Ohio Fire Chief Credentialing Program

The Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association (OFCA) and the Ohio Fire & Emergency Services Foundation (OF&ESF) have identified the need to further enhance the professionalism of chief fire officers throughout the state of Ohio by the establishment of a uniform credentialing program. The goal of the program is to ensure a strong degree of accountability. The Credentialing Program sets forth the goals needed for chief fire officers to establish a higher degree of professionalism so that fire chiefs may be better prepared to serve their department, their community, and other organizations. The goal is to promote the professional development of the chief fire officer in Ohio and to assist these chiefs in their daily operations, management, and leadership.

Credentialed participants will be required to renew their credentials every three years.

Through this program, the OFCA has attempted to establish occupational education, fire service related training, and experience criteria relevant to the position of fire chief. This process provides an equal opportunity for the volunteer, paid-on-call, or full-time applicant to meet the minimum criteria for achieving the Ohio Fire Chief credential.

At this time, the chief fire officer designation is open to officers serving at the Battalion Chief level or above. Candidates are required to provide an organizational chart verifying their position within the department. An individual seeking OFC credentialing must be an active member of a Fire and/or EMS organization and member of the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association at the time of application

By participation in this program, an applicant agrees to abide by a Mission Statement and Code of Professional Conduct. The credentialing process will be solely administered by The Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association Credentialing Committee.

Ohio Fire Chief Credentialing Application

Sample News Release for OFC Credentialing Program

To renew your credentials, click here to download the re-credential application. Only use this if you are currently an OFC.


 Ohio Fire Chiefs' Association Credentialed Chiefs


Lee Adams, OFC - Piqua Fire Department

Steve Agenbroad, OFC - Clearcreek Fire District

Rick Anderson, OFE, OFC - Ashland Fire Division

Dale Arkenburg, OFC - Geneva Fire Department

Andy Baillis, OFE, OFC - Valley City Fire Department

Eric P. Barhorst, OFC - Sidney Fire & Rescue

Thomas B. Barnett, OFC - Miami Valley Fire District

Timothy G. Berczik, OFE, OFC - Jackson Township Fire Department

William Bernhard OFC - Highland Heights Fire Department

Chris Bower, EFO, OFC - Copley Township Fire Department

Wm. Scott Bower, OFC - Southington Fire Department

Timothy Bowling, OFC, OFE - Defiance Fire and Rescue Division

Ken Brooks, OFC - Neffs Fire Department

Chase Bryan OFE, OFC - Truro Twp Fire Department

Tom Burgasser, OFC - Massillon Fire Department

Mark A. Burns, OFC - Central Fire District

Rob Campbell, OFE, OFC - Bath Township Fire Department

Brian Carlson MS, OFC - Anderson Township Fire & Rescue Department

Ryan Cervenka, OFC - Willoughby Fire Department

Robert Chappell, OFC - Tiffin Fire/ Rescue Division

Neil Cline, OFE, OFC - Scioto Township Fire Department

Keith Clonch, MBA, OFC - Richfield Township Fire Department

Patrick T. Connor OFE, OFC - Plain Township Fire Department

Michael Crable, OFC - Jackson Township Fire Department

Casey Curtis, OFE, OFC - Granville Township Fire Department

Jeffrey Deeks, OFE, OFC - Cambridge Fire Department

Ben Degenhardt, OFC - Mt. Healthy FD

Arthur L. Dobbins III, OFC - Akron Fire Department

John L. Donahue, OFC - Washington Twp. F.D.

