WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio — Fayette County residents will soon have a free, secure way to dispose of old bank statements, tax records and other sensitive paperwork.
The Washington Court House Fire Department will host a public shredding day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at Washington Park and its splash pad, the department said in a Facebook post. Two shredding trucks will be on-site, with documents accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Residents may bring up to two boxes of documents per household, according to the department. Paperwork packed in bags or three-ring binders will not be accepted, though paperclips and staples do not need to be removed beforehand, the department said.
Community shredding events like this one are commonly organized by local governments and financial institutions to help residents guard against identity theft. Discarded paperwork containing account numbers, Social Security numbers or other personal information can be exploited by criminals if it ends up in the trash rather than a shredder.
Washington Court House, the county seat of Fayette County, has an estimated population of about 14,400. The city’s Fire/Rescue Department is headquartered on East Market Street and is led by Fire Chief Chris Wysong, with a staff of roughly 30 full-time and paid-call firefighters who respond to fire and medical emergencies across the city.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Washington Court House Fire Department.
