Central Townships Joint Fire District

11/02/2026

🚒 A FINAL MESSAGE FROM THE CENTRAL TOWNSHIPS JOINT FIRE DISTRICT

As we approach Election Day, I want to take one final opportunity to clarify our 4.75-mill fire levy and thank our residents for their continued support.

We understand there has been some confusion regarding the wording on the ballot, particularly the term “New/Additional Levy.”

Here is what we want our residents to understand:

Our current 4.75-mill fire levy is expiring. The proposed 4.75-mill levy is intended to replace that funding, not be collected in addition to the expiring levy.

Under Ohio election law, this proposal must appear on the ballot as a new or additional levy, even though its purpose is to continue funding the fire district as the existing levy comes off the tax rolls.

If approved, the new levy will begin being collected after the existing levy expires. Residents will not be paying both 4.75-mill levies at the same time.

While the millage remains the same, the amount an individual property owner pays may differ because a new levy is calculated using current property valuations. Our goal is to be transparent about that distinction.

The funding from this levy is essential to maintaining the personnel, equipment, training, and emergency services our communities depend on.

On behalf of myself and every member of the Central Townships Joint Fire District, I sincerely thank you for the trust and support you have shown our department over the years. We never take that support for granted.

We are proud to serve you, your families, and our communities, and we respectfully ask for your continued support.

When the call comes, we are here for you. Help us help you! 🚒

Thank you, stay safe, and please remember to vote on November 3rd.

Chief Brian S. Bennington
Central Townships Joint Fire District

10/29/2026

CENTRAL TOWNSHIPS JOINT FIRE DISTRICT

UPDATE ON STATE ROUTE 56 ROLLOVER CRASH

The Central Townships Joint Fire District is pleased to provide a positive update regarding the rollover crash involving one of our employees on State Route 56 this past Monday.

We are happy to report that our employee has been released from Grant Medical Center’s Trauma Center in Columbus following medical procedures performed on Monday and Tuesday. While there is still a recovery process ahead, we are extremely thankful that he is expected to make a full recovery.

We sincerely appreciate the overwhelming support, phone calls, messages, and expressions of concern that we have received from fellow first responders, neighboring departments, community members, friends, and family. Your concern for our employee and our district has not gone unnoticed, and we are truly grateful.

At this time, we have made the decision not to publicly release the employee’s name. We believe that decision should be his to make when he feels the time is appropriate. We ask everyone to respect his privacy as he continues his recovery.

From the moment this incident occurred, our first and foremost priority was the health, safety, and well-being of our employee. Apparatus can be repaired or replaced, but our people cannot. Now that we know he is expected to make a full recovery, we can begin addressing the administrative matters associated with the accident, including insurance and the disposition of the damaged apparatus.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office was the primary law enforcement agency responding to the incident. We appreciate their response and professionalism in handling the situation. Following their review of the circumstances surrounding the crash, no traffic citations were issued to our employee. We are thankful for the efforts of everyone involved in responding to and assisting with this incident.

As Fire Chief, I cannot express enough how thankful I am that this incident did not result in a much more tragic outcome. This serves as a reminder of how quickly circumstances can change, even during routine operations.

Again, thank you to everyone who has reached out, offered assistance, and kept our employee in your thoughts and prayers. We are fortunate to serve a community that genuinely cares about its first responders.

Chief Brian S. Bennington
Central Townships Joint Fire District

10/26/2026

CENTRAL TOWNSHIPS JOINT FIRE DISTRICT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE

October 26th 2026

Central Townships Joint Fire District Apparatus Involved in Rollover Accident on State Route 56

MADISON COUNTY, OHIO – The Central Townships Joint Fire District is reporting a single-vehicle accident involving one of its fire apparatus that occurred this morning, October 26, 2026, at approximately 8:50 a.m. on State Route 56.

At the time of the incident, Grass Fighter 293 was traveling southbound on State Route 56 at approximately 55 miles per hour when the vehicle's right front tire left the roadway. As the driver attempted to steer the apparatus back onto the roadway, the vehicle lost control and rolled multiple times before coming to rest on its roof in the roadway.

The driver, a Central Townships Joint Fire District employee whose identity is being withheld at this time, was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.

The employee was evaluated at the scene and transported by the Madison County Emergency Medical District to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center in Columbus, Ohio, for further evaluation and treatment.

The Central Townships Joint Fire District's primary concern at this time is the health, safety, and well-being of our employee. We are grateful for the emergency personnel who responded to the incident and provided assistance.

Additional information regarding the circumstances surrounding the accident will be released as it becomes available and is appropriate for public disclosure.

We respectfully ask that the privacy of the employee and their family be maintained during this time.

Media Inquiries:
Chief Brian S. Bennington
Central Townships Joint Fire District
Phone: (937) 360-9308
Email: [email protected]

10/22/2026

Our firehouse recently had the opportunity to donate to Shelley Salley. Shelley is a mother of two who is courageously battling cancer. Shelley serves as a special education teacher’s aide at London Middle School and is actively involved in our community through the 4-H committee, school events, and so much more.

