Hamilton was originally known as Fort Hamilton when it first appeared on a map in 1791. It was named after Alexander Hamilton, the nation's first Secretary of the Treasury. In 1803, when Ohio became a state, Hamilton was named the County Seat of Butler County.

Unique facts about the city:

• Designated as a Tree City USA
• Features 1400 acres of park land
• Designated as a City of Sculpture
• Features a 265-acre art park, Pyramid Hill
• Was birthplace of Charles Richter, inventor of the Richter Scale
• Features largest municipal utility in the state

Fire Department Offers Educational Opportunities
The City of Hamilton Fire Department, established in 1827, offers several services to the community. These include the Junior Firesetters program. This court- or parent-ordered program provides intervention for youth who start fires. It serves 15-20 youth each year. There is also a Children's Fire Prevention Safety House for children ages K through 3rd grade. Over 2,500 youth are served through this program annually. For the adults, the department offers a Citizens Fire Academy. Up to 25 people on a bi-annual basis can participate to learn more about the services of the fire department.

"Firsts" Give Bragging Rights
The fire department is known for a couple of unique "firsts". It was the first department in Butler county with paramedic services. It has been offering these services since the late 70's. It was also the first department in Ohio (1918) with an IAFF Firefighter's Union (Local 20). This is much to the chagrin of nearby Cincinnati Fire Department (the first paid department in the country).

Disability Retirements Inspire Wellness Program
Having been experiencing a large number of disability retirements due to cardiac-related problems, Fire Chief Joseph Schutte, Captain Steve Timmer, and the rest of the fire department administration were strong advocates for a department-sponsored wellness program. With the help of a 2005 USFA wellness grant, they were able to fully realize their dreams.

The grant enabled:

• The training of 7 IAFF Peer Fitness Instructors
• The purchase of specialized fitness training software
• The purchase of fitness testing equipment
• Complete outfitting of their 6 station's exercise rooms
• Cooking schools for each shift
• A dedicated fitness testing room
• Complete physical and fitness evaluations for the entire department

The physical and fitness evaluations were performed over two sets of shift days over a 1-month period at the fire department headquarters. As a service to the community, the department is in the process of exploring the development of a clinic within one of their stations. The clinic would be made available for use community wide by the Butler County Hazmat Cooperative which consists of two other communities: Westchester and Middletown. "The health and welfare of our manpower is of primary importance", states Captain Timmer. "We want our firefighters to not only have a productive career, but to have unusual longevity in retirement as well."

Click here for the Hamilton Fire Department newsletter article.

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© 2006 Public Safety Medical Services