Centerville Fire Rescue

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Can I burn leaves or brush on my property in the city limits?
A. In the city limits of Centerville, open burning is prohibited. A burning variance can be applied for at the Building Commissioner's office, but must be approved by the Fire Chief and the Town Council at their next regular meeting.

2. Can I burn leaves or brush on my property outside of the city limits?
A. Open burning is permitted in accordance with state statutes. It must be attended at all times and only during daylight hours. Contact us for a copy of the burn laws.

3. How can I arrange for a group tour of the fire station?
A. Tours can be arranged by contacting the Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, or Assistant Chief.

4. What does the blue light on a vehicle mean?
A. The blue light is a volunteer firefighter responding to an emergency call. Please pull to the right and yield the right of way to them. The call they are responding to may be to help your family or a friend.

5. What should I do when a fire truck with lights and siren activated approaches?
A. Please pull to the right of the road and stop. Do NOT stop in the middle of the road.

6. Why does a fire department vehicle respond when I call for an ambulance?
A. Centerville Fire/Rescue is dispatched to certain medical calls to assist until the arrival of Rural Metro Ambulance. Firefighters are trained to begin basic life support until the arrival of the ambulance.

7. Why do I see a Centerville Fire/Rescue vehicle with lights and siren activated going down the road suddenly turn off their emergency warning devices and continue down the road?
A. Either the unit has been disregarded from the run or they have been requested to continue the run, but it is not an emergency. This is determined by the first officer to arrive on the scene. This is done to ensure the safety of the general public as well as the firefighters.

8. What number should I call when I want the fire department to check out a problem?
A. Always call 9-1-1. Centerville Fire/Rescue is paged for all calls by the Wayne County EOC. This ensures our prompt response to your problem. We will determine if an emergency response is required.

9. Why do you send so many units on certain runs?
A. Centerville Fire/Rescue has policies and procedures in place which determine how many units are sent for each type of call we receive. This also includes automatic dispatch for two additional fire departments on certain calls. We would rather have too much help than not enough.

10. Do you bill for calls answered by the fire department?
A. Residents of Centerville and Center Township are not billed for fire department response. This service is paid for through property taxes. However, non residents are billed for vehicle fires and hazardous materials spills.