Fire Prevention and Education

The City of Olean Fire Department is dedicated to prepare and deliver life safety and educational programs to the public that effectively reduce identified community risks. The educational services and programs our department provides vary to meet the needs of our citizens of all ages and are geared toward educating the public in fire safety and awareness. Our department is always ready to assist any public concerns and answer questions that may arise. Here are a few of our programs. If you have any questions about any of the following programs, please call 376-5609.

Annual Commercial Building Inspection Program

Each commercial building in our city receives an annual inspection by our firefighters for the safety of our citizens. We inspect roughly 800 businesses and these are done in conjunction with the Code Enforcement Department. These inspections are done at no charge for the majority of these inspections.

These are just a few pictures of some of the buildings that we inspect in Olean. Pictured are The Beef - n – Barrel located on Union Street in Downtown Olean, the Water Filtration Plant located on River Street, Jamestown Community College located on Union Street, and Olean Middle School located on Wayne Street.

To schedule a building inspection, please call Code Enforcement at 376-5684.

Annual National Fire Prevention Week

In October of each year our department presents an educational program in the classrooms of Kindergarten through 6th grade. Fire Safety and Fire Prevention in the home are the main topics and the kids are taught how to prevent fires in their home, EDITH (exit drills in the home), stop, drop, and roll, matches/lighter safety, dialing 911, firefighters are their friends, and the importance of smoke detectors in your home. We also run a home exit drill contest with this program in hopes the kids take home what they have learned in their classrooms and share it with their family.

Senior Citizen Programs

High risk fires and risk of falls in the home are main concerns for the elderly. Fire concerns are a huge concern and ensuring early fire detection is vital to provide the time needed to exit a house safely if an emergency arises. Falls in the home can be life threatening to the older population and a home risk assessment should be done to prevent trips and falls.

To schedule a Senior Citizen program, or for more information, please call 376-5609.

Smoke Detector Program

This program is designed to have a working life saving smoke detector in each home in Olean. This is co-sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Olean. Our program offers advice on installation of smoke detectors, advice on placement of smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors and answers to questions regarding fire safety issues in your home. Families that have disabilities, elderly, or simply can’t afford a smoke detector, this program will make sure they receive one free of charge and if needed, it will be installed by one of our firefighters.

If you already have smoke alarms in your home, make sure you install fresh batteries at least twice a year. We recommend changing your batteries when you change your clocks for daylight savings time. Always remember: "Smoke Alarms Save Lives!"

Have you replaced your detector batteries the year?

In order for you to receive a smoke detector, ask questions, or have concerns regarding Fire Safety issues in your home, please fill out an application and send it back.

Station Tours

We conduct station tours and basic information sessions for all interested groups. We enjoy visits from school classes, civic groups and other organizations. We display and discuss fire equipment and apparatus and the essential services we provide. We want the community to be familiar and comfortable with our operations and services.

If you would like to have your group visit the fire station, please contact us at (716) 373-5609. Anyone who "drops by" the fire station is always welcome. But for larger groups it is a good idea to call ahead.