Ogallala Volunteer Fire Department

05/06/2026

05/02/2026 1245 hrs
OVFD paged for vehicle fire in the city. FF extinguished a sport utility vehicle adjacent to a commercial structure. No damage to structure. Fire accidental in nature due to mechanical issue in engine bay. No injuries reported. OVFD, OPD, and KCSO responded.
05/02/2026 1755 hrs
County page for vehicle striking gas meter with gas blowing in the city. FF isolated entry to area and performed leak mitigation successfully stopping blowing gas. Incident turned over to Utility Company and residents returned and traffic allowed to resume. No injuries reported. OVFD, KLFD, Paxton, Brule, and OPD responded.
05/03/2026 0110 hrs
OVFD paged for single vehicle accident in the city. On arrival, occupants were out of vehicle. FF secured vehicle power and fluids and performed fire watch until vehicle could be recovered by tow company. OVFD, KCEMS, OPD, and NSP responded.
05/05/2026 1628 hrs
County page for vehicle fire in the county. On arrival, semi freight trailer observed disconnected from tractor in parking lot of rest area. FF extinguished fire and began overhaul process. Heavy equipment requested from NDOR to facilitate overhaul and extinguishment. Fire accidental in nature from mechanical failure on trailer. No injuries reported. OVFD, Paxton, Brule, KLFD, NDOR, KCEMS, KCSO, and NSP responded.

We strive to provide exemplary service in Keith County when people need us most. The collaborative efforts and seamless cooperation between agencies benefits our citizens, guests, and responders and creates safer, more efficient outcomes to incidents. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention KCEOC and the dispatchers who receive the initial call and get things moving. It is a team effort and they are a crucial part of the team.

Thank you all for your continued support for all your emergency responders!

04/24/2026

04/23/2026 1150 hrs
Chief contacted for smoke odor complaint in the city. Investigation resulted in finding a faulty electrical component in an appliance. Power isolated until repairs can be conducted. No fire found.

1355 hrs
OVFD paged for alarm activation in the city. After investigation/sweep of premise, found power outage tripped trouble alarm. Power company contacted for confirmation of outage. No fire found.

1520 hrs
County tones to mutual aid Arthur/McPherson counties for grass fire. Crew responded to Hwy92 area with additional crew to Ogallala airport to fill aircraft and Chief requested for assistance at the command post. Crews on standby in city limits for additional calls. Engine and crew released from McPherson Co 2030 hrs and Chief released at 2300 from command post duty.

Thank you all for your prayers and continuous support.

04/23/2026

04/22/2026 0420 hrs
County fire tones for grass fire in the county. On arrival, tree row burning and torching with multiple structures threatened. FF spent approx 5 hrs conducting extinguishment, overhaul, and containment and KC EMS flew the thermal drone. Requested additional personnel and equipment from Grant FD due to magnitude and complexity and additional water tender from Hi Line COOP. During this response, KLFD was paged for fire on RR tracks inside their district. Additional KLFD units responded to that incident. Private landowners from the area provided a tractor/disc to increase the fire line across the county road. OVFD personnel patrolled with landowners to make certain hot spots were extinguished immediately due to intense wind and low RH conditions and containment was not compromise until the Packard Rd fire was paged in Arthur Co. at approx 1500 hrs. Personnel and equipment responded and returned at approx 2130 hrs with additional crew providing water supply for aircraft at the airport. Remaining crew on standby for local calls for emergency. Cause of fire accidental due to wildlife on power pole. No injuries reported on any responses. Red Flag conditions continue into early Friday morning hours. Thank you all for your continued support. Mother Nature is beating on the entire state right now but your volunteer responders stand ready to help.

04/20/2026

If you’ve ever thought about or never thought about joining your local VFD, please take some time to consider it and head down to your local station to ask questions, check out the equipment, meet the volunteers from all walks of life, and see if it’s something you’d like to do. Serving your community in this way is very rewarding. And, we get to wear cool hats! 😁

04/16/2026

Ogallala Fire and Rescue would like to recognize the folks who answer the initial call and get resources rolling to make a bad day better for those in need. They are a voice on the line, a faceless entity to most, who must, in seconds, dissect a problem and disseminate information in a calm, collected manner and allocate appropriate resources. They don’t get many thanks, and often, little recognition for their valiant efforts to keep the darkness at bay on your worst day. Thank you to the Keith County Dispatch team for all they do! You are appreciated!!

