POLAND — Bill O’Hara, Western Reserve Joint Fire District’s fire prevention officer, has reached a landmark in his fire service career.

He’s had 50 years in his chosen profession and had time recently to reflect upon his experiences.

O’Hara was born in Youngstown and graduated from Chaney High School in 1964. He started working for his dad and uncle, Tom and Jim O’Hara, at their company, A1 Ambulance Service.

“I answered phones and dispatched ambulances,” O’Hara said.

He said at that time, ambulances were long Cadillacs made for just transporting. Ambulance crews were only trained in first aid.

When A1 folded a few years later, O’Hara went to work as a driver for Higgins Ambulance.

In 1966, he was drafted into the Army and sent to Germany, where he worked in a supply division. He served two years then returned to the area and went back to work for Higgins.

In May 1970, O’Hara said he applied for and landed a spot on the Austintown Fire Department. He went from a part-time rookie to full time, then continued to climb the ladder. He moved from lieutenant to captain, and finally served as assistant chief under fire Chief Andy Frost. He held that position until he retired in 2005.

“Immediately I was hired that year by the Western Reserve Joint Fire District in Poland,” O’Hara said. “I was brought in as a fire prevention officer.”

O’Hara credits his wife, Nancy O’Hara, with his longevity in the fire service.

“All of this would not have happened without her understanding of what the fire service meant to me,” he said.

O’Hara said he would often suit up in something other than fire gear to spread safety messages. One year, he dressed as Smokey the Bear for the annual firefighters’ parade. He even employed hand puppets to help teach young children.

Perhaps O’Hara is best known for a role he continues to fill each year at the Wickliffe Fire Station 2 in Austintown. He suits up as Santa Claus, arriving by firetruck to the station for the Christmas tree lighting in December.

“I have been playing Santa for 31 years,” O’Hara said.

In 2014, O’Hara and Austintown’s Joyce Pogany, who puts on the Christmas tree lighting each year, were both honored by Austintown trustees.

“Both Joyce and Bill are legends, not from age, but from all they have done for our community,” Trustee Jim Davis said.

Over the years, O’Hara has seen a lot of changes in the fire service. He said the biggest changes are in equipment. He said air packs the firefighters wear used to have a bell go off when five minutes of air remained.

In the trucks, the equipment grew from just ladders and hoses to items such as the Jaws of Life, saws and medical equipment.

Even with all the newest tools, O’Hara said it is still the same mission. “Everybody does the same job. Put the water on the red stuff,” he said.

As a fire prevention officer in Poland, a lot of his work is training young students on what to do in a fire. He said when he gives the lessons at Poland Elementary School, he knows the kids listen because parents will tell him they had to check their smoke detectors when their kids came home from school.

Even through the COVID-19 situation, O’Hara said the fire department has an important mission.

“Not having any parades or Celebrate Poland, we still wanted to be out in the community,” O’Hara said. “We’ve had several drive-by events in the past month and even drove the firetruck around the parking lot at Holy Family for a wedding. It is the least we could do for the community in these tough times.”

O’Hara still is very dedicated to the fire service, but he does find time for family. He has two daughters, Kerry Schneider and Bonnie Myers, who is a retired Marine just like her mother Nancy, and a son, Scott.

O’Hara sees his son a lot as he is a firefighter with the WRJFD.

As for the future: “I am not ready to give it up yet,” he said. “Not as long as I have good health, and people are willing to listen.”