HILLSBORO, Ohio — Paint Creek Joint EMS & Fire District brought a fire truck, an inflatable fire safety house and a simulation fire trailer to Hillsboro’s National Night Out on Tuesday, a free community event pairing local emergency responders with the public.
UPDATE (Aug. 6, 2026, 4:43 p.m.): This story has been updated with additional information from the Highland County Victim/Witness Program.
UPDATE (Aug. 4, 2026, 9:42 p.m.): This story has been updated with additional information from the Highland County Emergency Management Agency.
UPDATE (Aug. 4, 2026, 9:36 p.m.): This story has been updated with additional information from the Highland County Health Department.
UPDATE (Aug. 4, 2026, 1:45 p.m.): This story has been updated with additional information from the Highland County Emergency Management Agency.
UPDATE (Aug. 4, 2026, 8:55 a.m.): This story has been updated with additional information from the Greenfield Police Department.
UPDATE (Aug. 3, 2026, 6:40 p.m.): This story has been updated with additional information from the Highland County Sheriff’s Office.
UPDATE (Aug. 2, 2026, 4:15 p.m.): This story has been updated with additional information from the Highland County Emergency Management Agency.
The event was held from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Hillsboro school district office, 39 Willettsville Pike, according to a flyer the fire district posted to Facebook ahead of the event. The Highland County Sheriff’s Office also promoted the gathering, inviting residents to “bring the whole family” for food, activities for kids and a chance to meet local public safety personnel, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post.
The event included a Project Lifesaver demonstration, K-9 demonstrations, a bike safety rodeo, a cornhole tournament, face painting, a Nerf gun pin shoot, a drone demonstration, and the fire truck and inflatable safety house, along with additional activities, according to a flyer the fire district shared ahead of the event. “Come see us and so much more,” the fire district said in its post.
The Greenfield Police Department staffed the Nerf gun pin shoot, inviting children to grab a Nerf blaster and try to knock down a row of bowling pins, the department said in a Facebook post promoting the activity.
The sheriff’s office said in a separate Facebook post that its Project Lifesaver table introduced residents to a worldwide search and rescue program designed to quickly locate people who wander due to Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, autism, Down syndrome or other cognitive disorders. Participants wear a small wristband that emits a tracking signal; if the wearer goes missing, caregivers or law enforcement can activate a search, and trained teams use the signal to locate them, the sheriff’s office said. The wristbands come in several colors and the program is available to any Highland County resident who may need the service, according to the sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s office paired the Project Lifesaver table with a drone demonstration and K-9 demonstrations, joined by the Hillsboro Police Department and the Greenfield Police Department, according to a recap the Highland County Victim/Witness Program posted to Facebook after the event.
The Highland County Health Department’s bike safety rodeo fit and distributed 65 bicycle helmets to children during the event, along with bike safety education and a riding course where children could practice safe-riding skills, the department said in a Facebook post following the event. The department credited the Ohio Department of Health and the Highland County Emergency Management Agency for their support of the rodeo, saying the partnership helps promote health, safety and preparedness for children and families in Highland County. The rodeo was meant to help kids build confidence on their bikes, whether they were just learning to ride or already cruising the neighborhood, the health department said.
The inflatable fire safety house and simulation fire trailer gave children and adults hands-on lessons in fire prevention, home escape planning, smoke alarm safety and the stop-drop-and-roll technique, the fire district said in a separate Facebook post promoting the demonstration. The Highland County North Joint Fire & Ambulance District also taught free CPR, Narcan administration and fire extinguisher classes at the event, according to the Victim/Witness Program’s recap.
The Highland County Emergency Management Agency also staffed a table at the event, where residents could learn how to prepare their households for emergencies and connect with resources meant to help keep families safe, the agency said in a Facebook post. Food and refreshments were also available to attendees, the agency said.
The emergency management agency and the Highland County Victim/Witness Program worked together on a Heroes Trail Scavenger Hunt that ran throughout the event, inviting families to travel between stations, meet local first responders and complete interactive challenges that teach children about the people and organizations that keep the community safe, the agencies said in Facebook posts. Participants who completed the trail earned a prize. The Victim/Witness Program also set up a victim memorial garden display at the event, according to its recap.
The agency also used its table to promote Hyper-Reach, Highland County’s emergency notification system, encouraging residents to sign up for free alerts covering severe weather, emergencies, road closures and other public safety information, the agency said in a separate Facebook post following the event. Residents can sign up by calling or texting “Alert” to 937-500-0648 or by registering online, according to the agency.
A cornhole tournament and face painting rounded out the day’s organized activities, according to the Victim/Witness Program’s recap. The event also drew volunteers from several local groups: the Hillsboro schools’ varsity cheerleading squad ran booths for hair tinsel, temporary tattoos and other crafts; National Cooperative Bank staffed an information table; the Highland County Adult Probation Department had probationers help keep the venue clean and run a cupcake-decorating booth; and Highland County Job & Family Services staffed a fingerprint and photo ID booth for children, the Victim/Witness Program said. The program thanked the Ladies Auxiliary of Hillsboro Eagles 1161, Beechwood Pizza & Carryout, Buckeye Dentistry, W.E. Hodson Inc., REACH for Tomorrow, Southern Ohio Appraisers, Turner & Son Funeral Homes and Crematory, McCarty Associates, the Hillsboro Family Eye Center, National Cooperative Bank and VFW Auxiliary Post 9094 of Hillsboro for sponsoring the event.
National Night Out began in 1984 as “America’s Night Out Against Crime,” an event created by the National Association of Town Watch to build relationships between law enforcement and the neighborhoods they serve while promoting crime prevention. The first observance drew roughly 2.5 million participants across 400 communities in 23 states. What began as neighbors turning on porch lights and gathering outside in a show of unity has since grown into an annual tradition held in thousands of communities each August, with activities that now include block parties, safety fairs, cookouts and visits from local first responders.
Paint Creek Joint EMS & Fire District, based in Greenfield, provides fire, rescue and emergency medical services across more than 362 square miles spanning Highland, Fayette and Ross counties. The mostly volunteer department operates out of three stations, according to public records.
The event was free and open to the public, the sheriff’s office and fire district said.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Paint Creek Joint EMS & Fire District, the Highland County Health Department, the Highland County Sheriff’s Office, the Highland County Emergency Management Agency, the Greenfield Police Department and the Highland County Victim/Witness Program.
