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Message from Chief William J. Shaw
Welcome to the Solon Fire Rescue web page. I hope you find our page both entertaining and informative. Some time ago, it was very easy to define what the fire department did. The fire department would extinguish fires, plain and simple. Of course, this simplistic definition of the services provided by fire departments is no longer accurate. The modern fire service organization provides emergency medical services, hazardous materials response, technical rescue, fire prevention and public education services, in addition to extinguishing fires. In more and more cases, the title of fire department doesn’t come close to describing the services provided for the community. When thinking about the future of the fire service, people may think that there will be a time when everything is in place after all the changes are completed. The truth is, the future arrives constantly in little bits and pieces with each day providing an unusual challenge. Yesterday, hazardous materials was the new challenge. Today, domestic terrorism seems to be the new challenge. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. As residents grow more aware of the dangers posed by modern life – from heart attacks to emergency medical calls to fires – the need for broader protection measures and more expertise grows. Since almost all incidents require rapid response from trained, equipped, experienced, and highly organized personnel, it is natural that the most common agency of choice should be the fire rescue service. Perhaps the strongest quality of the fire service is the ability to define problems and invent workable solutions for those problems. Flexibility, adaptability and innovation have long been terms used to describe the fire service. Throughout the history of our department, the challenges faced have changed dramatically, yet one thing remains the same – the dedication of Solon Fire Rescue personnel to provide the highest level of service possible.
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