasury or the City Treasurer. The Treasurer’s office accepts payments 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday except holidays. There is also a 24-hour secure drop box outside City Hall in which payments may be made. The winter Tax Bill is due by February 14th without additional penalty or interest.

Q. What happens if I don’t pay my tax bill on time?
A. Penalties and interest are added onto the tax bills if not paid when due. Taxes are considered delinquent if not paid by the last day of February. The delinquent tax roll is returned to the Wayne County Treasurer for collection on March 1, and delinquent real property tax bills can only be paid to the Wayne County Treasurer. Note that after real property taxes go delinquent March 1st, the tax bill information on the City's website is "frozen" and no longer updated. Information regarding amounts due would be on the Wayne County Treasurer's website. If the tax bill goes unpaid for two years the property is subject to foreclosure for taxes, which no one wants to see happen. Additional information is available at www.treasurer.waynecounty.com. Unpaid personal property tax bills continue to be collected by the City Treasurer, with interest added the 1st of each month.

Q. Does Wayne County offer any type of payment options for delinquent taxes?
A. Please see the links below for information regarding delinquent taxes and the types of payment plans available through Wayne County. The City of Allen Park is not affiliated with Wayne County, so please direct any questions regarding delinquent taxes to the correct entity.

Wayne County Payment Plan Information

Q. I paid the delinquent amount to the Wayne County Treasurer. Why does the online tax bill from the prior year still show an amount due?
A. The tax roll is "frozen" when the delinquent amounts are reported to the Wayne County Treasurer. They are not updated even after you've paid a delinquent amount to the Wayne County Treasurer, as they are intended to represent the amounts due as of the delinquency date.

Q. What are Special Assessments?
A. Special Assessments are items such as delinquent water bills or unpaid invoices or unpaid ordinance citations that are authorized to be included on the tax bills for a parcel to ensure payment. The items are not considered taxes for the purpose of a federal itemized tax deduction or for the Michigan Homestead Tax Credit, so there is nothing to be gained by allowing these items to be assessed on your tax bill. There is typically substantial non-payment penalties added prior to the items being added to the tax bill.

Q. I received the tax bill, but it really should have gone to my mortgage company. What do I do?
A. You should forward the bill to the mortgage company for them to pay it. Please call the Treasurer's Office so that we can update the file and add your mortgage information. Alternately, if you no longer have an escrow account and you are not receiving your tax bills, please contact us so that we may remove the mortgage company on record. You may reach our office at (313) 928-4494.

Q. What is a Summer Tax Deferment?
A. An owner of eligible property may file a completed summer property tax deferment form with his or her city or township treasurer before September 15, or before the date your summer taxes are due, whichever is later. A valid deferment permits summer property taxes to be paid on or before February 14 without any additional penalty and interest.

Taxpayers may defer their summer property tax if they meet the following criteria. Payment may be deferred until February 15 (payment must be received on or before February 14 in order to avoid penalties and interest) for principal residence property owned by a taxpayer who:

Has a total gross household income of $40,000 or less for the preceding tax year, AND
Is totally and permanently disabled, blind, paraplegic, hemiplegic, quadriplegic, OR
Is an eligible serviceperson, eligible veteran, or eligible widow or widower, OR
Is at least 62

Q. What type of property is eligible for property tax deferment?
A. Residential real property that is the principal residence of the taxpaer seeking deferment of summer taxes.

Please contaxt the Treasurer's Office with any additional questions: (313) 928-4494.

Click here to download or fill in and complete the summer tax deferment application.

Q. Are there any property tax exemptions for veterans?
A. Please click this link for information regarding potential exemptions for disabled veterans.

