| Richland Area Fire Department |
| 2023 END OF YEAR REPORT |
Email: info@richlandareafire.com Website: www.richlandareafire.com | Tel: 740-593-60779255 Hooper Rd. Athens OH |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Station Addition and Remodel 6
2023
Incidents
The Richland Area Fire Department responded to a record 331 calls for service in 2023 which surpassed the previous record of 266 runs in 2022. The runs equaled 1,008 hours and 1 minute of on scene time. The chart below outlines the types and the number of each incidents RAFD responded to from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023.
| Incident Type | Number of Incidents |
| Canceled En Route / Nothing Found | 80 |
| Motor Vehicle Accident | 64 |
| Wind Related Response / Downed Tree | 51 |
| Assist EMS | 24 |
| Power Lines Down | 23 |
| Structure Fire | 18 |
| Brush Fire | 12 |
| Dumpster / Trash Fire | 8 |
| Vehicle Fire | 6 |
| Authorized Burning | 6 |
| Smoke Alarm Activation | 5 |
| Smoke Scare, Odor of Smoke, Steam Scare | 4 |
| Search for Person on Land | 4 |
| Arcing, Shorted Electrical Equipment | 4 |
| Natural Gas / Propane Leak | 3 |
| Unauthorized Burning | 3 |
| Public service | 3 |
| Water & Ice-Related Rescue, Other | 3 |
| Carbon Monoxide Incident | 2 |
| Cooking Fire | 2 |
| Stand-By for Other Agency | 1 |
| Outside Equipment Fire | 1 |
| Animal problem | 1 |
| Landing Zone | 1 |
| Steam, Vapor, Fog or Dust Thought to be Smoke | 1 |
| Lightning strike (no fire) | 1 |
Training
Members of the Richland Area Fire Department spent a total of 301.5 hours in training during 2023. These hours included participation in the Athens County Fire School, Paradigm Pipeline Coordinated Response Exercise, and monthly in-house training. Topics studied included traffic incident management, hazmat operations, hydrant operations and maintenance, airbag operations, water supplies, boat operations, and extrication, Additionally, members participated in cross training with Athens City, The Plains, Chauncy-Dover, Jacksonville, Albany, Columbia Twp. (Meigs County), Waterloo Twp., and York Twp. Fire Departments which concentrated on standpipe and elevator operations, electric safety, water supply, airport emergencies and a live fire operations.
Equipment Upgrades
In January members voted to purchase a 2023 Ram 2500, crew cab, with a utility bed to serve as a utility vehicle for the department. Utility 1250 has been set up to respond to auto accidents, mutual-aid fires, and any other call needing additional personnel. The truck is equipped with cones, signs, and a directional arrow for traffic accidents, self-contained breathing apparatus for structure fires, first aid equipment, and other miscellaneous supplies.
The department also purchased a third set of battery powered extrication tools (Jaws of Life) to replace the hydraulic tools on Engine 1254 which is located at Station 3 in Shade. This brings the department to three sets of battery powered extrication tools which are strategically placed at the department’s three stations allowing quicker response with extrication equipment to a motor vehicle accident.
Community Involvement
RAFD participated in multiple community events throughout the year. Events included multiple parades, Appalachian Championship Enduro Series Lost in Lodi Race, Noah Cox Memorial Truck and Tractor Pulls, Lowes Safety Day, Athens County Fair, York Twp. Fire Department Kids Day, American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association Flat Track Race, multiple Trick/Trunk-or-Treat events, and the Athens County Firefighters Association Firefighters for Families.
2023 Award Winners
• Firefighter of the Year – Firefighter Julie Phelps
• Officer of the Year – Captain Brody Davis
• 5 Years of Membership – Captain Brody Davis
• 10 Years of Membership – Assistant Chief Ralph Phelps
• 10 Years of Membership – Captain Diane Sinclair
• 35 Years of Membership – Chief Dale Sinclair
• Life Membership – Firefighter Shannon Murphy
• Life Member Retirement – Firefighter George McCarthy
• Community Service Award – Mckee Auto Parts Inc.
Looking ahead at 2024
Station Addition and Remodel
In 2023 Richland Area Fire Department began exploring the options of building a new station or remodeling and adding an addition to Station 1 on Hooper Road. The project is much needed to allow storage of current apparatus and equipment, along with a larger meeting/training area. After much research and consideration members decided the best and most cost-effective way to complete the project was to remodel and place additions onto the current station in two phases.
Phase one will be the addition of five apparatus bays to the right of the current station. The bays will be drive through and will be able to hold roughly ten apparatus. Once phase one is complete, the apparatus will be moved to the addition in preparation for phase two.
Phase two will include an addition to the rear of the current station and a complete remodel. Once complete this section will house a display area for our antique fire apparatus, antique equipment, and awards. Additionally, there will be a radio room/office, large meeting/training area, kitchen, public restrooms, staff restrooms, a gear room, fitness area, and four offices which can be transformed to sleeping quarters should the department become staffed in the future.
The department hopes to break ground on the project in 2024 and have it complete by the summer of 2025.
