City of Portland Fire Department

10/03/2026

🔥 The City of Portland Fire Department and Portland Professional Fire Fighters Local 5356 was honored to host “Fire Dynamics: The Science Behind the Fire” today, welcoming 31 firefighters from 10 different departments!

Last year, Firefighters Mike Weitzel and Travis Theurer traveled to Posey Township Volunteer Fire Department to attend this class. Recognizing its value, they requested during a District 6 Training Council meeting that Portland host the course for area departments. With approval from District 6 and the State of Indiana, that opportunity became a reality today.

We were also glad to welcome members of the Portland Police Department to help build their understanding of flow paths and the importance of controlling doors at structure fires. Learning together strengthens our ability to work together and protect our community.

A special thank-you to Indianapolis Fire Department Firefighters Sam Kraeszig and Nathan Tucker for their outstanding presentation and for sharing their knowledge through demonstrations that bring fire dynamics to life.

We also want to thank Hoosier Fire Equipment, Inc. for supplying breakfast for those attending today’s class! We appreciate your generosity and support of our firefighters and their continued training.

Thank you to District 6, the State of Indiana, Indiana Fire & Public Safety Academy and everyone who attended for supporting this valuable training opportunity! 🚒

09/09/2026

06/17/2026

Join us for Safety Day at the fair on June 29th! Presented by The Portland Foundation!

02/17/2026

The Portland Fire Department extends our deepest thoughts and prayers to the Beech Grove Police Department following the tragic line-of-duty death of Officer Brian Elliott.

Today, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters in blue as they mourn the loss of a hero who gave his life in service to his community. Officer Elliott answered the call with courage and commitment, and his sacrifice will never be forgotten.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to his fellow officers, his family, and his friends during this incredibly difficult time. Please know that the Portland Fire Department and the entire Portland community are lifting you up in prayer and support.

We also ask for continued prayers for the second officer who was shot during this incident. We pray for a fast, full, and healthy recovery.

In times like these, we are reminded of the risks our public safety professionals face every single day. May we honor Officer Elliott’s legacy by supporting one another and keeping his loved ones in our hearts.

Rest easy, Officer Elliott. We have the watch from here. 💙🖤

02/16/2026

🌽🚒 GRAIN BIN SAFETY WEEK – FEBRUARY 15–21, 2026 🚒🌽

The Portland Fire Department would like to recognize and thank Governor Mike Braun for officially proclaiming February 15–21, 2026 as Grain Bin Safety Week in the State of Indiana.

Here in Jay County and throughout rural Indiana, agriculture is the backbone of our community. With that comes the very real dangers associated with grain storage and handling. Grain bin incidents can happen quickly and often with devastating consequences. Engulfment can occur in seconds, and without proper training and equipment, rescue efforts are extremely complex and dangerous.

Grain Bin Safety Week is an important reminder to:

🌽 Never enter a grain bin while equipment is running
🌽 Always have a trained observer outside the bin
🌽 Use proper lockout/tagout procedures
🌽 Wear appropriate personal protective equipment
🌽 Ensure rescue equipment is readily available

The Portland Fire Department remains committed to ongoing training and preparedness to respond to agricultural emergencies. We are proud to serve a community built on hard work, dedication, and farming heritage, and we encourage everyone to take the extra time to make safety a priority.

Let’s work together to ensure every farmer and agricultural worker makes it home safely.

02/15/2026

🚒🔥 From Serving Chili to Serving on the Fireground 🔥🚒

As we were wrapping up an incredibly successful Chili Lunch today, the tones sounded once again. 🍲➡️🚨

At approximately 2:06 PM, the Portland Fire Department was dispatched to assist Bryant Volunteer Fire Department on a working structure fire. While many of our members were still cleaning up from the event, crews quickly transitioned from serving chili to serving our community in a different way.

Portland units arrived on scene at 2:18 PM and immediately began assisting Bryant firefighters with fire suppression efforts at a two-story residential structure.

Bryant Chief Mike Kimmel marked the fire under control at 2:57 PM and officially out at 4:06 PM.

PFD operated with 2 apparatus and a total of 16 personnel, either on scene or staffing the station to ensure continued coverage for the City of Portland. Crews returned to the station at 4:35 PM and were placed back into service at 5:30 PM after cleanup and equipment checks.

Today was a true example of what the fire service is all about, fellowship and community support one moment, and immediate response to an emergency the next. We are proud of our members for their professionalism and readiness to answer the call at a moment’s notice.

We were glad to be able to assist the Bryant Volunteer Fire Department and thank them for their teamwork and cooperation on today’s incident.

Your Portland Fire Department remains ready, whether serving a meal or serving on the fireground. 🔥🚒

02/15/2026

🌶️🔥 THANK YOU, PORTLAND! 🔥🌶️

What an incredible day at the Portland Fire Department Chili Lunch!

