Ober Hangs Up Chief’s Hat After Long Career

After almost 42 years of service with the Anderson Township Fire and Rescue Department, the last 16 as chief of the department, Chief Mark Ober will retire August 3, 2018. Ober has served as Anderson Township’s chief longer than any other fire chief in the department’s 78-year history.  

Early in his career, he completed his paramedic certification at the University of Cincinnati and numerous certifications in fire service. He also completed the Executive Leadership Course at the National Fire Academy and the Ohio Fire Executive Training Course before returning to U.C. where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire and Safety Engineering Technology. He later attained a Master of Public Administration degree from Northern Kentucky University.  

Under his leadership, the township secured and retained its favorable “3” Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating, a fire service classification system used to evaluate all aspects of U.S. fire departments. Most recently, Ober implemented a joint agreement between Anderson Township and the village of Newtown for fire and EMS services. 

During his tenure as chief, Ober empowered his staff which led to a cohesive team that routinely delivers outstanding customer service to residents and businesses in Anderson and the village of Newtown. Firefighters were encouraged to innovate and have done so with projects ranging from extensive public education programs to the redesign of ambulances to improve patient care and provide additional safety for the paramedics delivering that care. 

Ober also serves as incident command instructor for National Incident Management Systems, as a member of the Hamilton County Heroin Coalition and is the Southwest District director of the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association.