Alexander Township Review
2023 Incidents
The Richland Area Fire Department responded to 43 calls in Alexander Township in 2023 compared to 31 in 2022. The chart below outlines the incident types and the number of incidents RAFD responded to from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023.
| Incident Type | Number of Incidents |
| Canceled En Route / Nothing Found | 11 |
| Motor Vehicle Accident | 10 |
| Wind Related Response / Downed Tree | 9 |
| Structure Fire | 5 |
| Power Lines Down | 2 |
| Water & Ice-Related Rescue, Other | 2 |
| Brush Fire | 1 |
| Assist EMS | 1 |
| Public Service | 1 |
| Authorized Controlled Burning | 1 |
| Total | 43 |
Athens Township Review
2023 Incidents
The Richland Area Fire Department responded to 121 calls in Athens Township in 2023 which was the same as 2022. The chart below outlines the incident types and the number of incidents RAFD responded to from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023.
| Incident Type | Number of Incidents |
| Motor Vehicle Accident | 30 |
| Wind Related Response / Downed Tree | 17 |
| Canceled En Route / Nothing Found | 16 |
| Assist EMS | 13 |
| Power Lines Down | 7 |
| Dumpster / Trash Fire | 6 |
| Brush Fire | 4 |
| Smoke Alarm Activation | 4 |
| Smoke Scare, Odor of Smoke, Steam Scare | 3 |
| Natural Gas / Propane Leak | 3 |
| Vehicle Fire | 3 |
| Public Service | 2 |
| Unauthorized Burning | 2 |
| Arcing, Shorted Electrical Equipment | 2 |
| Carbon Monoxide Incident | 2 |
| Structure Fire | 1 |
| Cooking Fire | 1 |
| Outside Equipment Fire | 1 |
| Search for person on land | 1 |
| Animal problem | 1 |
| Landing Zone | 1 |
| Lightning strike (no fire) | 1 |
| Total | 121 |
Canaan Township review
2023 Incidents
The Richland Area Fire Department responded to 55 calls in Canaan Township in 2023 compared to 32 in 2022. The chart below outlines the incident types and the number of incidents RAFD responded to from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023.
| Incident Type | Number of Incidents |
| Wind Related Response / Downed Tree | 17 |
| Power Lines Down | 9 |
| Assist EMS | 8 |
| Motor Vehicle Accident | 5 |
| Authorized Controlled Burning | 3 |
| Canceled En Route / Nothing Found | 3 |
| Structure Fire | 2 |
| Search for Person on Land | 2 |
| Brush Fire | 2 |
| Cooking Fire | 1 |
| Vehicle Fire | 1 |
| Water & Ice-Related Rescue, Other | 1 |
| Smoke Alarm Activation | 1 |
| Total | 55 |
Lodi Township review
2023 Incidents
The Richland Area Fire Department responded to 34 calls in Lodi Township in 2023 compared to 29 in 2022. The chart below outlines the incident types and the number of incidents RAFD responded to from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023.
| Incident Type | Number of Incidents |
| Wind Related Response / Downed Tree | 8 |
| Motor Vehicle Accident | 5 |
| Power Lines Down | 5 |
| Brush Fire | 4 |
| Dumpster / Trash Fire | 2 |
| Assist EMS | 2 |
| Canceled En Route / Nothing Found | 2 |
| Authorized Controlled Burning | 2 |
| Structure Fire | 1 |
| Vehicle Fire | 1 |
| Search for Person on Land | 1 |
| Unauthorized Burning | 1 |
| Total |
Mutual Aid
Mutual Aid Given
| Athens City Fire Department | |
| Automatic Aid | 55 |
| Mutual Aid Request | 3 |
| Chauncey Fire Department | |
| Automatic Aid | 0 |
| Mutual Aid Request | 1 |
| Rome Fire Department | |
| Automatic Aid | 1 |
| Mutual Aid Request | 0 |
| Waterloo Fire Department | |
| Automatic Aid | 5 |
| Mutual Aid Request | 2 |
| Albany Fire Department | |
| Automatic Aid | 11 |
| Mutual Aid Request | 2 |
| Amesville Fire Department | |
| Automatic Aid | 1 |
| Mutual Aid Request | 3 |
| The Plains Fire Department | |
| Automatic Aid | 1 |
| Mutual Aid Request | 0 |
| Pomeroy Fire Department | |
| Automatic Aid | 0 |
| Mutual Aid Request | 1 |
| Total | 86 |
Mutual Aid Received
| Athens City Fire Department | |
| Automatic Aid | 24 |
| Mutual Aid Request | 0 |
| The Plains Fire Department | |
| Automatic Aid | 4 |
| Mutual Aid Request | 0 |
| Rome Fire Department | |
| Automatic Aid | 1 |
| Mutual Aid Request | 2 |
| Albany Fire Department | |
| Automatic Aid | 7 |
| Mutual Aid Request | 1 |
| Carthage Twp Fire Department | |
| Automatic Aid | 1 |
| Mutual Aid Request | 1 |
| York Twp Fire Department | |
| Automatic Aid | 2 |
| Mutual Aid Request | 1 |
| Total | 44 |