About Us

The Canal Fulton Fire Department (CFFD) is a Fire & EMS service provider for approximately 18,000 residents in an urban setting surrounding the historical District and newer commercial/retail sections of the City of Canal Fulton.

Working Together to Keep Our Community Safe

Due to our geographic makeup, we have a cooperative agreement/automatic aid agreement with Lawrence Township Fire Department, increasing our Primary/First-Due Response Area.

CFFD provides fire prevention programs to reach high-risk target groups and mitigate incidences of deaths and injuries caused by fire and fire-related hazards. We address these areas through inspection, code enforcement, public fire and life safety education, and occupant services. It is our goal to be proactive when protecting the lives and property of the people we serve. Canal Fulton is part of Stark County, Ohio, the State’s 7th largest county, with 581 sq miles and over 375,000 residents.

CFFD Leadership

The Canal Fulton Fire Department is guided by a dedicated team of leaders who bring years of experience, training, and a deep commitment to serving our community. Our leadership team works side by side with our firefighters, EMTs, and support staff to ensure the highest level of emergency response, fire prevention, and community education. By fostering teamwork, accountability, and compassion, they help us carry out our mission of protecting lives and property while strengthening the bond we share with the people of Canal Fulton.

Shawn Yerian

Chief

Matt Burgasser

Assistant Chief

Cameron Martin

Captain

Richard Bibighaus

Captain

Dan Pappas

Captain

Ally Fetters

Lieutenant

Matt Litten

Lieutenant

Eric Smith

Lieutenant

The City of Canal Fulton

Canal Fulton serves the surrounding area with commercial businesses, small shops, farms, open land, and other natural resources. Canal Fulton is geographically divided in half by a multiuse walking/bicycling trail. In the ’90s, communities along the Ohio Erie Canal-way began to reconstruct the old canal towpath into a multiuse path. Now with most of this trail completed in Cuyahoga, Summit, and Stark Counties, Canal Fulton has become a destination for cyclists, hikers, equestrians, and bird watchers throughout the region. Tourism has become a significant factor in Canal Fulton with a seasonal population increase, with its concerts and events draw thousands of tourists from across the State.

Canal Fulton’s education system is made up of one public school, a Catholic school, and a private charter learning center. The largest School District, Northwest, is located within Canal Fulton. Northwest School District overlaps parts of Stark County, Summit County, and Wayne County. The District currently has 147 certified employees, 85 classified employees, and 2,200 students in the K-12 grade. The 2010 Census showed that approximately 18% of the population is 65 years of age or older. Canal Fulton also has senior services through the Northwest Stark Senior Center. This center serves senior citizens and others within Canal Fulton and surrounding areas.

It would be remiss not to highlight the collaborative/shared services of the Lawrence Township Fire Department (LTFD). CFFD and LTFD operate under a joint staffing and fire service agreement that was formed in the late 1990s to close a gap in our response capability. Jointly, both departments responded to over 1,800 incidents in 2020. The department also utilizes its explorer program.