Violet Township Fire Annual Open House
Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019
1-3 p.m.
The Violet Township Fire Department will be hosting its annual Open House at Fire Station 591, 21 Lockville Rd.
The day will feature:
- A Fire Safety House which permits children to escape from a NON-HAZARDOUS smoke-filled environment. This allows them to learn how to get out of their home in case of fire.
- Demonstrations on how to crawl under smoke.
- Kids can dress up in fire gear and get a picture taken.
- Take a turn putting out a virtual fire.
- Meet Sparky the Fire Dog and Sparky the Robotic Dog.
- Learn how to use a fire extinguisher.
- Take a quick hands-on CPR class for all ages (even the little ones can learn this technique set to music).
- Our partner hospitals will be on scene handing out goodies and information on their services.
There will be a host of fun, kid-friendly educational activities for the entire family. Please come and join us for this community event.
Helping Make a Happier Holiday
The Violet Township Fire Department and Pickerington Local Schools are again teaming up to provide holiday assistance for children and families throughout the Pickerington area. This partnership has proven to be particularly successful in past years. In 2018, we assisted 778 families for a total of 2,254 kids.
Thanks to the generosity of local schools, businesses and churches, our red toy collection boxes will be located throughout Canal Winchester, Pickerington and Reynoldsburg. The toy drive officially kicks off Nov. 22 and runs through Dec. 24. If you would like to contribute, drop off a new, unwrapped toy in any Violet Township Fire Department toy drive box, or at any of the three Violet Fire stations. Items of particular need are gifts for middle- to high school-age children such as gift cards, electronics, cologne/perfume, etc.
Due to the dedication of generous community members and leaders, Violet Township Fire Department and Pickerington Local Schools are able to make a difference in the lives of children and families during the holiday season. Thank you in advance for your continued support and we hope you and your family have a safe and happy holiday season.
Girl Scout Troops from the Pickerington area will host the annual Toy Drive-Thru at Violet Fire Station 592 at 8700 Refugee Rd. This event is Saturday, Dec. 7 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Donations may be dropped off as you drive through the fire station, without even getting out of your car.
Drug Take Back Day/Electronic Recycling/Paper Shred
Saturday, Oct. 26
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Violet Township Service Center
490 N. Center St.
Drug collection of prescription pills and capsules. NO aerosols, inhalers, liquids, creams, gels, ointments, powders, patches, suppositories, syringes or IVs are accepted. Paper shredding is a two-box limit. Electronic recycling includes CRT TVs (tube TVs) – $1/diagonal inch and LED/LCD TVs (flat screen) – $0.50/diagonal inch.
For more information, visit www.fairfieldswcd.org.
Remembering a Friend
The Violet Township community suffered a great loss on July 5, when John Eisel, director of operations and retired fire chief, passed away while on vacation with his family. He was 55.
John spent 32 years total in the fire service, and served with the Violet Township Fire Department since 1989. After rising through the ranks, he was promoted to chief in January 2009, a position he retained until he was hired as director of operations for Violet Township in 2014. In addition to his positions with the Violet Township Fire Department and Administrative Offices, he served on numerous boards and committees for a variety of organizations, including the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission; the Safety, Health and Survival Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs; the Pickerington Food Pantry; the American Red Cross; and the Coalition of Large Ohio Urban Townships.
John truly dedicated his life to public service, and he touched countless lives through his actions while in various roles as a public servant. He was always ready, willing and able to help those in need, which he demonstrated again and again throughout his career. Sometimes that meant performing acts of heroism, and sometimes that meant fighting for better conditions for his brothers and sisters in the fire department. He was a natural leader, and inspired everyone around him to be and do their best.
In his position as director of operations, leadership for John meant establishing partnerships across the Violet Township community and beyond. He embraced that role with integrity, diligence and good humor. As anyone who was around him could attest, he always made everyone else’s day a little brighter through his presence.
Despite his career achievements, of which there were many, John was always a family man at heart. He loved his family dearly, and the thoughts of the entire community are with them during this saddest of times.
John always said to “leave it better than you found it,” and he absolutely lived up to that motto. Violet Township is unquestionably a better place because of John Eisel. He will be missed.
Opening the Golden Gates
At long last, the golden gates of the Wigwam opened to the public. Violet Township held an open house at the Wigwam complex on July 27, inviting the public to experience the rustic 63-acre property that is the new home of the Violet Township Administrative Offices.
The event was an opportunity to showcase the historic buildings on the site, which served as a private retreat for the Wolfe family, former owners of The Columbus Dispatch, until Violet Township purchased the property in July 2018. Although the facility has housed the township administrative offices since May 17, the open house event offered a chance for many Violet Township residents to see the property for the very first time.
In all, more than 2,200 people attended the open house event, which offered a variety of activities in addition to tours of the main buildings. A touch-a-truck area gave guests a chance to get up close and personal with a variety of vehicles from the Violet Township Fire Department, the Violet Township Road Department, the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, the Pickerington Police Department and the Ohio National Guard. The Columbus Police Department Mounted Unit was on site with officers on horseback, and Survival Flight landed a helicopter on the grounds just as the event kicked off.
The capabilities of the 303-seat Wigwam theater were also on full display during the event, as attendees were treated to two showings of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, presented by the City of Pickerington Parks and Recreation Department. Food trucks were on hand, providing guests with food and refreshments.
The event ran extremely smoothly, due in large part to the collaborative efforts of several governmental and community partners, as well as many volunteers, who all helped to make the event possible and enjoyable for visitors. Violet Township was thrilled to showcase the Wigwam to the community for the first time, and looks forward to the golden gates being open to the public for years to come.
Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 6-12
This year’s campaign, “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. PLAN and PRACTICE your ESCAPE,” places an emphasis on the fact that today’s home fires burn faster than ever. In a typical home fire, you may have as little as one to two minutes to escape safely from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Knowing how to use that time wisely takes planning and practice.
Home Fire Escape Planning
A home fire escape plan needs to be developed and practiced before a fire strikes. When the smoke alarm sounds in a real fire, it’s too late to start making a plan! Practice your home fire drill twice a year. Conduct one at night and one during the day with everyone in your home, and practice using different ways out.
- Map it Out – Draw or map out the layout of your home, marking two exits from every room (typically a door and a window) and a patch from each exit to the outside.
- Smoke Alarms – Mark the location of all smoke alarms in your home. There should be at least one on every level, and near all sleeping areas.
- Meeting Place – Pick a meeting place outside in front of your home where everyone will meet upon exiting.
- 911 – Make sure everyone knows how to call 911 or the local emergency number from a mobile phone or neighbor’s phone once they are safely outside.
- Teach in Advance – Show children how to escape on their own in case you can’t help them.
Other Home Fire Escape Tips
- Make sure your address is clearly marked and easy for the fire department to find.
- Close doors behind you as you leave – this may slow the spread of smoke, heat and fire.
- Once you get outside, stay outside. Never, ever go back inside a burning building.
Smoke Alarms
- Smoke alarms detect and alert people to a fire in the early stages. Smoke alarms can mean the difference between life and death in a fire.
- Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half.
- Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
- Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button.
- Make sure everyone in the home understands the sound of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond.
Situational awareness is a skill everyone needs to use wherever they go. No matter where you are, look for available exits. If the alarm system sounds, take it seriously and exit the building immediately.