Pictured - WCH Fire Department Staff (l-r): Captain Jason O’Dierno, Administrative Assistant Dee West, Assistant Chief Jody Langley, Chief Tim Downing, Firefighter Stephen Yeoman, Firefighter Bill Micheal. Along with Tony Sanor (OSU Extension), Kristy Bowers (Chamber President), Kirstie Kocacay and Drew Dollich (Merchants National Bank), Ronda Turner (ERA Real Estate), Chelsie Baker (City of WCH), Debbie Bryant (United Way), Joel Menken (WCHO Radio), Lori Hatfield (Atomic Credit Union), Cynthia Grotsky (Grotsky Senior Insurance), Stephanie Dunham (Travel & Tourism), Breanne Sines (First State Bank), and Scott Eckles (Home Financial).
Submitted photo
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE — The Fayette County Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors have chosen the Washington Court House Fire Department as the Business of the Month.
It is the fire department’s mission to protect the lives and property of the people of the community from fires, natural disasters, and hazardous incidents; and to prevent fires through prevention and education programs. Their vision is “protection through prevention.”
The following is information provided to the Record-Herald about the Washington Fire Department:
While they offer an all-hazards response, this is a small part of what they really do. The department offers fire and life safety education to all age groups, over multiple topics, as well as inspection and community risk reduction surveys.
Through their school programs, they can identify homes in need of smoke alarms; firefighters can then install these detectors at no cost. Smoke alarms are provided through their partnerships with the Ohio State Fire Marshal and the Red Cross. For homes outside the Washington Court House jurisdictional area, the have partnered with the fire departments around the county. All of the surrounding departments help install smoke alarms in the homes identified in their areas.
According to the fire department, this is a team effort that has already proven its worth.
The fire department’s personnel provide Youth Fire Setter Intervention Education when they identify a young person who has an interest in fire. They provide one-on-one classes for children and their families in need of a little extra attention. These classes are tailored to meet the needs of the children and their families.
In addition to performing inspections and risk reduction surveys, the department’s inspectors also review plans. They work with local building officials to review plans for new and updated fire alarm and/or fire suppression systems.
This, however, only scratches the surface of what inspectors must look at during a plans review.With the assistance of local building officials, the inspectors will review every safety aspect they can during a plans review. When the construction is completed, they will then work with the local building officials to test these life safety systems.
Additionally, the fire department has partnered with the National Fire Safety Council to raise money and provide fire safety materials for students in the school systems.
For several years now, they have provided these materials to Washington Court House City Schools and Miami Trace Local Schools. In recent years, the department has expanded to provide safety materials to Fayette Christian as well.
This year, in the fall of 2024, due to the generosity of community members, the department will be providing fire safety materials to students from pre-school to fifth grade in these schools as well as The Early Learning Center. This program has been a great success, and it all starts with the citizens throughout the county who support it.
Furthermore, the fire department does a lot more than just put out fires, but more importantly, they do all of this work through partnerships with surrounding fire departments, state and local agencies, school systems, and the generosity of citizens.
It is through this teamwork that the department continues to improve the safety of the community and the county.
