Fairport Harbor Village’s Fire and Police departments both played a major role in serving the community in 2025. That point recently was conveyed by Mayor Timothy Manross in his State of the Village address. A video of the event was shown in real time and has been archived for future viewing on t he fairporharbor.org website. Here’s some of what the mayor said about Fairport Harbor’s safety forces: Fire Department In 2025, the fire department went on 743 emergency medical service runs and conducted 496 transports of patients to area hospitals, Manross said. Last year, the department also responded to 549 fire-type incidents. Those calls included 43 fires, some of which were mutual aid supplied for blazes outside of the village. The remaining 506 calls dealt with incidents such as reports of power lines down, natural gas leaks and carbon monoxide detector activations. Some of the training sessions in which village firefighters participated last year included: • Numerous walk-throughs at the new Fairport Harbor School. • Pediatric advanced life support class. • Monthly hands-on EMS training from Cleveland Clinic Mentor Hospital. • Live fire training at Auburn Career Center for two days, with 13 members attending. • Man vs. Machine hands-on training taught by Fairport Harbor Fire Lt. David Blados. The fire department also purchased a variety of new equipment in 2025, such as: • Forty sets of fire gloves and protective hoods. That acquisition was made in conjunction with the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation. • A Power Stair Chair, which was obtained with a grant from Ohio BWC and Ohio Emergency Medical Services. • A power hose roller, acquired with an Ohio BWC Grant. • One nozzle and one length of hose. • Two sets of turnout gear. • Thermal imager for the backup fire engine. Other highlights for the department last year were: • The hiring of three additional full-time firefighters/paramedics with funding generated by an additional fire levy approved in the November 2024 election. • Taking on additional responsibilities related to Lake Erie water rescues, because of the limited staffing at Coast Guard Station Fairport. • Completing a new automatic aid agreement with Mentor Fire Department for water rescues in the Fairport Harbor, Painesville Township and Mentor areas of Lake Erie. Police Department Fairport Harbor police received 2,667 dispatched calls for service in 2025, Manross said. He noted that this figure doesn’t include officer-initiated calls or walk-in complaints. The department also engaged with the community through a variety of other duties and initiatives in 2025, the mayor added. Police conducted community programs, such as: • Checking on the welfare of senior citizens. • Participating in the Harbor Holiday and a Day with the Grinch event. • A trick-or-treat costume contest for children. • School visits • A monthly Coffee with the Cops event. In addition, police provided security at concerts, community celebrations and festivals, and high school football and basketball games. Manross also noted that the police department’s School Resource Officer Program is entering its third year. “Since the program was established, we have added another layer of security to our schools and strengthened the partnership between the police department, students, staff and parents,” Manross said. In 2025, Officer James Sheahan became the department’s new school resource officer. He completed his SRO Certification through the Ohio School Resource Officers Association. Manross also said that the village Police Department is fully certified by the Ohio Collaborative of Community Police Advisory Board. He explained that the Ohio Collaborative is a statewide endeavor that sets professional standards for law enforcement agencies to strengthen community trust and accountability. Earning accreditation from the program’s advisory board reflects the department’s “dedication to building trust and keeping Fairport Harbor safe,” Manross said. ...read more read less