Troy has Michigan’s largest unpaid fire department, protects a city of 80,000 residents

TROY,Mich.(WXYZ)—Troy’sfiredepartment,thelargestvolunteerfirefightingforceinMichigan,isactivelyrecruitingnewmemberstojointheirranks. Rightnow,thereareabout135volunteerswhoprotectthecommunity. PaulChambersexemplifiestheduallifethesefirefighterslead.Byday,he’stheco-founderofSubSummitandElement5Digital,companiesthathelpbusinessesbuildbettersubscriptionmodels. Butwhenhispageractivates,everythingchanges. “Itcangofromsittinginameetingtoputtingoutafireinsomeone’sbasementwithintwominutes,”Chamberssaid.“Icangofromadeadsleeptoadoorstepinfiveminutesorless.” TroyFireChiefPeterHullingerexplainedthatthedepartmenthasoperatedonavolunteerbasissinceitsfoundingin1940,predatingthecity’sincorporation. “Sothefiredepartmentisactuallyolderthanthecityitself,”Hullingersaid. Unlikecareerfirefighterswhoworkfulltimeatstations,Troyfirefighterscarrypagersandkeeptheirge