Chief
Christopher Johns, OFE, OFC
Chief Johns has 30 years in the fire service, beginning in 1993 with Millville Fire Department as a Firefighter/EMT. Johns was promoted to Lieutenant in 1999 and retained that rank after the Ross Township/Millville Fire Department Merger in 2004.
In 2008, Johns was promoted to Captain, in 2018 promoted to Assistant Chief, and in 2024 appointed as Chief. Johns holds certifications as a Level 2 Firefighter, Paramedic, Fire Safety Inspector, Fire Instructor, CPR Instructor, Fire Investigator, and has completed the Fire Officer I through IV classes.
Chief Johns is a member of the Butler County Incident Management Team, Butler County Fire Investigation Team, the Butler County Fire Chiefs’ Association, and the Ohio Fire Chief’s Association. Johns holds an Associate’s Degree from Sinclair Community College in Fire Science Technology-Fire Administration Option, a Bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University in Fire Protection Administration, and is a graduate of the Ohio Fire Executive Program.
In 2023 he was granted the Ohio Fire Chief (OFC) designation by the Ohio Fire Chiefs Association. He is a 2008 recipient of the Ohio Star of Life Award, and in 2012 received the Syrian Shrine Firefighter Award for Burn Prevention for his involvement with fire prevention and education.
Chief Johns and his wife Kathy have four children, Kayli, Alex, Ally, and Grayce.
Operations
Ross Township Fire Department (RTFD) is a combination department that covers 36 square miles and protects 9,000 citizens.The department provides services from two stations located at the northern and southern borders of Ross Township.
The department provides fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire inspections, and fire prevention. The department holds an Insurance Service Office (ISO) combination rating of 3/3Y in Ross Township and a rating of 3 in the Village of Millville. The rating of 3 in the township only applies to structures that are within 1000 feet of a hydrant. A rating of 3Y applies to structures beyond 1000 feet.
Training
Training of the Ross Township Fire Department provides firefighters with constant operational training. Firefighters receive a variety of general training courses including driver operator training, SCBA, equipment, general firefighter practices, natural gas emergencies, and hazmat situations just to name a few.
Our firefighters also get occasional training on subjects such as homeland security classes through FEMA, some of which are now required for all firefighters, arson investigation, landing zone operations for helicopter transport.
Live Burn training is also conducted whenever we get the opportunity. There is no better way for new recruits to get actual on the scene training under controlled situations, not to mention the fact that seasoned firefighters are in a never ending learning process.
Training is never complete for a firefighter! New technologies and methods of operation create a constant need for training, whether in the classroom or on the fire ground.