Our Mission
Howland is a strong community because of its local businesses, and we want to help you maintain a fire-safe operation. Our mission is to save lives and protect property by providing effective fire prevention education, quality inspection, and code enforcement—all while working with our business community to maintain buildings in safe and compliant conditions to prevent fires.
The Fire Department operates under the 2017 Ohio Fire Code and 2024 Ohio Building Code. The State of Ohio maintains these codes, which are available online, including on our website.
We’re committed to helping you maintain a fire-safe business and are available to assist you in developing evacuation plans and providing employee safety education.
About This Guide
This information is designed to help you prepare for annual fire safety inspections. We encourage you to download our checklist for monthly self-inspections, which will keep you and your business safe year-round.
Exterior Requirements
Emergency Vehicle Access
Emergency vehicles need unobstructed access to businesses and fire hydrants. Please help us improve our response time by keeping fire lanes clear. Remember that emergency vehicles are difficult to maneuver in tight spaces—fire lanes are designated to ensure required access is maintained at all times.
Fire Hydrants and Department Connections
- Maintain 3 feet of clearance around all sides of fire hydrants
- Keep hydrants free from vegetation, fences, and obstructions
- Fire department connections (FDC) must remain clear and accessible
- Important: Please do not paint public fire hydrants