Fair Oaks Volunteer Fire Department

10/01/2026

To everyone in Leet Twp, thank you for supporting the Fair Oaks Fire Department over the years. Whether you attended a fundraiser, volunteered your time, made a donation, or simply offered encouragement, you helped make our department what it is today.

While our name is changing, we are not going away. As part of the Quaker Valley Fire District, we will continue serving Fair Oaks and strengthening the level of service we provide to our community.

This will be our final post on this page. Please visit and follow Valley Fire District for department news, information, and updates.

We are proud of our history and grateful for your continued support as we begin this next chapter. Thank you!

09/30/2026

🚨 Who becomes Fire Police?

You might be surprised.

They may be 21 or 71.

They may be a parent, a grandparent, a retired first responder, a teacher, a mechanic, an office worker, or someone who simply wanted to find a way to serve their community.

There really isn't one "type" of person who becomes Fire Police.

And despite what some people may think, Fire Police aren't simply people who are handed a vest and told to direct traffic.

In Pennsylvania, Special Fire Police are confirmed and sworn in before performing their duties. Training opportunities are available through the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy system, county and community college public safety training centers, and Fire Police instructors throughout the Commonwealth.

And their role goes well beyond standing at a road closure.

Fire Police may assist with traffic and crowd control at fires, crashes, floods and other emergencies. They may also serve at parades, community events and other functions, helping with traffic flow, parking, crowd control and keeping both the public and emergency personnel safe.

Fire Police are one of those parts of the fire service that many people drive past every day without really knowing much about.

Sometimes the person at that road closure has been there for hours.

Sometimes it's freezing, raining, snowing, or 95 degrees.

Sometimes they're working a parade or community event while everyone else is enjoying the day.

And sometimes they're protecting you from an emergency you can't even see from where you're sitting.

So who becomes Fire Police?

People who want to serve.

People who still want to contribute.

People of different ages and backgrounds who are willing to train, show up and help keep others safe.

Maybe even someone reading this. ❤️

Have you ever thought about volunteering with your local fire department as Fire Police?

09/30/2026

A proposed merger of Leet, Leetsdale and Bell Acres volunteer fire departments recently cleared a major legal hurdle. Allegheny County Judge Hugh McGough approved the merger petition to become the Quaker Valley Fire District on Aug. 24. Fire Chief Ryan Buttermore shared the news at a Leetsdale counc...

09/29/2026

09/21/2026

Happy birthday Bill!

09/19/2026

Please join us to help one of our own.

09/13/2026

YOU MIGHT NOT SEE THE EMERGENCY FROM THE ROADBLOCK.

You see cones.

You see an “EMERGENCY INCIDENT AHEAD” sign.

You see Fire Police or police officers standing in the roadway telling you that you can’t continue.

But what you may NOT see is what’s happening beyond them.

Around the bend there could be firefighters stretching hose across the roadway.

EMS could be treating someone seriously injured.

There could be a major crash, downed power lines, debris in the roadway, leaking fuel, an active police investigation, or emergency crews working in an area that simply isn’t safe for traffic.

The person standing at that roadblock knows what is ahead.

You don’t.

Maybe you’re running late.
Maybe the detour is inconvenient.
Maybe you can’t understand why the road is closed because, from where you are sitting, you don’t see anything happening.

But please don’t drive around the cones.
Don’t try to squeeze past.
Don’t argue with the Fire Police officer or police officer directing traffic.
And don’t assume the road is safe simply because you can’t see the emergency.

In 2025, 35 emergency responders were struck and killed by vehicles while assisting the public on our roadways. Sixteen of them were law-enforcement officers and three were Fire/EMS responders.

Roadway scenes are dangerous enough without responders also having to worry about someone ignoring a road closure.

If you are told to stop, turn around or follow a detour, please do it.

You don’t have to see the emergency to respect the roadblock.

Those few extra minutes of inconvenience may help make sure that the people working beyond that roadblock get to go home.

09/11/2026

Today, Quaker Valley Fire District pauses to honor the 343 brave brothers and sisters of the FDNY, along with all the courageous first responders, who ran toward danger on September 11, 2001.

​When duty called in the face of unprecedented horror, they did not hesitate. They climbed those stairs knowing the immense risks, driven by an unwavering commitment to serve, protect, and save lives. Their selfless bravery embodies the highest ideals of the fire service.

​We carry their memory in our hearts, hold their families in our prayers, and honor their ultimate sacrifice by reaffirming our own pledge to answer every call with the same dedication and courage.

​We will never forget.