Ann Arbor Dedicates Fire Station 4 to Mindy Kerr

The rebuilt station honors the department's first female firefighter and is Michigan's first carbon-neutral, net-zero fire station.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Women’s Issues

Photograph of a modern two-story brick and glass fire station with a partly open red bay door under overcast daylight, surrounded by bare trees. — The Ann Arbor Fire Department dedicated its rebuilt $12 million Fire Station 4 on Friday, naming it for Mindy Kerr, the department's first female firefighter. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should your city spend more on energy-efficient public buildings like fire stations?

The Ann Arbor Fire Department held a dedication ceremony on Friday for its rebuilt Fire Station 4, named for its first female firefighter, Mindy Kerr. The $12 million station is the city's first new fire station since 1981.

Why it matters

The rebuild replaced an aging facility that did not support operations during power outages and was not gender inclusive. Ann Arbor residents gain a modern station designed to serve all firefighters.

The $12 million project is the city's first new fire station in more than four decades, the last built in 1981. The source does not report long-term operating or energy-savings figures for the net-zero design.

The players

Ann Arbor Fire Department

The municipal fire department serving the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan, which operates the rebuilt Fire Station 4.

Mindy Kerr

The Ann Arbor Fire Department's first female firefighter, who began her career in 1980 and retired in 2005 after 14 years at Station 4.

The details

The station includes geothermal heating and cooling with wells extending about 600 feet underground. The ceremony ended with a symbolic hose uncoupling in place of a traditional ribbon cutting.

1980: Mindy Kerr begins her career with the Ann Arbor Fire Department at age 24.
May 22, 1994: Station 4's first all-female crew is established.
2005: Kerr retires after spending her final 14 years at Station 4.
Friday, October 30, 2026: The dedication ceremony for the rebuilt station is held.

Culture Shift

The station extends the 1994 creation of Fire Station 4's all-female crew into permanent facilities built for women firefighters. It reflects a broader move in public safety agencies to replace legacy buildings that were not designed for mixed-gender staffing.

Ann Arbor residents now have a rebuilt fire station that operates during power outages and houses firefighters of any gender. The station's net-zero design is the first of its kind in Michigan, which may influence future municipal construction decisions.

The takeaway

Replacing aging infrastructure with inclusive design is one way municipalities can honor the people who have served in them. Ann Arbor's new station shows how a long-overdue rebuild can recognize a pioneering career.