Shelley spends her time making a difference in the lives of others, both in the classroom and throughout our community. We’re honored to have the opportunity to give back to someone who gives so much of herself to those around her.

At the end of the day, being part of a fire department means more than responding to calls. It means showing up for our community, supporting one another, and helping when it matters most. We hope this small gesture reminds Shelley and her family that they have a community standing behind them.

Please join us in keeping Shelley and her family in your thoughts as she continues her fight.

From our firehouse to our community, we’re proud to serve in more ways than one!

We all want to take a moment to thank everyone who donates to and supports our association. Your generosity makes opportunities like this possible and allows us to give back to the community that gives so much to us. We couldn’t do it without you!

10/18/2026

Just a reminder about our upcoming levy due to changes in the Ohio election laws the levy reads new additional levy. This is not a true statement, as it is a new levy for 4.75 mil that will start being collected AFTER the old levy of 4.75 mil stops being collected. The fire district is NOT asking for 4.75+4.75 mil. If you have any questions, please reach out to Chief Brian S. Bennington at 937-360-9308.

10/12/2026

🚒 IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING OUR UPCOMING 4.75-MILL LEVY 🚒

📢 HELPING OUR RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND THE FACTS!

Pictured below are the informational pamphlets that our off-duty firefighters are distributing door-to-door throughout the six townships served by the Central Townships Joint Fire District.

We want to make sure every resident has an opportunity to understand the changes in Ohio election laws and how those changes affect the wording of our upcoming levy on the ballot.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND — WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL 4.75 MILLS ON TOP OF WHAT YOU ARE ALREADY PAYING!

Due to changes in Ohio election laws, the levy must appear on the ballot as a NEW/ADDITIONAL levy. However, what we want our residents to understand is very simple:

✅ OLD 4.75-MILL LEVY — ENDS

✅ NEW 4.75-MILL LEVY — BEGINS

❌ THIS DOES NOT MEAN 4.75 + 4.75 = 9.5 MILLS!

Our residents have supported a 4.75-mill operational levy for approximately the past 15 years. We are asking to continue that same millage, NOT to add another 4.75 mills to the existing levy.

The old levy will stop being collected, and the new levy will take its place. The millage remains 4.75 mills. While the actual dollar amount on an individual tax bill can be affected by property valuations and applicable tax rules, this proposal is not asking to double the levy millage.

🏡 A NOTE TO RESIDENTS OF PRIVATE COMMUNITIES:

If you live in a private or gated community that does not permit door-to-door distribution of materials, our firefighters will respect those restrictions. Unfortunately, that means you may not receive one of these pamphlets at your residence.

However, the information contained in these pamphlets is exactly what we want every resident to know, regardless of where you live within our fire district.

Our goal is simply to provide accurate information, explain the changes in election laws, and make sure our residents understand what they are being asked to vote on.

Our firefighters distributing these pamphlets are doing so on their own time, in their personal vehicles, and are not soliciting or asking anyone to vote a particular way. They are simply helping us get important information into the hands of our residents.

☎️ HAVE QUESTIONS? PLEASE ASK!

If you have questions about the levy, the ballot language, or how this affects your property taxes, please feel free to contact:

Chief Brian S. Bennington
Central Townships Joint Fire District
📞 937-360-9308

I will be more than happy to speak with you personally and explain the levy and answer any questions you may have.

❤️ THANK YOU FOR 15 YEARS OF SUPPORT!

We sincerely appreciate the continued support our residents have shown the Central Townships Joint Fire District and our firefighters over the years.

Our goal is to keep our residents informed, maintain transparency, and continue providing the fire and emergency services our communities depend on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

🚒 Six Townships. Three Fire Stations. One Commitment to Our Communities.

Chief Brian S. Bennington
Central Townships Joint Fire District

10/12/2026

🚒 PUBLIC NOTICE: INFORMATIONAL PAMPHLET DISTRIBUTION 🚒

Central Townships Joint Fire District & Central Townships Firefighters Association

Over the course of the next week, residents throughout the six townships served by the Central Townships Joint Fire District may notice off-duty firefighters traveling in their personal vehicles and distributing informational pamphlets door to door.

We want our residents to understand the purpose of this effort and why you may see firefighters visiting neighborhoods throughout our district.

📬 WHAT ARE WE DISTRIBUTING?

These pamphlets provide information regarding changes in Ohio election laws and explain how those changes relate to the 4.75-mill operational levy appearing on the upcoming ballot.

Our goal is to help residents understand the language appearing on the ballot, particularly the distinction between the existing levy that will end and the proposed levy that would take its place.

🚒 IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR OUR RESIDENTS:

We want to make it very clear that:

✅ These firefighters are off duty, volunteering their personal time, and using their personal vehicles.

✅ They are NOT soliciting donations or asking residents for money.

