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Farewell Firefighter Nissen

Farewell Firefighter Nissen

Firefighter Nissen began his career with Oregon Fire and Rescue on 10/19/1988. He was one of the last Paramedics assigned to Life Squad 8, along with his longtime partner, Doug Cousino. For 36 years, Doug cared for many patients, extinguished numerous fires, and...

Safe Kids Day 2025

Join us at Pearson Metropark on May 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  We will host our Bike Rodeo, along with helmet fittings provided by our Safe Kids experts.   Learn about water and boat safety and get fitted for your very own life jacket. We will be at Lot 4, eager...

State Wide Burn Ban

Please review the Ohio Burn Laws before you burn. Clean and dry wood may be burned in a 3x3 pit or ring after 6:00 PM. In the month of March, No burning is permitted during the hours of 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM.  Dry and Windy weather also provides natural hazards for open...

2024 Annual Report

The Oregon Fire and Rescue Department (O.F.R.D) responded to nearly 4,000 incidents in 2024, an 11% increase in run volume from 2023. O.F.R.D. was active in fire prevention, new hires, department growth, community outreach, and training. Please click on the link to...

Staying safe this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is near. Statistics show a rise in cooking-related fires during the week of Thanksgiving. We have provided some helpful tips to help you keep your family and your home safe. Frozen turkeys and hot oil don't mix. Thaw your turkey before cooking. For most...

Fire Safety for Older Adults

Knowing what to do in the event of a fire is particularly important for older adults. At age 65, people are twice as likely to be killed or injured by fires compared to the population at large. And with our numbers growing every year – in the United States and Canada, adults age 65 and older make up about 12 percent of the population – it’s essential to take the necessary steps to stay safe.

Older Adults and Fire Safety- Did You Know?

Older adults face the greatest relative risk of dying in a fire. In 2015, older adults:

  • Represented 15 percent of the United States population but suffered 40 percent of all fire deaths.
  • Had a 2.7 times greater risk of dying in a fire than the total population.
  • Ages 85 and over were 3.8 times more likely to die in a fire than the total population.
a elderly women working in the kitchen
Quick Fire Safety Tips for Older Adults
  • Keep it low: If you don’t live in an apartment building, consider sleeping in a room on the ground floor in order to make emergency escape easier. Make sure that smoke alarms are installed in every sleeping room and outside any sleeping areas. Have a telephone installed where you sleep in case of emergency. When looking for an apartment or high-rise home, look for one with an automatic sprinkler system. 
  • Sound the alarm: The majority of fatal fires occur when people are sleeping, and because smoke can put you into a deeper sleep rather than waking you, it´s important to have a mechanical early warning of a fire to ensure that you wake up. If anyone in your household is deaf or if your own hearing is diminished, consider installing a smoke alarm that uses a flashing light or vibration to alert you to a fire emergency. 
  • Do the drill: Conduct your own, or participate in, regular fire drills to make sure you know what to do in the event of a home fire. If you or someone you live with cannot escape alone, designate a member of the household to assist, and decide on backups in case the designee isn’t home. 
  • Open up: Make sure that you are able to open all doors and windows in your home. Locks and pins should open easily from inside. (Some apartment and high-rise buildings have windows designed not to open.) If you have security bars on doors or windows, they should have emergency release devices inside so that they can be opened easily. These devices won’t compromise your safety, but they will enable you to open the window from inside in the event of a fire.
  • Stay connected: Keep a telephone nearby, along with emergency phone numbers so that you can communicate with emergency personnel if you’re trapped in your room by fire or smoke.

Quick Tips

Fire Safety for Older Adults
Fire Safety for Older Adults

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Latest News

Farewell Firefighter Nissen

Farewell Firefighter Nissen

Firefighter Nissen began his career with Oregon Fire and Rescue on 10/19/1988. He was one of the last Paramedics assigned to Life Squad 8, along with his longtime partner, Doug Cousino. For 36 years, Doug cared for many patients, extinguished numerous fires, and...

Safe Kids Day 2025

Join us at Pearson Metropark on May 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  We will host our Bike Rodeo, along with helmet fittings provided by our Safe Kids experts.   Learn about water and boat safety and get fitted for your very own life jacket. We will be at Lot 4, eager...

State Wide Burn Ban

Please review the Ohio Burn Laws before you burn. Clean and dry wood may be burned in a 3x3 pit or ring after 6:00 PM. In the month of March, No burning is permitted during the hours of 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM.  Dry and Windy weather also provides natural hazards for open...

2024 Annual Report

The Oregon Fire and Rescue Department (O.F.R.D) responded to nearly 4,000 incidents in 2024, an 11% increase in run volume from 2023. O.F.R.D. was active in fire prevention, new hires, department growth, community outreach, and training. Please click on the link to...

Staying safe this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is near. Statistics show a rise in cooking-related fires during the week of Thanksgiving. We have provided some helpful tips to help you keep your family and your home safe. Frozen turkeys and hot oil don't mix. Thaw your turkey before cooking. For most...

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