2025 Ohio Fire Service Hall of Fame and Fire Awards Nominations Deadline

Nominations are open for the 2025 Ohio Fire Service Hall of Fame and Fire Awards ceremony, but the Dec. 20 deadline is quickly approaching. The event will honor recipients at a special ceremony on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus.

Nominations are due by Dec. 20 and can be submitted online at com.ohio.gov/HOFNom.

This annual ceremony recognizes the bravery, commitment, and sacrifice those men and women make on behalf of their communities at great personal risk to themselves, and who are credited with directly saving or attempting to save a life or lives during an extreme fire or other emergency rescue situation.

To help ensure our heroes get the recognition they deserve, we respectfully ask you to encourage leadership within your district to nominate any deserving firefighters and/or EMS who should be recognized for their commitment, dedication and service. There are multiple award categories- from valor to education:

• Ohio Fire Service Citizen's Award - This award is given annually to members of the public who, at great personal risk to themselves, are credited with directly saving or attempting to save a life or lives during an extreme fire or other emergency rescue situation.
• Ohio Fire Service Valor Award - This award is given annually to members of the fire service (active member of a career or volunteer fire service) who at great personal risk to themselves, are credited with directly saving or attempting to save a life or lives during an extreme emergency situation, whether serving in their official capacity as a firefighter or not, above and beyond the normal line of duty.
• Ohio Fire Service Distinguished Service Award - This award is given to outstanding individuals whose contributions to and leadership of the fire service within the state of Ohio have been a milestone in the development of those services; whose actions have served not just their community but have contributed significantly to the fire service on a regional, statewide and/or national basis; and, whose leadership and accomplishments in these areas are widely recognized and respected in the Ohio fire service.
• Ohio Fire Department of Year Award - This award honors an Ohio Fire Department that has demonstrated outstanding teaching characteristics and, because of these attributes, has made a major impact in fire education in its community and department.
• Ohio Fire Service Instructor of the Year Award - This award honors an Ohio Fire Service Instructor who has demonstrated outstanding teaching characteristics and because of these attributes has made major impact in fire education at their local fire department and fire charter.
• Ohio Fire Officer of the Year Award - This award honors an Ohio Fire Officer who has demonstrated outstanding leadership characteristics and, because of these attributes, has made major impact on the fire service at the local and regional level.
• Ohio Fire Prevention Educator of the Year Award - This award honors an Ohio Fire Prevention Educator who has demonstrated innovative and outstanding teaching characteristics and, because of these attributes, has made a major impact on the field of fire prevention education in his or her community.
• Ohio Fire Educator Lifetime Achievement Award - This award honors an Ohio Fire Educator who has demonstrated innovative and outstanding teaching characteristics and, because of these attributes, has made major contributions to the field of fire services at the local, regional, or national level.

Nominations are due Dec. 20, so we hope you will support this important effort by encouraging leaders to submit nominations today at com.ohio.gov/HOFNom. Additional information about the ceremony is available here.