Miscellaneous

Q. Does the city offer notary services?

A. We have several notaries on staff, located at the Treasurer's & Clerk's Office and Building Department. This is a convenience offered for city residents, with some conditions:

One (1) notary signature is offered for free for residents only. Maximum number of notary signatures is not to exceed three (3). You must also provide a valid government issued ID to verify your identity
Any notary signatures over the initial one (1) will be offered at a fee of $5.00 per signature
Notary services are available for non-residents at a fee of $5.00 per notary signature
You MUST SIGN IN FRONT OF THE NOTARY. Do not sign your document prior to arriving. If your document is already signed, we will ask you to re-sign again in front of a notary
If your document requires witnesses in addition to notary signatures, the city will not provide witnesses. You must bring your own witnesses in to sign those sections
The city reserves the right to decline to notarize any documents at notary's discretion
Please call prior to arriving to ensure that we will have a notary on staff when you choose to come in
A notary does not offer legal advice, nor are they able to certify "true copies" of a document. A notary simply verifies that the person signing the document is who they claim to be

Water Billing

Q. Why is my water bill so high?

A. Everyone uses water differently, so it is difficult to compare bills because they are based on actual usage. However, if you notice an extraordinarily large increase in your water bill check to make sure you don't have any leaks (especially toilets since they leak directly into a drain and not the floor) and consider the time of year as most people use more water during warmer months.

Please feel free to contact the City Finance Director with any additional questions. 313-928-3236.

Q. How often will I receive a bill?
A. The city has four districts for billing purposes. Residential properties receive water bills bi-monthly. Some commercial properties are billed quarterly, while some receive monthly bills. If you are unsure of when you will be billed, please contact our water billing department at (313) 928-3393.

Rubbish and Recycling

The following is a list of the most frequently asked questions that are called into our office. Please clip and save for future reference. This is not an exhaustive list of questions regarding our operation, so if we missed something that you think you need help with, please feel free to contact GFL at 1-844-464-3587.

Q. How do I dispose of household furniture? Does this include mattresses and box springs? Carpet?
A.

Bulk waste collection must be scheduled 24 hours in advance of your normal pickup day by calling GFL at (844) 464-3587.
Bulk waste must be placed curbside prior to 7 a.m. on the scheduled day of collection.
Residents are permitted up to 10 items of bulk waste and normal trash combined.
Items accepted for collection include: tables, chairs, couches, televisions, entertainment centers, recliners, mattresses, box springs and carpet (cut and rolled into lengths not more than 4 feet long and weigh no more than 50 lbs).

Q. What about appliances?
A.

White goods/appliance collection must be scheduled 24 hours in advance of your normal collection day by calling GFL at (844) 464-3587.
Appliances must be placed curbside prior to 7 a.m. on the scheduled day of collection.
Items accepted for collection include the following: washers, dryers, stoves, dishwashers, and hot water tanks, as well as, refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, humidifiers, de-humidifiers, etc. that DO NOT CONTAIN FREON.
Items containing Freon will need to have a sticker on the appliance. Stickers must be purchased at City Hall and placed on the appliance prior to pick up. The cost of the sticker is $35.00.

Q. How do I dispose of tree trimmings and branches?
A. You have three options for this:

Tree branches should be cut in four-foot lengths and bundled no larger than 18 inches in diameter and less than 50 pounds in order for them to be picked up at no charge with your compost. No one branch can be larger than 3 inches in diameter. All small sticks and twigs can be placed in a compost container or tied in a bundle.
If you have a large amount, contact the Department of Public Services, 313-928-0550, for an estimate by placing in a neat pile, between the street and sidewalk with all cut ends facing the same direction. The minimum charge is $80.00. Staff will give an estimate and once payment is made the brush will be scheduled for pick up.
Hire an outside contractor.

Q. What time does the contractor start? How about quitting time?
A. The contractor starts at 7:00 am and quitting time is 7:00 pm. Trash should be placed at the curb prior to this time. We have allowed them to work late into the evening when the rubbish volumes are above normal.

Q. What type of rubbish container is acceptable?
A. We are providing Allen Park residents with one 96-gallon garbage cart and one 64-gallon recycling cart. Wheeled carts with lids provide you with more room for more items, and help keep your neighborhood clean and green. In addition, collection will now be with an automated-side loading truck, a safer and more efficient way to service your City.

