Norwich Township Fire Department

09/02/2026

25 years later, we still remember.

For those of us in the fire service, September 11 will always carry a special weight. It is a reminder of extraordinary courage, sacrifice, and what it means to answer the call when others need you most.

On Friday, September 11, Norwich Township Fire Department and Hilliard Division of Police invite our community to come together at Station Park as we honor the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and the first responders who ran toward danger that day.

Major General (U.S. Army, Retired) Deborah Ashenhurst, Director of the Ohio Department of Veterans Services and a Hilliard resident, will serve as the keynote speaker. Following the ceremony, guests are invited to visit First Responders Park.

𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 | 𝟗:𝟎𝟎 𝐚.𝐦.
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 | 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐝

Main Street will be closed approximately 8–11 a.m. for the safety of guests.

Parking will be available in the Center Lot at Center and Wayne streets and the Madison Lot at Wayne and Madison streets.

We hope you’ll join us as we remember, honor, and ensure the sacrifices of that day are never forgotten.

We will never forget.

08/27/2026

🚑 Registration is open for the Norwich Township Firefighters IAFF Local 1723 Fall EMS Conference!

Hosted by Norwich Township Firefighters IAFF Local 1723 this conference is open to EMS professionals from across Central Ohio and beyond.

Join us November 11 for a full day of EMS education featuring OhioHealth EMS Medical Directors, hands-on skills sessions, real-world topics, and opportunities to connect with others in the field.

📅 November 11, 2026
📍 Norwich Township Fire Department | Hilliard, OH
⏰ 8:30 AM–4:30 PM

**You do not have to be an NTFD member to attend!** Firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and other EMS professionals are welcome.

📲 Scan the QR code to register — and share this with your department or EMS crew!

A big thank you to our sponsors for helping make this conference possible!

08/25/2026

🚑 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰?

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭’𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫, 𝐃𝐫. 𝐄𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐳

You may not realize how involved a physician is in the EMS care our crews provide every day.

Dr. Eric Cortez has served as NTFD’s Medical Director since November 2019. Every fire department providing EMS care is required to have medical oversight, but our relationship with Dr. Cortez goes well beyond checking that box.

He helps develop the treatment guidelines and protocols our crews follow, provides monthly continuing education for all three shifts, and regularly reviews EMS reports to help us continue improving the care we provide.

But what we really appreciate is how accessible he is to our team. If our EMS officers are on a complicated call and need guidance, they can contact Dr. Cortez or another physician in his group directly from the scene. Our crews know that when they call, someone will be there to help.

One of the things that makes Dr. Cortez so valuable to NTFD is the relationship he has built with our members. He has a way of taking complicated medical information and making it practical and understandable. He also brings something our crews don't always get to see: the hospital side of the patient's care. That perspective helps connect what happens in the back of the medic to what happens after the patient reaches the ER.

Dr. Cortez is the System EMS Medical Director for OhioHealth and part of the OhioHealth Doctors Hospital/USACS EMS Medical Director Group, which provides medical direction to roughly 40 agencies.

We talk a lot about the people you see responding on our fire trucks and medics, but there is an entire team behind them helping make sure our patients receive the best care possible.
Dr. Cortez and his team are a big part of that.

We are incredibly fortunate to have a medical director who doesn't just oversee our EMS program, but knows our people, teaches our people, answers their calls and is genuinely invested in helping them provide better care to our community.

08/21/2026

Alton Darby Elementary spray down of 2026. Fun was had by all…. Welcome back to school. Hope all Hilliard City Schools students and staff have a great year!

08/19/2026

🔥 𝐀 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐍!

Last week, NTFD crews were able to conduct 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐍 — and it was an incredible experience for our members.

Live fire training is one of the most valuable ways our firefighters can prepare for the real thing. It gives crews the opportunity to experience heat, smoke, fire behavior, changing conditions, and decision-making in a controlled environment — and most importantly, to do it over and over again.

Years ago, fire departments often trained by burning acquired homes and other structures. Those opportunities are much harder to come by today, making realistic live fire training more difficult to provide.

