The Ohio Department of Commerce has announced that its Division of State Fire Marshal’s Ohio Fire Academy will host Ohio Volunteer Firefighter Week at its Reynoldsburg campus, with media availability. This announcement was made in a news release on April 4, 2025.
According to the Ohio Department of Commerce, the Ohio Fire Academy will conduct Volunteer Firefighter Weekend on April 5, 2025. The event offers free classroom and hands-on training to volunteer firefighters from across the state. The training includes instruction in areas such as water supply, fire dynamics, extrication, and structure fire response. With approximately 70% of Ohio fire departments relying on volunteers, the Division of State Fire Marshal supports these departments by providing free training and equipment funding. Media can attend between 1–3 p.m.
The academy will offer several training sessions during Volunteer Firefighter Weekend. One course focuses on pumps and mobile water supply, teaching participants how to safely operate tankers and manage water shuttling. Firefighters will learn to inspect and position apparatus, manage fill and dump sites, and communicate effectively during operations. Another course covers fire dynamics, examining how modern fire behavior differs from past understandings and how those changes affect firefighting strategies, investigations, and prevention efforts.
Additional hands-on courses include vehicle extrication with an emphasis on standard passenger vehicles and the risks associated with alternative fuel systems. A structural fire attack class using live fire simulations is also offered. This training includes scenarios on fire behavior, ventilation techniques, and structural rescue tactics using specialized mobile equipment like the Flashover trailer and Structural Fire Attack Lab. Required safety gear varies by course.
The Ohio Division of State Fire Marshal is based in Reynoldsburg as part of the Ohio Department of Commerce. It is recognized as the nation’s oldest office of its kind and works to reduce fire-related risks through education, investigation, and enforcement. The division operates eight bureaus including code enforcement, fire prevention, and the Ohio Fire Academy itself. It supports first responders across the state with training in incident management, hazardous materials handling, and safety equipment usage while overseeing fire code enforcement and other related responsibilities.
