Ohio State Fire Marshal celebrates 125 years of safeguarding Ohioans, supporting first responders

The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal celebrates 125 years of supporting the state’s fire service and protecting Ohioans’ lives, properties and communities from fire and other risks.
 
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine joined Ohio State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon this morning for a special event to commemorate the anniversary on its campus in Reynoldsburg. They were joined by Division staff, leadership from various Ohio fire departments and community leaders.
 
“For 125 years, the Ohio State Fire Marshal has played a critical role in ensuring the safety of all Ohioans,” said Governor DeWine. “Whether it’s through the investigation of fire-related incidents or visiting schools to provide essential fire prevention education to our state’s youth, the Fire Marshal’s Office’s work has been vitally important to the security and safety of Ohioans.”
 
“As Ohio’s 39th fire marshal, I am proud and honored to celebrate our Division’s 125th anniversary,” said State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon. “As one of the oldest fire marshal’s offices in the nation, we have a lot of history. We’ve also seen a lot of change in the profession, and I’m proud that the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office has changed as well in response to new and evolving risks and threats facing our state.”
 
The Ohio Legislature established the Office of State Fire Marshal on April 16, 1900, with the passage of Senate Bill 51, Section 9. The following month, S.D. Hollenbeck was appointed as the state’s first fire marshal. The first office of its kind in the United States, its initial focus was combating arson and protecting residents from fraudulent insurance practices.
 
Over the past 125 years, the Division has evolved, expanded and adapted to meet the needs of a growing state. A significant milestone occurred in 1947 when the Division reorganized and established the bureaus of Arson, Prevention and Inspection. Today, the Division is comprised of eight specialized bureaus that work together to enhance public safety:
 
• The Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations, also known as BUSTR, regulates the safe operation of more than 40,000 underground storage tanks containing petroleum and hazardous substances. BUSTR conducts regular inspections, provides education to underground storage tank owners and operators and enforces state law in compliance with federal regulations and guidelines.
 
• The Code Enforcement Bureau is charged with enforcing standards set by the Ohio Fire Code. Inspectors work alongside local officials to conduct fire safety inspections at the state’s schools, nursing homes and other facilities to safeguard lives and property of some of Ohio’s most vulnerable citizens. Last year alone, the Code Enforcement Bureau conducted more than 16,000 inspections.
 
• The Fire Prevention Bureau provides Ohio’s fire service and residents with important fire and life safety education. The Bureau is also responsible for maintaining the Ohio Fire Incident Reporting System, which collects an average of 150,000 incident reports each month from the state’s nearly 1,200 fire departments. With educators located throughout the state, the Fire Prevention Bureau leverages incident data and mentors fire departments in Community Risk Reduction to help make Ohio safer.
 
• The Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Forensic Laboratory provides specialized investigative and training services to Ohio’s fire departments and law enforcement agencies. A team of skilled scientists and fire specialists conducts thousands of forensic examinations of ignitable liquids, fire debris, explosives, latent prints and digital evidence to help solve fire related investigations. In 2024, the Forensic Lab completed more than 5,000 examinations on more than 2,800 pieces of evidence from 605 cases.
 
• The Fire and Explosion Investigations Bureau (FEIB) is a law enforcement agency tasked with investigating the origin and cause of fires, explosions and fireworks incidents in Ohio. FEIB was created as the Arson Bureau in 1901 and was the first official agency tasked with investigating arson in the United States. In 2024, FEIB investigated nearly 900 cases.
 
• The Ohio Fire Academy offers world-class training to firefighters across the state and beyond. Its mission is to provide the latest training to Ohio’s fire service personnel and other allied professionals to improve the safety and proficiency of Ohio’s fire service. Last year alone, OFA trained more than 14,700 firefighters and EMS professionals, 235 of which were new firefighters entering the field.
 
• The Testing and Registration Bureau is responsible for issuing licenses to various products and manufacturers in the state. Each year, this Bureau issues more than 50,000 licenses, registrations, certifications and permits.
 
• The Administration Bureau is charged with keeping the division’s operations running smoothly and ensuring it is ready to respond, however it is needed.
 
“The impressive history and reputation of the Ohio Division of State Fire Marshal is a testament to the dedication of the many individuals who have contributed to its success and impact over the past 125 years,” Reardon said. “Our employees, past and present, work tirelessly to protect Ohioans and what matters most in their lives. I’m thankful for the past and excited about how we will continue to innovate, train, and work harder than ever to protect Ohio’s citizens and communities.”
 
Looking ahead, the Division remains committed to evolving to meet the state’s changing fire service and public safety needs. This includes plans to construct of a state-of-the-art high-rise search and rescue training facility at the State Fire Marshal’s campus in Reynoldsburg, designed to provide realistic training scenarios for firefighters across Ohio.
 
For more information on the history of the Ohio Division of State Fire Marshal, including a commemorative video, visit com.ohio.gov/SFM125.

 
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