That’s what makes The DEN such an important resource. Having our own training tower allows us to recreate a variety of real-life fire scenarios, give our members more repetitions, and continue building experience in conditions that are as close to the real thing as possible.

And The DEN won’t just benefit NTFD. The facility will also provide training opportunities for departments throughout Central Ohio, giving us another way to train alongside the crews we may one day work beside on an emergency scene.

This first live fire training was a pretty special milestone for NTFD — and just the beginning of what The DEN will allow us to do. 🔥🚒

08/16/2026

Safety training day is happening tomorrow!

The joint training exercise will take place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Hilliard Darby High School, with Hoffman Trails Elementary Schools as a staging area.

🚓🚒During the training, police and fire personnel will make four trips throughout the day from Hoffman Trails Elementary to Hilliard Darby High School with lights and sirens on.

If you're in the area, don't be alarmed — this is a planned training exercise designed to help our first responders and schools prepare for emergencies.

🚨 Safety training day is happening tomorrow!

Beginning tomorrow morning, we're partnering with Hilliard City Schools and Norwich Township Fire Department to conduct our annual Safety Training Day.

The joint training exercise will take place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Hilliard Darby High School, with Hoffman Trails Elementary Schools as a staging area.

🚓🚒During the training, police and fire personnel will make four trips throughout the day from Hoffman Trails Elementary to Hilliard Darby High School with lights and sirens on.

If you're in the area, don't be alarmed — this is a planned training exercise designed to help our first responders and schools prepare for emergencies.

08/14/2026

🚨 Hilliard City Schools to Conduct Annual Safety Training Day

On Monday, August 17, Hilliard City Schools will partner with the Hilliard Division of Police and Norwich Township Fire Department for our annual districtwide Safety Training Day.

Community members may notice an increased presence of emergency vehicles and simulated emergency activity near Hoffman Trails Elementary, Heritage Middle School, and Hilliard Darby High School. There is no actual emergency. We ask the community to avoid these areas while training is underway.

This annual training helps strengthen coordination between school staff and first responders to keep our schools safe.

Learn more: https://www.hilliardschools.org/hilliard-city-schools-to-conduct-annual-safety-training-day/

08/14/2026

🎉 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 🎉

This month, we’re recognizing several NTFD members who have reached a milestone in their years of service!

🚑 James Clark – 10 Years
🔥 Josh Riggs – 15 Years
🚒 Bo Smith- 15 years
🚒 BC Matt Tackett – 20 Years

Each milestone represents years of dedication to NTFD and the community we serve. We’re proud to recognize these members and thank them for their continued service.

Help us congratulate them on their August anniversaries!

08/13/2026

🚨 Generator Safety Reminder from Your Fire Department 🚒

Power outages can be stressful, but using a generator safely is critical.

⚠️ Never operate a generator indoors, in a garage, basement, shed, or other enclosed area. Generators produce carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless and odorless gas that can be deadly.

✅ Keep generators at least 20 feet away from your home, doors, windows, and vents, with the exhaust pointed away from the house.

✅ Never connect a generator directly to your home's electrical system unless it has been properly installed by a qualified electrician.

✅ Plug appliances directly into the generator using heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cords.

✅ Keep the generator dry and allow it to cool before refueling.

✅ Make sure your carbon monoxide alarms are working and have fresh batteries.

A few extra minutes of preparation can prevent a tragedy. Stay safe and power up responsibly!

08/12/2026

📢 Heads up, residents of the Hoffman Farms community and surrounding areas!

Next Monday, Aug. 17, the Hilliard Division of Police, Hilliard City Schools, and Norwich Township Fire Department will be conducting a joint training exercise between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. The training will take place at Hilliard Darby High School, with Hoffman Trails Elementary School as a staging area.

During the training, police and fire personnel will travel 4️⃣ times throughout the day with lights and sirens on from Hoffman Trails Elementary to Hilliard Darby High School via the following route:

🔷Hoffman Farms Drive to School Way Drive,
🔷South onto Leppert Road,
🔷East into the Hilliard Darby High School parking lot nearest the tennis courts.