About CAFA

  The Chelsea Area Fire Authority (CAFA) was formed in 1999 under ACT 57 OF 1988 after being known as the Chelsea Fire Department, which was organized in 1888 and formed on March 19th, 1889. CAFA proudly protects and serves, per the most current census data, approximately 14,908 residents living in an area of approximately 116 square miles. CAFA is located in southeastern Michigan, 24 miles east of the City of Jackson, and 57 miles west of the City of Detroit.

  CAFA operates out of one station and protects a primarily rural area, including: agriculture/wildland, residential, and commercial properties. We cover 35 regionally critical infrastructure sites including a growing regional hospital, three regionally prominent multistory nursing/retirement homes, a large school system, 12 miles of Interstate 94, and 13 miles of busy commuter/freight railway. CAFA is staffed with four fulltime firefighters/emergency medical technicians 24/7.

  We provide fire, rescue, hazardous materials operations, and non-transport basic life support services to the people of Washtenaw County including the City of Chelsea and the Townships of Lima, Lyndon, and Sylvan. We also cover a portion of Dexter Township and Waterloo Township (which is in Jackson County). We have a technical rescue team capable of rope, confined space, trench, and structural collapse rescue.

New Aerial Ladder

   The Chelsea Area Fire Authority recently took delivery of a new 2012 Pierce 105' aerial ladder with a 500 gallon water tank and 2,000 gallon-per-minute water pump. For information on our old 1976 Sutphen 85' aerial tower with a 450 gallon water tank and 1,250 gallon-per-minute water pump click HERE.

Mission Statement

   The mission of the Chelsea Area Fire Authority is to serve the public by reducing deaths, injuries, and minimizing property loss from: fires, hazardous material incidents, motor vehicle accidents, medical emergencies, and any other crisis within our level of training and equipment.

   We strive to achieve this mission through diligent training and state of the art equipment, teamed with dedication and professionalism, while maintaining cost-effective management of public funds. Our success relies upon a proactive organization that understands the future will be determined by the use of our most valuable resource...our personnel.

Frequently Asked Questions

   Click HERE for information regarding a knox-box/key-safe, reflective address signs, burn permits, birthday parties, smoke/carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and our medical emergency response.