✅ They are NOT going door to door asking residents to vote for or against the levy.

✅ Their sole purpose is to distribute educational materials explaining the ballot language, the changes affecting the levy, and what those changes mean for our fire district.

Our intention is to provide accurate information so residents can make their own informed decisions when they go to the polls.

📞 HAVE QUESTIONS? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

If you have questions about the pamphlets, the upcoming levy, or how the proposed operational levy would affect the Central Townships Joint Fire District, please feel free to contact:

Chief Brian S. Bennington
📱 937-360-9308

I will be more than happy to speak with you personally, answer your questions, and explain any part of the levy that may be confusing.

We believe that open communication and transparency with the residents we serve are extremely important.

❤️ THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITIES!

The Central Townships Joint Fire District and the Central Townships Firefighters Association sincerely appreciate the continued support, trust, and relationships we have built with the residents of Deer Creek, Monroe, Union, Somerford, Oak Run, and Paint Townships.

We are proud to serve these communities, and we appreciate the opportunity to share information and answer your questions.

If you see one of our off-duty firefighters out delivering pamphlets this week, feel free to say hello!

Thank you for allowing us to serve you and your families. Stay safe, and we look forward to seeing you throughout the district!

Chief Brian S. Bennington
Central Townships Joint Fire District

🚒 Proudly Serving Our Communities 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week.

10/10/2026

SINGLE-VEHICLE CRASH WITH ENTRAPMENT – INTERSTATE 70

Deer Creek Township – Madison County, Ohio

Today, personnel from the Central Townships Joint Fire District and the Madison County Emergency Medical District responded to a single-vehicle motor vehicle crash on Interstate 70 eastbound near the 77-mile marker in Deer Creek Township.

Upon arrival, emergency crews located a vehicle that had traveled off the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 and into a wooded area, with an occupant trapped inside.

Responding Units:
Chief 291 – Central Townships Joint Fire District
Engine 293 – Central Townships Joint Fire District
Medic 284 – Madison County Emergency Medical District
Medic 281 – Madison County Emergency Medical District
Engine 251 – Mutual Aid

Firefighters from Engine 293 and Engine 251 worked together to extricate the trapped occupant from the vehicle. Following a successful extrication, the patient was treated by EMS personnel and transported by Medic 284 to a trauma center in Columbus for further evaluation and treatment.

We would like to thank our mutual aid partners from Engine 251 for their assistance and teamwork during this incident.

Incidents such as these demonstrate the importance of training, cooperation, and having properly equipped fire and EMS personnel ready to respond when emergencies occur.

We remind all motorists to remain alert, wear their seat belts, and use caution while traveling our roadways.

Central Townships Joint Fire District

10/05/2026

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ABOUT THE 4.75-MILL FIRE LEVY

The ballot refers to the Central Townships Joint Fire District’s 4.75-mill levy as a “NEW ADDITIONAL” levy, but we want residents to understand what that means.

The new 4.75-mill levy takes the place of the old 4.75-mill levy.

➡️ OLD LEVY: 4.75 mills — ENDS
➡️ NEW LEVY: 4.75 mills — BEGINS

4.75 mills does NOT become 9.5 mills.

The district is not asking voters to keep the old 4.75 mills and add another 4.75 mills on top of it. The existing levy will stop being collected, and the new 4.75-mill levy will take its place.

The new levy will allow the Central Townships Joint Fire District to continue providing 24-hour staffing from our three fire stations in Somerford, Deer Creek, and Paint Townships, while supporting the firefighters, apparatus, equipment, training, fire prevention, rescue, hazardous-materials response, and other emergency services our communities depend on.

We understand that the word “NEW” on the ballot can make this confusing. That is why we want our residents to have clear and accurate information before Election Day.

OLD 4.75 MILLS ➡️ STOPS
NEW 4.75 MILLS ➡️ TAKES ITS PLACE

Same millage: 4.75 mills. Not 4.75 + 4.75.

If you have questions about the levy call at 937-360-9308 or or email me at [email protected].

Chief Brian S. Bennington
Central Townships Joint Fire District

09/24/2026

We’re proud to be participating in the Light Ohio Blue Photo Competition, and we’re asking for your support!

Please take a moment to cast your vote for us. We’d love the opportunity to represent our community and bring home the win!

Thank you for your continued support of our department and our members. We truly appreciate every vote!

https://lightohioblue.org/p/cmufl62br0i9xgm4sq47s5p52?fbclid=IwdGRjcAUiKpBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBWZkaWQWUPAvySXBsTy2RNjzAcSZfV9HQwe8TXNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR6ddpc3fnw7Khn0G-MlNlJ2UUcbYl83QI7gBs-ROwDSWOx8QYSbXg5il-7Kdg_aem_aBP8oP1esjiNht4xmFznQA

Vote for "E292, T292, GF292" by Central Townships Joint Fire District in the 2026 2026 First Responders Photo Challenge. Every vote counts. Support Ohio's first responders on Light Ohio Blue.