Daniel Dopslaf, OFE, OFC - Bedford Fire Department

Scott Dorsten, OFE, OFC - Beavercreek Township Fire Department

John Duber OFC - Valley Fire District

C.W. Durham III, CFO, OFC - Marietta Fire Department

Chris Eisele, OFC - Deerfield Twp FD

Greg R. Eisenacher, OFE, OFC - City of Grandview Heights

Ted Elder, OFC - Wooster Division of Fire

Patrick Ferguson, OFC - Columbus Division of Fire

Ronald E. Fletcher, OFE, OFC - City of Brookville Fire Department

Jason Francis, OFE, OFC - Whitehouse Fire Department

John M. Frazier, MPA, CFO, OFC - Russell FD

Michael Froelich, OFC - Sylvania Fire - EMS Department

Mark A. Fyffe, MPA, CFO, OFC, OFE - Union Township Fire Department

Briant Galgas, OFC - Middleburg Heights Fire Department

Brent L. Gates, OFC - Falls Twp / Perry Twp

Thomas Granata, OFE, OFC - Perrysburg Fire Division

Ray Green MPA, OFC -

Paul M. Halbeisen, OFC - Fremont Fire Department

Jeffery T. Hall, OFC - Westfield Fire & Rescue District

Cameron Haller, OFE, OFC - Tipp City Emergency Services

Kevin Hardwick, OFE, OFC - Glendale Fire Department

Vincent J. Harris, OFE, OFC - Greentown Fire Department

Joshua Hartbarger, OFC - Whitehouse Fire Department

Christine Hawker, OFE, OFC - Beavercreek Township Fire Department

Andrew Heffner, OFC - Lima Fire Department

John E. Hickey, OFE, OFC - Champion Twp Fire Department

Chad Hollinger, OFE, OFC - Sidney Fire & Rescue

William L. Houk, OFC, OFE - Ohio Fire Chiefs' Association

James T. Hughes, OFC - Westlake Fire Department

Rob Hursong, OFE, OFC - Harrison Fire Department

Don J. Hutchison , OFE, OFC - Cardinal Joint Fire District

Christopher Johns, OFE, OFC - Ross Twp Fire Department

Jon D. Jones, OFE, OFC - Van Wert Fire Department

Justin N. Joy, OFE, OFC - Greentown Fire Department, Inc.

Kenneth Justus, OFC - Madison Township Fire Department

Matthew Kee, OFE, OFC - Cuyahoga Falls Fire Department

Steve Kelly MPA, OFE, OFC - Miami Twp Fire & EMS

Joe Kiefer, OFC - Wooster Div. of Fire

Randy Kimbro, OFC - Grafton Village Fire Dept

Scott Kiper, OFE, OFC - Wooster Division of Fire

Joseph Kitchen, OFC - Bath Township Fire Department

Jeff Klein, OFE, OFC - Perrysburg Fire Division

Ethan Klussman, OFE, OFC - Liberty Township Fire Dept

Mark Kozak,MPA, OFC - Ravenna Twp Fire Department

Edmund Kuzminski MO, OFC, OFO, CFO, CTO - Washington Twp. Fire Department

Cornelius Lacey, OFC - Miami Township Fire Department

ADAM LAUER, OFC - CANTON FIRE DEPARTMENT

Brian Leciejewski, OFC - Springfield Fire Rescue Division

Scott Lerman, OFC - Glendale Fire Department

Dennis K. Lewis, OFE, OFC - Bazetta Fire Department

Robert Lloyd, OFC - Fairport Harbor FD

Brandon Loboschefski, OFE, OFC, M.S. - Maumee Fire Department

Jeff Lykins, OFC, EFO, CFO - Dayton Fire Department

Christopher Lyons, M.S., M.A., OFC - Bay Village

Joshua Martell, OFC - Monroe Township Fire Department

Mark L. Martin, OFC - Perry Twp. Fire Department

David E. Masirovits, OFC - Brookfield Twp.

Scott A. Massie, OFC - JSP Joint Fire District

Matthew D. McBirney, OFE, OFC - Aurora Fire Department

Samuel K. McComas, OFE, OFC - Sterling Fire District

William McCullough, OFE, OFC - Perrysburg Fire Division

Daryl J. McNutt, OFC - Whitehouse Fire Department

Christopher Menapace, BBA, OFE, OFC, EMT-P, EMT-1 - Coshocton County EMS

Nathan Messerly, OFO, OFC - Wooster Twp. Fire Department

Brandon Metzger, OFE, OFC - Newark Fire Department

Mark Mignery, OFE, OFC - Hamilton Fire Department

Karen Moleterno, OFC - Chester Township Fire Department

Dave Moore, OFC - Springfield Township Fire Department

Richard Morabito, OFE, OFC - Canton Twp Fire Department

Nathan Murphy, OFE, OFC - Wooster Division of Fire

Matthew G. Noble, OFC - Orange Twp. Fire Department

Clayton O'Brien, OFC - Oregon Fire & Rescue

Mark J. Ober, MPA, OFE, OFC - Anderson Township Fire and Rescue Dept.

