Fire Dept. & EMS FAQ's

The short answer is yes, under certain circumstances. The Ohio EPA, State Laws of Ohio, and Cortland City Ordinances allow for open burning, as long as:

• The fire is contained in some form of fire ring, or other container.
• Only clean seasoned fire wood is used.
• It is 25 feet from any structure or combustible materials (this distance can be decreased to 15 feet with the use of an outdoor fire place).
• The fire is no bigger than 3 feet high and 2 feet in diameter.
• It is not a nuisance to neighbors.
• Weather conditions permit for safe burning.
• The fire must always be attended with a means of extinguishing the fire readily available.

The fire department always reserves the right to deem a fire unsafe and/or a nuisance, and either extinguish or have the home owner/occupant extinguish the fire. Fire department personnel also reserve the right to determine the fire not a nuisance/hazard and allow the recreational fire to continue.

The State Fire Marshal also has the power to institute state wide bans on all forms of open and/or outside burning because of hazardous conditions.

No. We do not deliver water for the opening of pools. There are several independent services that can be contacted for this, and their numbers can be obtained by referencing the yellow pages.

Cortland Fire Department is proud to offer a wide range of services to the residence and visitors of Cortland and the Cortland area. These services include:

24 hour fire and life safety protection.
24 hour advanced life support emergency medical treatment and transportation to area hospital emergency departments.
Fire safety inspections for local business.
Fire safety home inspections for foster and/or adoptive parents.
Fire safety education for local business.
Educational services for health care providers.
Fire prevention education for children, starting in preschool.

In most cases we do not. This is because the water level has to become several feet deep in order for our pumps to be effective. However, if you are concerned feel free to call and someone will come out and check.

As a safety note: most homes have their electrical panels and outlets in the basement, so we would advise under these circumstances that the occupant not enter a flooded basement. No matter how minimal the water level may appear to be.

Bonfires are also permitted but can only be conducted with:

Prior permission from the Fire Department.
Pre-inspection prior to the fire.
Must be at least 50 feet from the structure and combustible materials.

The State Fire Marshal also has the power to institute state wide bans on all forms of open and/or outside burning because of hazardous conditions.

At this time we do not offer this service. However, should you require help in the installation of these units we would be happy to lend help if needed and as time permits.

Under most circumstance our department is happy to transport to one the following hospitals of the patient choosing. However, under certain situations where medical necessity or hospital diversion dictates our medical crews may transport to one of the other facilities in this list:

• Trumbull Memorial Hospital
• St. Joseph Hospital
• St. Elizabeth’s Hospital- Youngstown Campas
• St. Elizabeth’s Hospital- Boardman Campas
• Northside Medical Center
• Sharon Regional Medical Center
• Greenville Regional Hospital
• Akron Children’s Hospital- Boardman Campus.

As a basic rule we do not have the equipment or training to trap animals. Most of the time, if left alone, the animal will take care of itself. If this is not the case there are several qualified trappers that can be reached in the yellow pages, and they may also be able to provide you with steps to address the situation on your own.

At this time we do not offer this. To properly provide these services the individual(s) conducting the install/inspection must be certified to do so, and we currently do not have anyone certified in this process.

We provide transport to the hospital emergency department, and under some circumstances directly to specialty floor services (e.g. prearranged admittance to a room or obstetrics ward for the immediate delivery situation).

We do not provide routine transports for appointments or return service after delivery at the hospital. There are several private ambulance companies or taxi services that can be reached for these services.

No, the service and inspection of fire extinguishers or extinguisher systems is not a service offered by our department. This specialized service is to be conducted by a certified vendor that can be found in the yellow pages. Nor do we take old unserviceable fire extinguishers.

New businesses are required to bring the space they occupy in a structure up to current fire codes, and provide 24 hour emergency access to said space through the Knox Box System. Information on both of these can be obtained at the Fire Station.

Fire reports can be picked up at the fire station, or obtained through the insurer’s insurance company with a written request. Under certain circumstances some information may be redacted for privacy of certain individuals or while investigations are ongoing.

These are provided at no cost.

In most cases medical reports are not public records, and are protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). These rights are also extended to children between the ages of 12 to 18 years of age.

Medical reports can be obtained in person with proper identification at the fire station. They will also be provided to representatives of the patient with a proper authorization waver or court issued subpoena.

These records will be provided at no cost.