Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are the Firefighters all Full-Time?

    No.  All of our personnel are either Part-Time or Part-Paid (Those who have other full-time jobs elsewhere and respond from home)

  • Are both Fire Stations staffed by Firefighters?

    No.  We have 2 personnel on duty 24/7 that operate out of Station #82 on Wales Road.  They respond to all incidents in the City of Northwood, along with performing other tasks during their shifts such as Fire Inspections, Apparatus Checks, Equipment and Supply Inventories, Fire Prevention duties, etc

  • How do I obtain a copy of a Fire Report?

    You can contact the Fire Chief at 419-690-1647 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

  • What do I tell the Dispatcher when I call 9-1-1?

    $11.      What is the location of the emergency?

    $12.      What is the nature of the emergency?

    $13.      Your contact Information (Name and phone number you are calling from)

    $14.      Any other pertinent information (number of patients, is the home occupied, how many vehicles involved, etc)

  • Do you charge to come out to my house?

    No.  We only charge for EMS Transports and for HAZMAT cleanup.

  • Why do you block traffic lanes at auto accidents, sometimes more lanes than necessary?

    We block traffic lanes for the safety of our personnel and our patients. Blocking extra lanes keep our personnel safe when they go back to our apparatus to get more equipment and help protect the victim we are trying to stabilize. Over 25 firefighters are killed or injured each year while working at incidents on streets and highways

  • Are we allowed to have campfires or bonfires?

    The short version of the Ohio Revised Code is:

                (B) Open burning shall be allowed for the following purposes without notification to or permission from the Ohio EPA:

    (1) Heating tar, welding, acetylene torches, highway safety flares, heating for warmth of outdoor workers and strikers, smudge pots and similar occupational needs.

    (2) Bonfires, campfires and outdoor fireplace equipment, whether for cooking food for human consumption, pleasure, religious, ceremonial, warmth, recreational, or similar purposes, if the following conditions are met:

    (a) They are fueled with clean seasoned firewood, natural gas or equivalent, or any clean burning fuel with emissions that are equivalent to or lower than those created from the burning of seasoned firewood;

    (b) They are not used for waste disposal purposes; and

    (c) They shall have a total fuel area of three feet or less in diameter and two feet or less in height.

    For the full version, please refer to http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/3745-19

    Also, please refer to the EPA regulations in the following link: http://epa.ohio.gov/portals/47/facts/openburn.pdf

  • When an emergency vehicle is approaching with emergency lights and sirens, what should I do?

    By law, you are required to pull to the right and stop. This allows the fire apparatus to continue their response safely and quickly.

  • Where should I install smoke detectors in my home?

    Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of your home and near every sleeping area. Because smoke will rise it is recommended that you place your detector on the ceiling when possible. Try to avoid placing your detector near heating vents, cooking areas, and bathroom and ceiling fans.

  • Why do I see the ambulances running when it seems nobody is inside?

    Most of our apparatus has equipment and medications that are very sensitive to temperature. If this equipment falls below (or even above) certain temperatures it may not be effective in the treatment of those who need it. For this reason we may leave the rigs running to keep the equipment at a constant temperature.

  • Is it necessary for me to have a Carbon Monoxide Detector in my home?

    Yes. Please refer to our Fire Safety Information page for more information on this topic