Orion Community Fire Protection District

05/20/2026

We would like to thank Osco Andover Community Fire District for having us out tonight for a joint training! Crews worked on drafting and water shuttle operations. We are grateful for the relationships being built with our mutual aid departments and look forward to continuing to work together in the future.

05/12/2026

Congratulations to Donna Dahl on her retirement after 29 years of service for Orion Fire & EMS.
Thank you Donna for all that you have done and wish you all the best.

05/12/2026

Members spent the evening training at Lake Lynwood last night, drafting from the dry hydrant.

04/30/2026

Be sure to check out our organization’s new page!

⛳️ Fundraiser Announcement – Orion Firefighter’s Association is proud to announce our 1st Golf Scramble Fundraiser, taking place on August 29, 2026, at Valley View Country Club in Cambridge, Illinois.

This event will bring our community together for a great day of golf, camaraderie, and support for a meaningful cause. All proceeds from the tournament will go directly toward the purchase of new equipment for our fire department, helping us continue to serve and protect our community at the highest level.

If you’re interested in participating, sponsoring, or learning more about the event, please reach out to one of the contacts listed below:

* Brandon Thomsen – (309) 314-6943
* Patrick Smutzer – (309) 235-3919

We’re excited to host this event and look forward to a fantastic day with friends, family, and supporters. Thank you for your continued support of the Orion Firefighter’s Association!

04/17/2026

⚠️ WEATHER ALERT – Orion, IL AREA ⚠️

We are watching a serious round of storms moving in today (Friday, April 17).

What to expect:
• Enhanced risk (3/5) for severe weather
• Damaging winds 70+ mph possible
• Tornadoes possible
• Heavy rain + flash flooding risk
• Storms likely this afternoon into tonight (1–10 PM)

This system is part of a larger severe weather setup across Illinois and the Midwest, with wind and tornadoes being the main concerns.

🚨 PLEASE BE PREPARED:
• Have multiple ways to get weather alerts (phone, radio, etc.)
• Know where you’ll take shelter before storms hit
• Secure anything outside that could blow around
• Never drive through flooded roads

We’ll be monitoring conditions closely. If storms intensify, things can change fast. Don’t wait until the last minute to get to safety.

Stay weather aware and keep an eye on updates throughout the day.

02/27/2026

RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT TILL 6 PM
🚫 CRITICAL FIRE DANGER⚠️

01/12/2026

Last night Orion Fire had its annual Christmas party. Firefighters who came off of probation were presented with a yellow helmet and also received their front helmet leather. This year firefighter of the year went to Russell DeBaillie. EMS person of the year went to Blake Peterson. Lieutenant Jake Johnson received his new helmet along with safety coordinator Brian Doxstader.

2025 stats for Orion Fire:
Current roster consists of 32 men and women for a combined 359 years of service to Orion Fire.
Orion responded to 355 calls for service.
The breakdown is as follows—
42 - 10-50’s (auto accident)
16 - structure fires
22 - brush, field, & car fires.
14 - standby, down power lines, and assist calls.
22 - fire alarm, carbon monoxide alarm, gas leak or smell.
238 - medical calls.
Brad Peterson, Danny Myers, & Brandon Thomsen received award for 25 years of service.
Trustee Greg Sheldon received award for 10 years of service.
Trustee John O’Neil, & Chad Stropes received award for 5 years of service.
Amaya Versluis, Brock Redecker, & Garren Dowd received their front leather for fire helmets.
Phillip Anderson, Keegan Behrens, Russell DeBaillie, & Sam West received their new helmets for being off of probation.
Thank you to all the men and women serving on Orion Fire… You are all appreciated!!
Thank you to our board of trustees for taking care of us and taking care of the business end.
Thank you to all of the spouses for being understanding when calls come in and missed family functions.
Thank you to the great communities that Orion protects; your support is always greatly appreciated!!
Thank you Andover-Osco Fire for standing by while we had our Christmas party.

Justin Ferry
Orion Fire Chief

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas from all of us at Orion Fire!

11/03/2025

We would like to extend our appreciation to everyone who participated in our event today. We had another exceptional year and could not have accomplished it without the support of our community and dedicated members who contribute to making this event a success!

11/02/2025

Ready to go! 7-12:00, come get yourself some breakfast!