Northville Twp. Fire Chief Siegel to retire: ‘He will be missed’
Brent Siegel has been a difference-maker during his tenure as the Northville Township Fire Chief.
Northville Township Fire Chief Brent Siegel will retire after two decades with the department and the last 10 years as its top fire official.
His final day is March 20.
“Under his leadership, the Fire Department has grown into an agency recognized nationally as a model of professionalism, performance and preparedness,” said Northville Township Supervisor Mark J. Abbo. “Brent set high standards and led by example, fostering a culture where excellence was
expected and continuous improvement was the norm.
“He will be greatly missed.”
Chief Siegel’s attention to detail proved invaluable during construction of the new Public Safety Headquarters at the Essential Services Complex (ESC) on Seven Mile Road, where his careful oversight identified potential shortcomings early, allowing ample time to rectify.
The ESC’s second fire station has allowed the team to shave nearly 2 minutes off of its response time.
Collaborator, Team Builder, Leader
He is known across the region as a trusted collaborator, approaching every request with urgency and respect. He is considered one of the most accessible people in Northville Township.
“When my email inbox isn’t zero, it bothers me,” he said, taking his “first responder” role to heart.
He assists as a certified Professional Emergency Manager for the Township, the Urban Fire Chief representative for the Wayne County Emergency Management Local Emergency Planning Committee, the Western Wayne Special Operations Oversight Chief and the vice president of the Western Wayne County Mutual
Aid Association.
Award-Winning Efforts
“I am probably the proudest of my involvement in upgrading the Department to Advanced Life Support in 2010 and developing our Fire Department into a top EMS agency in the state,” Chief Siegel said.
The Northville Township Fire Department recently learned it won the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold Achievement Award.
This prestigious national award recognizes the Township’s commitment to providing top emergency medical services to its community, amplifying its dedication to enhancing treatment for patients suffering from severe cardiac emergencies, including heart attacks and strokes, ultimately saving lives.
“It’s no accident we have cardiac arrest survival rates three times the national average,” Chief Siegel said. “That’s why I am so proud of this recognition.”
His reputation is well known, said Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police Scott Hilden.
“Chief Siegel stands among the finest fire chiefs in the state,” Chief Hilden said.
“Defined by his honesty and integrity, he has shown a singular commitment to building the most highly trained and equipped department I have ever seen.”
Trained and Ready
While residents may most often see firefighters responding to emergencies, Chief Siegel said the public is often surprised by the breadth of training and expertise required for the job.
In 2025, the Fire Department logged 5,583 training hours.
“People assume they have good protection in their community, but the level of service varies greatly from place to place,” he said. “Our firefighters are trained across many disciplines — emergency medical care, firefighting, technical rescue, vehicle extrication, water and ice rescue and more.
“The amount of training and equipment required to do this safely and effectively is enormous.”
He added that the modern fire service continues to evolve, with firefighters now preparing for situations that extend beyond traditional emergencies, including hostile incidents that require additional protective equipment and specialized training.
“Most people never have to call us, but when they do, they’re going to receive the best response, training and care possible,” he said.
A Childhood Dream
Chief Siegel recalls his initial interest in becoming a firefighter was when he was a child in Oak Park pedaling around a toy fire truck that he steered. The idea to pursue it as a career came when he was 16, working as a valet attendant in Birmingham.
One of his colleagues was hit by a car at Maple and Southfield roads. Birmingham Fire Department responded and took care of him.
“I thought it was amazing how the fire department showed up, took control of the scene and provided care to him,” he said. “I remember thinking, wow, that was incredible, and I would like to do that as a career.”
His family stressed the importance of going to college, so he juggled both. He went to Western Michigan University, earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration, majoring in finance with a concentration in real estate. He earned his emergency medical technician (EMT) license on one of his summer breaks.
During his EMT studies, he discovered the Portage Fire Department would hire you as a paid on-call firefighter and put you through the fire academy. He worked with them while finishing his bachelor’s degree, attended the fire academy, and also became an emergency room tech at a Kalamazoo hospital.
The Road to Northville Township
Chief Siegel sought full-time employment moving back to southeast Michigan, becoming a mortgage underwriter while pursuing his paramedic license. He recognized that to get a full-time fire job in the region, you needed to be a paramedic. After earning one, he applied to multiple departments and worked for a private ambulance company.
Northville Township offered him a firefighter position in 2005 and he has been here ever since. He earned the Firefighter of the Year award in 2011, was promoted to EMS Coordinator in 2011, became Interim Fire Chief in May 2016 and a few months later in October, Fire Chief.
He’s ready to step aside now.
“I love being the fire chief but you’re on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week with calls in the middle of the night,” he said.
Championing a Succession Plan
Because of his strategic outlook, the Northville Township Fire Department has a strong succession plan in place. Chief Siegel advocated for creating the Deputy Fire Chief position. In other words, he picked his successor.
One of Chief Siegel’s final duties will be promoting Deputy Fire Chief Jesse Marcotte to Fire Chief during a ceremony on March 20, assuming the role March 21. Chief Marcotte has chosen Fire Marshal Kyle Lewis to fill his spot as Deputy Chief, also effective March 21.
“The Department’s in an excellent place, and it’s a good time to move on and allow the next group of leaders to take the Department to even higher places,” Chief Siegel said.
Although he is stepping away from the department, Chief Siegel said the relationships he built over the past two decades will remain the most meaningful part of his career.
“What I will miss most are the people,” he said. “The firefighters I’ve worked with and the relationships across the Township have made this an incredible place to serve. I’m proud of what we’ve built together and confident the department will continue to thrive.”
Following his retirement, Siegel will begin a new role as Director of EMS Operations for Health Emergency Medical Services (HEMS).
“It has been an absolute pleasure to work alongside Brent,” said Township Manager Glenn Caldwell. “His dedication and professionalism are unmatched. Under his guidance, the Northville Township Fire Department has become arguably the best department in the state.
“I will certainly miss him professionally, but also personally. I wish Brent nothing but the best in retirement and am confident in his continued success.”
Thank you to Northville Township Communications Director Rene Wisely for contributing this article to SocialHouseNews.com.
