Dalton Firefighters Association

04/24/2026

Dalton Firefighters Association donated more than $81,000 to improve training for Wayne County fire and EMS crews. The association is now dissolving See link below ⬇️

📸 Provided by Dalton Firefighter Association

04/23/2026

Dalton Firefighter Association donates to Wayne County Regional Training Facility, supporting first responder training and community safety.

04/05/2026

Wishing you and your families a joyful and blessed Easter! May your day be filled with love, happiness, and time well spent with those who matter most. 🌷🐣💛

03/19/2026

03/16/2026

This past weekend, members of our association attended Wayne County Regional Training Facility Wayne County Fire & Rescue Association Awards Banquet.

We are proud to recognize Dalton Retired Chief Don Shilling, who was honored with the Firefighter of the Year Award. This award accepts nominations from fire departments across Wayne County, with the final recipient selected by the association’s awards committee. This award has been given since 1989.

The Firefighter of the Year Award recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional dedication, professionalism, and service to their community—often going beyond the call of duty. It honors not only acts of heroism, but also the qualities that strengthen the fire service every day, including loyalty, a positive attitude, leadership, and a strong commitment to training and mentoring others.

This recognition is a well-deserved honor for Chief Shilling, who dedicated 40 years of service and continues to give back to the community as a lead fire instructor at the Wayne County Regional Training Facility.

Akron Brass was also in attendance and presented a thoughtful gift basket in recognition of the occasion.

Congratulations, Chief Shilling, and thank you for your continued commitment to serving and training the firefighters of Northeast Ohio. 🚒

03/08/2026

More photos from Chief Shilling’s retirement party tonight. Thank you to the Wayne County Regional Training Facility for letting us host this event there and thank you to Mariola Italian in Wooster for the amazing food!

03/08/2026

On Saturday, March 7, the Dalton Firefighters Association honored Chief Donald Shilling for more than 40 years of dedicated service to the Dalton community. A special thank you to the Wayne County Regional Training Facility for allowing us to host this special event, and a HUGE thank you to Mariola Italian of Wooster for the amazing food! Thank you to everyone who helped with this event and kept it a surprise!
A lifelong Dalton resident, Donald joined the Dalton Volunteer Fire Department in 1985 and worked his way through the ranks to become Fire Chief in 2003. Through many changes within the department, he remained a steady leader, always ready to serve and support his community.
For many years, Donald has also been an instructor at the Wayne County Regional Training Facility and currently serves as a Lead Instructor. Through his teaching and mentorship, he has touched countless lives and helped many pursue their dreams of becoming firefighters.
Chief Shilling retired on December 8 after four decades of service. His leadership, dedication, and passion for helping others have left a lasting impact on the entire Dalton community.
Thank you, Chief Shilling, for your years of service, your leadership, and for the countless lives you have touched along the way. Your legacy will continue through every firefighter you have mentored and every life you helped protect. 🚒

02/16/2026

Happy Presidents Day!

01/10/2026

📣 We want to give a big congratulations to retired Chief Donald Shilling on being awarded Fire Instructor of the Year at Wayne County Regional Training Facility. His unwavering dedication, pride, and humility have been invaluable in shaping the next generation of firefighters. Please join us in celebrating this outstanding achievement.🔥🚒

01/05/2026

Congratulations to the following Winners‼ 01-04

01/04/2026

We are getting ready and will be going LIVE shortly! 🤩 🏆 🎟️