Former Grand Rapids, MI, Firefighter Enjoyed Sharing History at Museum

At 85, Dave Tiesma admits he's part of the living history of the Grand Rapids museum.

By John Tunison

Source mlive.com (TNS)

Nov. 2, 2026

3 min read

After 17 years of sharing the history of the Grand Rapids Fire Department, former Firefighter Dave Tiesma is retiring.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — In the old fire station exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, Dave Tiesma can claim to have used some of the artifacts — a table and a brass fire pole.

He laughs while admitting he’s part of the living history at the museum.

Tiesma, 85, has been a museum volunteer telling Grand Rapids fire history for the last 17 years.

But before that, he battled real fires, handled emergencies and dispatched fire calls as a Grand Rapids firefighter for 37 years.

Tiesma found he had a knack for both jobs. Now, as the museum’s firehouse is about to close for renovations, he’s ready to retire.

Tiesma has more than 3,000 hours of volunteering under his belt, spending countless Thursdays at the fire station exhibit telling both young and old about Grand Rapids fire history.

His main prop is a real horse-drawn, steam-fired fire engine built in the late 1870s. The model was actually used in Bay City but represents the technology that would have been available in Grand Rapids in the day.

And Tiesma knows every valve, piston and coal chute that defines the rig. He tells visitors how it worked.

He’ll miss his Thursday routine and the conversations with visitors. What will he miss most?

“Meeting people from all over the world that come here,” he said. “I enjoy being their expert to tell them about fire stations, fire engines and being able to be somebody that actually did the job.”

Tiesma’s history with the fire service started as a young man.

He was working at a Grand Rapids department store and explains he was making less than $100 a week. In his neighborhood on Boston Street, a new resident moved in who happened to be a firefighter.

Tiesma ended up going to Grand Rapids City Hall and applying for a fire department job. He met all the qualifications and was hired, starting at a Grandville Avenue station.

He always enjoyed being a firefighter.

“You’re helping people, you’re doing things for people,” he said.

In many ways, serving at the museum has brought the same satisfaction. He remembers his first day as a volunteer.

“I came here the first time and I enjoyed it so much and I couldn’t wait to come back the next week,” he said.

Thursday was Tiesma’s last regular shift at the museum, although his family and museum staff will celebrate his service during a Sunday, Nov. 1 presentation.