Township Hall (513) 777-5900

Government

Fire Department

West Chester Township residents, businesses and visitors benefit from a full-time professional Fire Department providing fire suppression and emergency medical services while focusing on prevention and education in the community.

Firefighters Jake Hughes, Ben Diesel and Cody Swall in front of their Station 71 engine.
Station 71 Firefighters Jake Hughes, Ben Diesel and Cody Swall

The Township is served from five fully operational fire stations located throughout the community to provide efficient response times to all residents and businesses.

Comprehensive mutual aid agreements with regional communities further enhance service to our own community. Mutual aid partners respond when added resources are required here and West Chester provides support to our neighboring communities.

The West Chester Fire Department was organized in 1963 (then Union Township Fire Department). First served by a volunteer force, the Fire Department grew, along with the Township, into a well-trained and equipped professional department offering all-hazards response to the community.

Fire Chief Rick Prinz was appointed by the West Chester Board of Trustees in 2015. Chief Prinz and his team are committed to building and maintaining an elite team of professionals to offer the community exceptional service through thoughtful, deliberate and responsible allocation of resources.

The West Chester Fire Department is funded by a voter-approved levy specifically for Fire & EMS.

There are five bureaus: Administrative Bureau, Operations Bureau, Risk Management Bureau, Emergency Medical Services and Loss Prevention.

Administrative Bureau

The Administrative Bureau is responsible for the administration of the department including staffing and budgeting.

Operations Bureau

The Operations Bureau is responsible for day-to-day operations of the department, equipment and the fire stations.

Risk Management Bureau

The Risk Management Bureau is responsible for advanced training of firefighters/EMTs.

Emergency Medical Services

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is responsible for the operations related to emergency medical response.

Loss Prevention

Loss Prevention is responsible for enforcement of the fire code and promoting fire prevention and safety throughout the community with special events and classes.

Fire Stations

West Chester's five fire stations are in operations 24 hours each day and seven days per week, every day of the year. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday.

CPR & First Aid Classes

The West Chester Fire Department provides CPR training for individuals and local businesses. Training is available for a variety of certification levels, whether your organization needs CPR certification to meet workplace requirements or wants to offer it as a benefit to employees. All classes follow American Heart Association guidelines and are designed to meet the specific needs of your group.

  • American Heart Association certified: All CPR classes follow current American Heart Association guidelines.
  • Certification card provided: Participants who successfully complete the course will receive an AHA certification card for the level completed.
  • Certification length: Certification is valid for two years from the date of training.
  • What the fee includes: Course fees include certification card, printed materials and instructor cost.
  • Class location: CPR classes are held at the West Chester Fire Department Headquarters training facility.
  • Scheduling options: Classes are scheduled based on availability. Weekday scheduling is flexible. Weekend classes are limited.
  • Class size: Each class requires at least four participants and allows up to 16 participants. Larger groups may need more than one class session.
  • How to schedule: To request CPR training, call 513-759-3946 and leave a voicemail for the instructors, or email CPR@WestChesterOH.org.
  • Additional information: Call the West Chester Fire Department at 513-777-1133.
  • Important note: Classes may be canceled or rescheduled due to holidays or low enrollment.

Heartsaver CPR/AED - $40

Description

This class is offered in February, April, June, August,October and December and is designed for businesses/individuals that require or desire a certification in Adult and Child CPR. It will be interactive with an instructor and manikins while following along with a video. For list of dates and times.

There is a maximum number of 9 students for each class and at least four students must be registered one week prior to class or class will be canceled. So sign up early and bring a friend.

Dress is casual and comfortable.

Cost - $40

All classes are held at Fire Headquarters, Station 71 located at 9119 Cincinnati Dayton Road, West Chester, OH 45069.

Please be sure to read the cancellation/Refund Policy on Registration Page.

For CPR scheduling, call (513) 759-7249 to leave a voicemail message with instructors or email CPR@westchesteroh.org.

