A full-time department located in NW Ohio serving the City of Wauseon, Clinton, and Dover Townships. Crews operate out of two stations; one station providing Fire/ EMS and the other only providing EMS. Fire and EMS personnel are unionized with the IAFF Local 5223. Crews work straight 24/48’s with no Kelly days. Crews consist of five full time employees per shift, with one Lieutenant each shift. Department administration consists of a Fire Chief, Assistant Chief, Executive Assistant and two Captains Monday thru Friday.
Worked there for a few years then left. Equipment and trucks were good. Leadership and moral was horrible. If they didn’t like you, they would find a way to fire you or make your life miserable and want to leave. Certain people who are apart of the administrations good boy club could get away with murder and not get in trouble, but if you weren’t a part of that club, you’d get in trouble for minuscule things. Double standards from administration was the norm. They would also try to write you up for anything and everything. Also, they had ems only personnel that would get paid higher than most of the dual certified union personnel.
If you’re looking for a department that hires fast and asks questions never, you’ve found your match. Certifications? Optional. They’ll gladly let you work part-time while you “get your cards.” It’s perfect if you’re brand new — less ideal when the medic on duty is the only certified provider in the house.
Leadership & Communication: Imagine a firehouse run by the cast of The Office but with less awareness and no humor. The chain of command struggles with basic organization, and the Chief couldn’t tell you how many full-time staff he has if you paid him. Leadership training? Doesn’t exist.
Staffing & Scheduling: Staffing is a daily guessing game. You’ll either be short-handed or mandated weeks in advance with zero explanation. Expect random texts notifying you that you’re now working an extra shift that’s already fully staffed. There’s no method to the madness — just chaos and burnout.
Training Culture: External education is frowned upon, and in-house training gets constantly derailed by administrative micromanagement. Growth isn’t encouraged — compliance is.
If you value structure, communication, and professional leadership… look elsewhere. But if you enjoy confusion, inconsistency, and a solid dose of “rules for thee but not for me,” you’ll fit right in.
Rating Breakdown
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3 Reviews on “Wauseon Fire Department”
Inconsistency across the board, if you need a job they will hire you on the spot.
Worked there for a few years then left. Equipment and trucks were good. Leadership and moral was horrible. If they didn’t like you, they would find a way to fire you or make your life miserable and want to leave. Certain people who are apart of the administrations good boy club could get away with murder and not get in trouble, but if you weren’t a part of that club, you’d get in trouble for minuscule things. Double standards from administration was the norm. They would also try to write you up for anything and everything. Also, they had ems only personnel that would get paid higher than most of the dual certified union personnel.
If you’re looking for a department that hires fast and asks questions never, you’ve found your match. Certifications? Optional. They’ll gladly let you work part-time while you “get your cards.” It’s perfect if you’re brand new — less ideal when the medic on duty is the only certified provider in the house.
Leadership & Communication: Imagine a firehouse run by the cast of The Office but with less awareness and no humor. The chain of command struggles with basic organization, and the Chief couldn’t tell you how many full-time staff he has if you paid him. Leadership training? Doesn’t exist.
Staffing & Scheduling: Staffing is a daily guessing game. You’ll either be short-handed or mandated weeks in advance with zero explanation. Expect random texts notifying you that you’re now working an extra shift that’s already fully staffed. There’s no method to the madness — just chaos and burnout.
Training Culture: External education is frowned upon, and in-house training gets constantly derailed by administrative micromanagement. Growth isn’t encouraged — compliance is.
If you value structure, communication, and professional leadership… look elsewhere. But if you enjoy confusion, inconsistency, and a solid dose of “rules for thee but not for me,” you’ll fit right in.