03/27/2026

The OVFD sent a split crew with Paxton for initial attack on the Ashby/Minor fires in Grant County 03/26/26 around 0230 hrs. The Southwest Strike Team was requested for a task force to respond to that area at 0530 hrs and Venango, Hayes Center, Imperial, Palisade, Stratton, Ogallala, and Sutherland agencies provided apparatus and crews to deploy.
Relief crews were organized for KLFD, Paxton and Brule units deployed for Mutual Aid at 0230 but these resources were redirected to a new start south and west of Paxton at 1320 hrs 3/26/26. Chief Gartrell immediately called for additional MA and had private citizens with ag equipment cutting line and containing the fire. Ogallala resources were released from the Paxton fire approx 1715 hrs and returned to service. The region emergency responders, farmers and ranchers, LEO, Dispatch, and every citizen has been impacted in some way by recent events. The fuel load is tinder dry and there is no real moisture or reprieve from the wind in immediate forecasts. Please be vigilant in any outdoor environment, do not park in dry grassy areas, and be extremely cautious with outdoor activities involving any heat sources. Right now, simple static electricity will start a fire. The governor issued a proclamation regarding burn permits that will more than likely be extended until conditions improve in that fire chiefs are not allowed to write or issue any burn permits at all. We appreciate the generous support of our communities and citizens for our efforts to keep everyone safe in these challenging conditions. Pray for rain and look out for each other. Stay safe folks! Thank you for the honor and privilege of serving you in this capacity.


03/17/2026

The Ogallala Volunteers and the Ladies Auxilliary would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the citizens who have selflessly donated so many wonderful items to help us continue to fight the fire. This community shows its true spirit and generosity at all times but really steps up and pulls together in times like these. Thank you for helping us continue serving you, our neighbors and friends.
The OVFD was called out for structure protection and initial attack on Thursday night shortly after 1900 hrs. The agency had a command unit, engines, and a tender on the incident. Our agency provided aerial support with another crew and engine at the airport filling planes to dump on the fire Friday and Saturday. We also maintained crews inside city limits to respond for town calls or any other emergency rescue or situation. Our field resources were released at 1800 Sunday and returned to rehab units and prep for our next emergency call.
As a Fire Chief, I’m always proud of my staff, but the monstrous Morrill Fire gave me many opportunities to witness selfless heroism in our staff and many, many others. As an emergency responder, one accepts a certain inherent risk of the occupation. All the people in my division (and other areas) mounted those engines and defended homes and property with discipline and fortitude with the very fires of Hell advancing with 50-70 mph winds pushing it. Unwavering courage by these everyday citizens from all walks of life and occupations, armed only with a nozzle and a tank of water on a 4x4 truck, saved many lives and conserved many homes. Smoke so thick you could cut it with a knife, embers and flames, darting out of the smoke like a serpents tongue to spread its evil destruction, valiant warriors in yellow nomex shirts and FR pants waged a war that not many could ever begin to understand. Those engines followed me into the very bowels of Hell, not knowing the outcome and not giving it a second thought, and they protected everyone and everything they could. To say I’m proud is an understatement. I’m humbled at the thought of these brave men and women, giving everything of themselves to protect others. It’s definitely a team effort. We had road graders, mutual aid engines, law enforcement, ranch rigs, private heavy equipment, and local citizens working together to bring calm to the chaos. We aren’t completely done, but have support in place with the CIMT team and federal resources working to bring back some normalcy. Keep supporting your local volunteer agencies, folks. These are ordinary people who have done, and will keep doing, extraordinary things to keep you safe. Help us pray for rain or at least a break in the wind to hasten an end to the chaos in our region. Thank you all!

02/16/2026

FYI folks. Be cautious and aware.

An extremely critical area for fire weather has been issued for parts of the area Tuesday. These are very rare, with the last one being issued back in April 2015 for the North Platte forecast area.

01/01/2026

01/01/2026
0310 hrs
KC EOC Dispatch paged county tones for reported structure fire inside Ogallala city limit’s.
Responding units - Ogallala, Brule, Paxton and KLFD Command, Engines from Ogallala, Paxton, KLFD and Brule, Rescues from Ogallala and Brule, two Units from KC EMS, Ogallala Tower/Ladder, KC Emergency Mgr, Ogallala PD, Utilities, and Ne SFM Investigator.

KLFD and Paxton units cancelled enroute after size up and affirming minor fire extension. FF at scene completed extinguishment, salvage and overhaul. Minor fire damage inside home. EMS evaluated civilians at scene with no transport required. Utilities were not compromised and left in service. Smoke detectors present.

Incident is under investigation from SFM. Home is currently habitable due to occupants having a green line (garden hose) and ABC fire extinguisher available and aggressively employing them and calling 911 quickly. No injuries reported to Command. All units returned to service by 0520 hrs.

01/01/2026

Happy New Year folks! Out with the old, in with the new, new resolutions and all that.
Have a safe and happy celebration to ring in the new year.

10/10/2025

Can you post this

🚒 COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT
Ogallala Fire Department – Training Burn Notification

The Ogallala Fire Department will be conducting a training structure fire burn at 811 East 3rd Street, Ogallala on Saturday, beginning at 8:00 AM. The training is expected to continue until approximately 2:00 PM.

This controlled burn is part of our ongoing firefighter training program, designed to provide valuable real-world experience in fire behavior, suppression techniques, and safety procedures.

Residents and motorists in the area may notice smoke and increased fire department activity during this time. Please avoid the immediate area for safety and allow fire personnel to conduct their training operations without interference.

We appreciate the community’s cooperation and understanding as we continue to train and prepare to better serve Ogallala and the surrounding area.