CIRCLEVILLE, OH — For longtime Circleville resident Linda Friend, the city’s firefighters are more than first responders — they’re family.
Living with limited mobility, Friend relies on the Circleville Fire Department for help during emergencies and health crises. Over the past few years, she and her husband Bill have called for assistance many times — and each visit, she says, has shown her just how much compassion and care the department provides.
“There’s never been a bad experience,” Friend said. “They’ve always been there for me — every single time.”
Friend recalled one frightening night when Bill fell and became seriously ill. The firefighters not only helped him but stayed with her until other help could arrive. “They even fixed the door they had to break down,” she said with a laugh. “That’s just the kind of people they are.”
She describes the crews as familiar faces and friends, often calling her by name when they arrive. “They know me,” she said. “One of them once told me, ‘Linda, I’ve taken you enough to know when you’re sick. We’re going.’ And he was right — I ended up in the hospital for over a month.”
Those moments of care, humor, and humanity are why Friend says she and her husband are both “yes” votes for the Circleville Fire Department levy appearing on the November ballot.
“This levy is important,” she said. “Because without them, I don’t know what I’d do. They help me stay in my home. I don’t want to go to a nursing home — and they know that. They do all they can to help me live right here where I belong.”
Friend also shared stories that show the personal side of the department’s work — from firefighters checking on her at the hospital to taking off their boots before climbing onto her bed to move her safely.
“They treat me like family,” she said. “I feel like I’m a grandma to half of them.”
For Friend, the levy is about more than money — it’s about keeping a lifeline in place for people like her. “People don’t always realize how much they do,” she said. “But they do everything. They take care of us.”
The City of Circleville has reported that if the levy fails this time, it would mean cuts to the fire department, severe cuts. Seven firefighters, some of whom are also EMTs, would be cut from the program, and two other empty positions would not be filled. According to the fire department, this would change how runs were made in the city, possibly stretching out calls for service with fewer people staffed. This could significantly affect people like Linda and others who are elderly and are trying to stay safe in their homes.
For the November 4, 2025, General Election, Circleville voters will decide on a permanent 0.5% income tax increase to fund fire/EMS and street repairs. This measure was approved by the City Council to be placed on the ballothe levy would put a .05 percent
