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...

Home Fire Escape Planning

Your ability to get out depends on advance warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.

Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you as little as one or two minutes to escape safely once the alarm sounds. Pull together everyone in your household and make a plan. Walk through your home and inspect all possible exits and escape routes. Households with children should consider drawing a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room, including windows and doors. Also, mark the location of each smoke alarm. Here are some tips for helping you with your home fire escape plan!

Fire drills are important for all homes, including apartment buildings and other high-rise structures. You need to know the basics of escape planning, from identifying two ways out of every room to getting low and going under smoke, and the importance of practicing how you would respond in an emergency. Be aware that sometimes the safest thing you can do in a tall building fire is to stay put and wait for the firefighters.

To increase fire safety for apartment dwellers, NFPA offers the following guidelines

Know the plan
Make sure that you’re familiar with your building’s evacuation plan, which should illustrate what residents are supposed to do in the event of an emergency. The evacuation plan should be posted in places where all residents can see and review it, and the building management should hold a fire drill with occupants at least once a year. Most states also require that buildings periodically test their fire safety systems as well. Be sure to participate when your building drills take place. When looking for an apartment or high-rise home, look for one with an automatic sprinkler system. Sprinklers can extinguish a home fire in less time that it takes for the fire department to arrive.
Practice is key
Whether your building has one floor or 50, it’s essential that you and your family are prepared to respond to a fire alarm. Identify all of the exits in your building and if you are using an escape planning grid, mark them on your escape plan. Make sure to mark the various stairways too, in case one is blocked by fire.
Never use the elevator
In case of fire, always use the stairs to get out, never the elevator. Make sure to practice using the stairs as part of your escape plan. If someone in your family has difficulty climbing down steps, make sure to incorporate a contingency for this into your plan.
Stay low
Smoke from a fire is toxic and deadly no matter what kind of structure you live in. When you hold your fire drill, everyone in the family should practice getting low and going under the smoke to the exit. In the event of a fire, if both stairwells are filled with smoke, stay in your apartment and wait for the firefighters.
Seal yourself in for safety
If you can’t exit an apartment building due to smoke or fire in the hallway, call the fire department to report your exact location and gather in a room with a window to await their arrival. Close all doors between you and the fire. Use duct tape or towels to create a seal around the door and over air vents in order to keep smoke from coming in.
Stay by the window
If possible, you should open your windows at the top and the bottom so fresh air can get in. Don’t break the window – if smoke enters the room from outside the building, you won’t be able to protect yourself.
Signal to firefighters
Wave a flashlight or light colored cloth at the window to let the fire department know where you are located.

Make Every Second Count! – Helpful Hints

Practice your home fire drill twice a year. Conduct one at night and one during the day with everyone in your home, and practice using different ways out.
Teach children how to escape on their own in case you can’t help them.
Make sure the number of your home is clearly marked and easy for the fire department to find.
Close doors behind you as you leave – this may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire.
Once you get outside, stay outside. Never go back inside a burning building.