Rossford swears in new fire chief and adopts ordinance establishing full-time fire department
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Summary
Rossford City Council swore in Richard Siroka as fire chief and passed an emergency ordinance creating a full-time fire department. Council members praised interim leadership and the department’s transition; the ordinance passed unanimously.
Fire Chief Richard Siroka was sworn in during the Rossford City Council meeting on Feb. 10, and council members voted to adopt an emergency ordinance establishing a full-time fire department.
The oath and swearing-in took place after Mayor and staff introductions. Immediately following the ceremony, Siroka addressed the chamber, saying, “I want to thank everyone here that has come out to explore us, including my family, my wife, Wendy, my daughter and son, Ben, Nick, 3, and then 3 in the 3 branches. I couldn't, be here without the help of everybody in this room.”
The council then considered Ordinance 2025-06, described by the clerk as “an ordinance repealing section 139.02 of the Rossford Municipal Code and enacting a new Rossford Municipal Code section 139.02. Full time fire department established, declaring an emergency.” Council members moved to suspend the second and third readings, declared the ordinance an emergency and then voted on adoption. The roll call on the motion to adopt showed unanimous “aye” votes recorded in the meeting transcript.
Nut graf: The ordinance legally establishes a full-time fire department in Rossford and was adopted the same night the city formally installed its new chief, marking a procedural and leadership step in the department’s transition from volunteer/interim operations to a full-time model.
Council members used the remarks period that followed the vote to thank interim leaders and to welcome Siroka and his staff. Councilman Tello thanked Interim Chief Andrew Vassick for his work as acting chief and praised his leadership. Councilwoman Nacko and Councilwoman Taney each commended Vassick for filling shifts, reducing reliance on mutual aid, and reviving community activities; Taney noted the department had a recruiting process with “21 to 23 candidates.” Council members also congratulated Officer Travis Whitmore on being named Police Officer of the Year.
The meeting record shows the adoption vote and the swearing-in happened during the same session; the city did not record additional legislative steps or implementation dates for the new full-time department in the transcript. No formal amendments to the ordinance were stated on the record.
