Deerfield Township Fire & Rescue and the Union Township Fire Department will begin operating together as one team on September 1, 2026, township officials announced. The departments have worked closely for years under a mutual aid agreement. Officials said the closer partnership will provide continued coverage and faster response times for residents in the Village of Clarksburg, Deerfield Township, Union Township, and surrounding communities in Ross County.
Residents will still call 911 for fires or medical emergencies. Nothing changes in how people request help. The combined operation will function as the Union Township Fire Department while continuing fire protection across the area. Officials described the change as a way to preserve local fire service rather than replace a department. Several Deerfield volunteer firefighters will continue serving with the Union Township department.
Deerfield Township officials released response figures to explain the need for the arrangement. They stated that 98 percent of fire runs in Deerfield Township currently occur under mutual aid, with Union Township as the leading mutual aid partner. For EMS, they reported 234 emergency calls across 2024, 2025, and 2026. Deerfield Township Fire & Rescue responded to 36 of those calls, or about 15 percent. Mutual aid partners handled the rest.
Ohio law allows townships to work together on fire protection. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 505.37, boards of township trustees from two or more townships may jointly purchase, maintain, use, and operate fire equipment and related services and share costs by mutual agreement. Townships can also form joint fire districts under related statutes. Officials framed this partnership as a practical way to keep services in place for a small volunteer department that has long depended on neighbors.
Deerfield Township Volunteer Fire and Rescue operates from a single station at 10870 Main Street in Clarksburg. It is a volunteer department serving the township and village. Union Township Fire Department in Ross County operates multiple stations, including locations on Pleasant Valley Road, Egypt Pike, and Yellowbud Road, and has used a mix of paid and volunteer personnel. The departments already share mutual aid regularly.
Officials said the partnership will not increase out-of-pocket costs for residents. They noted that communities should continue supporting emergency-service levies. They also mentioned possible savings on homeowners insurance if combined resources improve protection ratings over time. The Insurance Services Office (ISO) public protection classification can affect insurance premiums. Any rating change would depend on future evaluation, not automatic results from the partnership.
An informational meeting took place Sunday, August 23, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Deerfield Township firehouse at 10870 Main Street in Clarksburg. Representatives from both townships were present to answer questions and address concerns. Officials thanked past and present firefighters for their service and said the goal is uninterrupted, professional emergency care.
The departments asked residents to keep calling 911 and said they remain committed to serving the community with professionalism.