Heartsaver First Aid/CPR/AED - $50

Fire Hydrants

The West Chester Loss Prevention Bureau oversees the maintenance of more than 3,500 fire hydrants in the community. This program is coordinated by West Chester working closely with Butler County Environmental Services on hydrant repair problems and to direct the annual maintenance of all fire hydrants in West Chester.

The West Chester Fire Department has great interest in the life safety of our residents and business community. Obscuring hydrants hinders life safety operations. Every second counts when a fire occurs. In the event of an actual or potential fire, one of the first things responders do is find a suitable fire hydrant to use.

Please DO NOT obstruct fire hydrants. There should be no obstructions within three feet of the fire hydrant and the hydrant MUST be visible from the street in either direction. This will help prevent a loss of time that could mean a loss of life or property.

Common obstructions include:

  • Flowers and flower beds
  • Weeds
  • Brushes and shrubs
  • Trees
  • Mailboxes
  • Fences or fence posts
  • Entire landscape beds
  • Snow

Hydrant Flushing and Flow Testing Program

Every summer, the West Chester Fire Department flushes and inspects fire hydrants as part of an overall maintenance program. Residents are notified of when hydrant testing is scheduled in their neighborhood through this website and Nextdoor.com.

In general, hydrant flushing poses very little inconvenience to property owners. On the day that your street is due to have hydrants flushed, water from faucets may become cloudy or brownish. Let cold water run for 2-3 minutes at the lowest area of your home (basement laundry tub).

If water is cloudy or milky, it is usually caused by dissolved air bubbles and is harmless and should clear in a few minutes. If water is rusty or yellow, rust deposits were stirred up by flushing the fire hydrant. Rusty water will generally clear up 2 to 3 hours after the fire hydrant is closed. When water is rusty it can stain laundry. If possible, please avoid doing laundry on the day your street is scheduled. If clothes do become stained, keep them moist, obtain a rust remover and follow the directions on the package. If you need further assistance call Butler County Environmental Services at (513) 887-3066.

Loss Prevention

The West Chester Fire Department Loss Prevention Bureau focuses efforts on the preservation of life and the conservation of property for the residents and corporate citizens of West Chester Township, through prevention education, fire safety inspections, code enforcement and fire scene investigations.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration: buildings NOT subject to fire safety inspections are involved in 75 to 90 percent of structure fires, more than 95 percent of fire deaths, more than 90 percent of fire-related injuries, and 70 to 80 percent of property damage.

The Loss Prevention Bureau reviews construction documents for all new commercial construction in the Township and provides regulatory comments to ensure compliance with applicable safety codes. The Loss Prevention bureau performs annual fire and life safety inspections for each business, and will perform residential inspections by request. There are currently no fees associated with plan reviews, permit, or fire safety inspections.

The Loss Prevention Bureau also addresses issues related to fire hydrant maintenance annually with hydrant flushing and flow testing. The Loss Prevention Bureau and the Butler County Department of Environmental Services (water department) work closely to ensure damaged or leaking fire hydrants are quickly repaired.

The Loss Prevention Bureau is perhaps most visible in the community through its public education programs offered to children and adults. Topics, such as basic fire extinguisher operation and hazardous material mitigation, can be covered in adult-oriented programs.

Inspections & Fire Code

The West Chester Fire Department works closely with businesses and residents to ensure fire codes are met. Inspections of commercial properties are completed regularly and the Fire Department welcomes the opportunity to schedule residential inspections, providing tips and guidelines for improving safety at home. Contact the Fire Department for information.

The West Chester Township Board of Trustees approved Resolution 16-2019 requiring the West Chester Fire Department to enforce the current edition of the State of Ohio Fire Code, including Appendices.

At Work

  • Dave Doerger of the West Chester Fire Department coaches a young woman practising CPR on a training manikin.
    CPR class Dave Doerger coaches compressions on a training manikin
  • Schoolchildren gather around a West Chester fire engine during a station visit.
    Station visit Schoolchildren meet a West Chester engine
  • A red fire hydrant gushes water onto a street during hydrant flushing.
    Hydrant flushing A hydrant flushed and flow-tested