Q. Can I rake or blow my leaves and grass clippings into the street?
A. No. This is a violation of the City Ordinance. Leaves/grass should be placed in paper compost bags or placed in plastic/metal garbage containers with a City compost sticker attached. These stickers are available at all City offices. Leaves/grass will not be picked up in plastic bags. The compost site does not accept plastic; we could lose use of the facility. The compost program runs from April 1st through December 13th
.
Q. How do I dispose of sod, dirt, concrete or building and roofing materials?
For compost items you can contact the City of Taylor Facility – 734-374-1373, located on Racho road north of Pennsylvania.

RIVERVIEW LAND FILL
CALL – 734-281-4263
20863 Grange, entrance north off King Road, East of Allen Rd., West of Fort St.
Monday thru Fridays 7:00 am – 4:00 pm, Saturday 7:00 am – 11:30 am

For concrete, cement, bricks and blocks disposal:

Angelo’s Crushed Concrete 313-869-5550
Detroit Recycled Concrete 313-934-7677
Michigan Crushed Concrete 313-534-1500

Q. What do I do with old tires?
A. Most tire stores will accept old tires at a minimum charge, usually about $2.00 or $3.00 each. Another option is to take to one of Wayne County’s Scrap Tire Events held on selected Saturdays from April to October. Schedules of these events will be posted at City Offices when available or check the county’s website.

Q. How do I dispose of old paint or paint cans?
A. If the paint is oil based it must be disposed of at a Hazardous Waste Day. If the paint is latex based you can put the old paint cans at the curb for pick up after the paint has dried out. Make sure the lids are removed. To accelerate the drying process you can put oil dry, kitty litter or sand in the can to help it solidify. This is done so that when the garbage truck compacts its load, the paint doesn’t spray all over.

Q. Can I put my rubbish in the street?
A. We would prefer that you didn’t since it hampers our sweeping operations and our snow removal process.

Q. I change my own oil, what can I do with the used oil? What about auto batteries?
A. Please visit the Wayne County Household Hazardous Waste Program web site.

https://www.waynecounty.com/departments/environmental/landresources/household-hazardous-waste.aspx

Scroll down to the Resource Recovery Guide. Click on the link and enter the type of waste item that you want to dispose.

Q. Do I have to recycle? If so, what recyclables are accepted?
A. Yes. Recycling is mandatory under the City Ordinance Chapter 12 Sec. 12-5b in Allen Park. It is done on a bi-weekly schedule. Refer to our recycling calendar for your week or call our office. Acceptable items:

Recycling collection is every other week on your scheduled day of service in the provided 64-gallon wheeled cart.
Place all recyclables in the provided cart for single stream collection – no sorting is necessary.
All recyclables must be placed in the cart in order to be collected – NO PLASTIC BAGS.

Additional recycling carts are available through the DPS

Q. Are Electronics included in the curb side recycling program?
A. No. GFL will pick up with normal rubbish or Allen Park partners with local communities and Wayne County for collection of these items on selected Saturdays from April to October, throughout the county. Another option is to contact your local electronics store such as Best Buy and inquire about any trade in options they may have.

Q. Does Allen Park have a Household Hazardous Waste Day? If so, when, where and what is accepted?
A. The City of Allen Park does not have its own Household hazardous Waste Day, but partners with local communities and Wayne County for collection of these items on selected Saturdays from April to October, throughout the county. Acceptable items are as follows; household batteries, kitchen and bathroom cleaning chemicals, automotive products, lawn and garden chemicals, oil based paints, thinners, stains and glues, all other household and garage chemicals. Unacceptable items are ammunitions and explosives, asbestos and industrial waste.

Q. How do I dispose of Medical Waste?
A. Michigan Department of Environmental Quality suggests putting sharps in a purchased sharps container, an empty coffee can, a laundry detergent or bleaching bottle. Once the container is full, seal and labelsit, and put in with the regular trash. Please visit their website at www.michigan.gov/deqwaste and select “Medical Waste” for further information.