Ridgeway - Ohio Fire Department

04/08/2026

“Volunteerism is just not there anymore. Nobody wants to volunteer,” Chad Goodman, fire chief of West Roane County Volunteer Fire Department, said. “We’ve had people stop in, want to join and once they find out there’s no pay involved, that’s it; they are done. They want the money.” https://tinyurl.com/2nm23adc

03/10/2026

Even though we was not dispatched to this, it shows the importance of not burning brush/weeds in windy conditions.

03/05/2026

https://www.news10.com/news/firefighters-warn-of-volunteer-rate-decrease-raising-safety-concerns/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WTEN

Today, leaders in multiple positions called for changes to increase volunteerism for fire departments, in a time when they say numbers have fallen to their lowest level in over 40 years. Representa…

03/01/2026

02/12/2026

02/11/2026

We recently held the drawing for our fundraiser to Moisers Market.
Thank you to everyone that purchased tickets!
The winners:

Danielle Swavel
Tony Mascadri
Ron Spicer
Bryan Allard
Gary Campbell
Josh McCarthy
John Williams
Roberta Flynn
Ryan Berry
Linda Corwin
William Gillen
Brandy Hudson

10/19/2025

This morning we had Chief Bennington from Central Township (Madison County) speak about thinking outside the box on calls. What could you do that you normally wouldn’t do.
This evening, we done just that. We had approximately 40 acres of corn stubble burning and the fire quickly spreading towards standing corn.
With only 2 grass fighter trucks on scene at the time, we added a nozzle straight to our pump panel.
Our tanker/tender has the capability of pumping water while driving.
This made a huge difference with giving us 2,000 gallons of water, we were able to cover more area before needing to refill the tank.
This is obviously nothing we would do if it wasn’t unusually dry but definitely helped today until additional grass trucks arrived.

10/03/2025

08/26/2025

Did you know that more than two-thirds of Ohio’s fire departments are volunteer-based? Yet across our state, the number of volunteer firefighters is decreasing, even as the number of emergency calls keeps climbing.

Northwestern Fire District and communities all over Ohio need dedicated people like you to step up and help keep our neighborhoods safe. Volunteering as a firefighter is an incredible way to make a difference, learn valuable skills, and be there for your neighbors when they need you most.

Ready to answer the call? Here’s how to get started:
1️⃣ Visit MakeMeAFirefighter.org
2️⃣ Enter your zip code to find volunteer firefighter opportunities near you
3️⃣ Click on any listing to learn more about the role
4️⃣ Express your interest and take the first step toward becoming a hometown hero

Your community needs you. Will you be the one who steps up?