William Peskura, OFC - Beachwood Fire Department

Brian S. Peterman, OFC - State Fire Marshal's Office

Carter D. Pittman, OFC - Woodlawn Fire Department

William Piwtorak, OFE, OFC - Liberty Twp. Fire Department

Daniel Podlogar, OFC, OFE - Massillon Fire Department

Rick L. Prinz, OFE, OFC - West Chester Fire Department

Matt Rarick, OFC - Cardinal Joint Fire District

David E. Rea, OFC - Cortland City FD

Brett P. Reinbolt, OFC - Lakemore Fire Department

Robert Reinholz, OFC - Streetsboro Fire Department

Kai W. Rieger, OFE, OFC - Jackson Township Fire Department

Seth J. Rieger, OFC - Jackson Township Fire Department

Mitchell J. Robbins, OFE, OFC - Kettering Fire Department

Ethan Ross, OFC, CFO - Munroe Falls Fire Department

Robert J. Rymer, MPA, CFO, OFC, EFO - Athens Fire Department

Barry Saley, OFE, OFC - Wooster Div. of Fire

Nick Sansom OFC - Tallmadge Fire Department

Edward Schepp, EFO, OFC - North Olmsted Fire Department

Slade Schultz, OFE, OFC - Lancaster Fire Dept.

Matt Schumann, OFE, OFC - Fairfield Township Fire Department

Larry S. Sedlock, OFC - Perry Twp. Fire Department

Charles Shalenberger, OFC - Plain Township Fire Department

William J. Shaw, EFO, OFC - Chester Township Fire Rescue

Chris T. Shook, OFC - Wooster Twp. Fire Department

Bradford Shull, OFE, OFC - Jefferson Twp Fire Department

Mike Siefke, OFE, OFC - Little Miami Joint Fire & Rescue District

Nick Simmons, OFC - Newark Fire Department

Bruce Sindeldecker, OFC - Perry Twp Fire Department

Christopher Smith, OFC, OFE - Canton Twp Fire Department

Greg Smith, OFC - Valley City-Liverpool FD

Shon Smith, OFC - City of Englewood Fire Department

George B. Snyder, MPA, OFC, NRP - Burghill Vernon Fire Department

George Sorge, OFC - Westerville Fire Division

Scott Souders, OFE, OFC - Green Township Fire & EMS

Thomas G. Spape, OFE, OFC - Bedford Heights Fire Department

Ryan Sprunger, OFC -

Rob Stambaugh, OFE, OFC - BST&G Fire District

Ben Stasik, OFE, OFC - Tallmadge Fire Department

Daniel R. Stitzel, OFC - City of Franklin Div. of Fire & EMS

Anthony Strazzo, OFC - Brunswick Hills Township

Donald Sweigert, OFC - Rittman Fire Department

Brian Taylor, OFE, OFC - Berlin Township Fire Department

Dallas Terrell, OFE, OFC - Wooster Twp. Fire Department

Ron Terriaco, OFE, OFC - Concord Township Fire Department

Tim Thomas Sr., OFE, OFC - Fairfield Township

Russell Thompson, OFE, OFC - Greenville Fire Department

William Turner, OFC - Highland Heights Fire Department

Charles Twigg, OFE, OFC - Akron Fire Department

Michael Vatty, OFE, OFC - Munson Fire Department

Kevin Veletean, MPA, OFE, OFC - Tiffin Fire/ Rescue Division

Patrick Wambo, OFE, MPA, OFC - Waterville Fire Department

Lonnie D. Warren, Jr., OFC - Coitsville Twp Fire Department

Douglas W. Wehmeyer MPA, EFO, CFO, OFC - Lockland Fire Department

Porter R. Welch, J.D., OFE, OFC - None

Jonathan M. Westendorf, MPA, OFC - City of Franklin, Division of Fire & EMS

Bill Wilkins, OFC - Defiance Fire and Rescue Division

Ryan Williams, OFE, OFC - Fairborn Fire Department

James Williamson OFC - Newton Falls Joint Fire District

Jerry Winkler, EFO, CFO, OFC - Lafayette Township Fire Department

Paul C. Wright, OFC - Montgomery Fire Department

Steven Wright, OFC - Arrowhead Joint Fire District

David Young, OFC - Westfield Fire and Rescue District

Ronald Zak, OFC - Mentor Fire Department

Nick Zamiska, OFC - Brecksville Fire Department