Because of this amazing community, we welcomed over 260 visitors through our doors and raised more than $2,800 through your generous free will donations. ❤️🍲

Your support means more than just dollars raised. It shows what makes our city special, neighbors coming together to support one another. Proceeds will go toward our annual firefighters banquet, with excess funds being donated to local charities, continuing that spirit of giving.

Thank you to everyone who attended, donated, shared the event, and helped make the day such a success. We are proud to serve a community that always shows up. 🚒💛

Until next time… stay safe, Portland!

02/15/2026

🌶️🔥 TODAY’S THE DAY! 🔥🌶️

Join the Portland Fire Department for our FREE WILL DONATION Chili Lunch!

📍 1616 N. Franklin St.
⏰ 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Stop in, grab a warm bowl of chili, and help support your local firefighters. Proceeds go toward our annual firefighters banquet, with any excess funds being donated to local charities. ❤️

It’s a great day for chili and community, we can’t wait to see you! 🍲🚒

🔥🌶️ CHILI LUNCH IS BACK! 🌶️🔥

The Portland Fire Department is inviting the community to warm up with a FREE WILL DONATION Chili Lunch and support a great cause!

📅 Sunday, February 15
⏰ 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
📍 Portland Fire Department | 1616 N. Franklin St.

Enjoy a hearty bowl of chili or other soups, spend some time with your local firefighters, and help us give back. ❤️

👉 All proceeds will go toward our annual firefighters banquet, with any excess funds donated to local charities.

This is what community supporting community looks like and it’s always better with a bowl of chili. 🍲🚒

Bring your appetite, bring a friend, and we’ll see you there!

02/14/2026

🔥 Firefighting Is More Than “Put the Wet Stuff on the Hot Stuff” 🔥

While that phrase might get a laugh, the reality is that modern firefighting is rooted in science, strategy, and continuous education.

Today, Chief Mike Weitzel and Instructor Travis Theurer attended a State-sponsored District 6 Fire Dynamics: From Theory to Practice class hosted by the Posey Township Volunteer Fire Department, in Arlington, IN.

The course, instructed by Capt. Sam Kraeszig and Lt. Nathan Tucker, focused on the science behind fire behavior, how fires grow, how ventilation impacts conditions, how smoke moves, and how modern building construction affects fire spread.

Understanding fire dynamics isn’t just about knowledge, it’s about life safety.

It helps us:
• Make smarter tactical decisions
• Reduce risk to firefighters
• Improve survivability for occupants
• Control fires more efficiently and effectively

Fire today burns faster than it did 30 years ago. Lightweight construction, synthetic materials, and open floor plans all change how quickly conditions can deteriorate. Training like this ensures we stay ahead of those changes.

We are proud to continue investing in advanced training opportunities that strengthen our department and better protect the citizens of Portland and Jay County.

Because firefighting isn’t just about water, it’s about understanding the science behind the flame. 🔥🚒

02/14/2026

🐾🔥 Huey the Firehouse Hero 🔥🐾

Hi friends! It’s me, Huey!

I’ve been seeing all the fun caricatures floating around lately, and I decided it was time to show mine off too! I may be the firehouse dog, but I’ve got a pretty pawsome cartoon version of myself now. 🐶🎨

To go along with my caricature, I wanted to do something important and spread a little fire safety knowledge to all of our Jr. Firefighters out there! So parents, please be sure to spread the knowledge to all the little kiddos out there!

So gather around… tail wags ready!

⸻

Hi friends! My name is Huey, and I’m the firehouse dog! I have spots, a wagging tail, and the very important job of helping firefighters stay safe and helping YOU stay safe too!

One day at the fire station, I heard the alarm bells ring. BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! The firefighters slid down the pole and rushed to the truck. I barked, “Woof! Time to help!”

But before we left, I remembered something very important I learned in Fire Safety School.

Do you know what to do if you ever see smoke?

That’s right!

🔥 STOP, DROP, and ROLL! 🔥
If your clothes ever catch on fire:
• STOP right where you are
• DROP to the ground
• ROLL like a hot dog on the grill until the fire is out

When we arrived at the house, there was lots of smoke. Smoke is sneaky, it rises up high! That’s why firefighters crawl low under smoke. I practice this too!

If there’s smoke in your house, remember:
🚨 GET LOW AND GO! 🚨
Crawl under the smoke and get outside fast.

And here’s another super-duper important tip…

🔔 Every home should have working smoke alarms! 🔔
They go “BEEP BEEP BEEP!” to wake you up and warn you. Ask a grown-up to test them every month!

After the firefighters finished their work, I wagged my tail and felt proud. Being brave isn’t about not being scared, it’s about knowing what to do.

So remember, my little fire safety heroes:

🐾 Have a family escape plan
🐾 Know two ways out of every room
🐾 Meet at your special outside meeting spot
🐾 Never go back inside for toys or pets

And if you ever see firefighters in their big gear and masks, don’t be scared, it’s just us! We’re there to help.

Now give me a big high-five (or paw-five!) and promise to be fire safe!

Woof! 🐶🔥