Homer Fire Protection District

08/19/2026

🔥 TRAIN TOGETHER. WORK TOGETHER. 🚒💦

Tonight, Homer Fire joined up with our neighbors at Sidney Fire for some hands-on training focused on tanker and pump operations.

For rural fire departments like ours, water supply can be one of the biggest challenges we face. When there isn’t a hydrant conveniently sitting across the street, we have to bring the water with us — and know how to keep it moving once it gets there.

Tonight’s training focused on getting water into the tankers, out of the tankers, through the pumps, and where it needs to go as quickly and efficiently as possible. Because on a real fire scene, figuring it out as you go isn’t the plan.

Joint trainings like this are also important because Sidney is one of the departments we frequently work alongside. The more we train together, the better we understand each other’s equipment and operations — and the smoother things run when the real call comes in.

A lot goes into moving thousands of gallons of water down a country road. Tonight, we practiced making sure we can do exactly that. 🚒💧

Train like you respond. Respond like you trained.

Thanks to Sidney Fire for another great night of working and learning together! 🔥

08/17/2026

PLEASE STAY OUT OF THE WATER 🚨

The water is still rising, and this is not the time to take chances.

🚫 Do NOT drive through flooded roads.
🚫 Do NOT try to walk through floodwater.
🚫 Do NOT assume you know how deep it is or what’s underneath.

And before anyone asks… we don’t have a boat. 😂
Apparently, Sidney doesn’t either, despite what the News-Gazette’s post may have had everyone believing. 🤦‍♀️😂

All jokes aside, please make smart choices. Turn around. Find another route. Stay somewhere safe if you need to.

You can replace a vehicle. You can replace just about anything. You cannot replace a life.

Stay safe, everyone. ❤️
Turn around, don’t drown.

The Saltfork came up 10 feet over night. 100E, 130E, 200E and 300E are all closed due to high water. Please avoid them until the water levels drop.

08/16/2026

Our friends over in Sidney are floating away!

🌊🚒 Well… we’ll get there. It just might take us a minute. 😂

Many roads around the area are flooded, and unfortunately, the water is still rising. So if you see us taking the scenic route, just know we’re doing our best! 😅

All kidding aside — we don’t have a boat. But we’ll figure it out. That’s what we do. 💪🚒

Please stay safe out there and remember: Turn Around, Don’t Drown! 🌊

If the road is covered in water, find another way. It’s never worth the risk.

08/12/2026

🚨 A HUGE SHOUTOUT TO THE VOICES BEHIND THE CHAOS! 🚨

Tonight, we want to take a moment to recognize the incredible dispatchers at METCAD 9-1-1 - Champaign County, Illinois.

After a tornado struck the southwest corner of the county this evening, all hell broke loose. 🌪️ Power lines and trees were down, a vehicle ended up in a pond, countless alarms were sounding, and calls for help were coming in from all directions.

Thankfully, Homer and our surrounding area were fortunate to see only minor damage compared to some of the other communities across the county. Our thoughts are with those who were hit much harder tonight. ❤️

While our firefighters and other first responders were out in the field working, the dispatchers at METCAD were right there in the middle of it all — answering call after call, gathering information, prioritizing emergencies, sending resources, keeping track of crews, and keeping everything moving despite the sheer volume of activity.

And we have to give a special shoutout to them for their patience tonight. 😂

At one point, our captain was trying to give his location over the radio. The first attempt? Two streets that run parallel to each other. 🤦‍♂️

Dispatch, doing exactly what they should do, asked for clarification.

Attempt number two? Two streets that don’t even intersect. 😂

At this point, we’re pretty sure dispatch was wondering if our captain had decided to create his own street map.

Finally, on attempt number three… HE GOT IT RIGHT! 🎉😂

To be very clear: dispatch was never the problem. They were patient, professional, and somehow managed to decipher our captain’s increasingly creative directions while handling what was an incredibly busy afternoon.

Jokes aside, days like today are exactly why we are so grateful for the people sitting behind those headsets.

They don’t get to see the trees coming down. They don’t see the damage. They aren’t standing beside us on the side of the road. But they hear the panic, the urgency, the radio traffic, and the constant stream of calls — and they keep going.

They are the calm voice on the other end of the line when someone is scared, the steady hand when everything around them is anything but steady, and the critical link between those who need help and those of us responding to provide it.

To the dispatchers at METCAD 911 — Homer Fire Department sees you, appreciates you, and is incredibly grateful for you. ❤️

Thank you for answering every call, sending every resource, keeping track of our crews, and having our backs when things get chaotic.

And thank you for having the patience of saints when our captain apparently forgets how streets work. 😂

You are an incredibly important part of this team, and tonight you deserve a little spotlight of your own. 👏🚨

From all of us at Homer Fire Department — THANK YOU! ❤️

08/09/2026

HOMER FIRE DEPARTMENT — BARN FIRE RESPONSE 🚒

This afternoon, our department was called to a barn fire just outside the village. Unfortunately, by the time firefighters arrived, the barn was already fully engulfed in flames and had partially collapsed.

Our crews arrived on scene just 5 minutes after the initial call, but the fire had already gained a significant head start. While the outcome was heartbreaking for the property owners, we are incredibly thankful that no one was injured.

One of the things that makes small communities so special is the way we come together when someone needs help. Today was a perfect example of that.

We are so grateful to the departments who answered the call and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with our firefighters:

🚒 Sidney Fire Protection District
🚒 St. Joseph - Stanton Fire Protection District
🚒 Ogden Royal Fire Protection District
🚒 BroadlandsLongview FPD
🚒 Philo Fire Protection District
🚒 Savoy Fire Department
🚒 Fairmount Fire Department

We also want to give a heartfelt thank you to:

🚑 Arrow Ambulance for providing medical standby
🚔 Champaign County Sheriff's Office for shutting down the roadway and helping keep everyone safe
📡 METCAD 9-1-1 - Champaign County, Illinois for the important work they do behind the scenes to coordinate communications and keep our emergency response moving

When the tones drop, you never know what you’re going to find on the other end of that call. What you do know is that you won’t be answering it alone.

Today, firefighters from eight departments came together as one team to help protect our community. That mutual aid and brotherhood is something we are incredibly proud of.

Our hearts go out to the property owners as they face the loss of their barn. ❤️

And to every firefighter, dispatcher, law enforcement officer, EMS crew, and everyone else who helped today — thank you for showing up, working together, and taking care of our neighbors.

This is what community looks like.
Neighbors helping neighbors. ❤️🚒

08/05/2026

Go and visit out friends at St. Joe and get some pancakes this weekend!

Good morning one and all! Please pound that share button and help spread the good word!

Coming up this Saturday, 8/8 will be our annual Sausage and Pancake breakfast. We will be serving you with smiles, from 6:30 am to 10:30 am.

All you can eat of those fluffy pancakes & homemade breakfast sausage from IGA, which are grilled to perfection.

We appreciate everyone for your support and hope to see you come through.

07/25/2026

Together, Chad Beasley and Arco tracked missing persons, sniffed out hidden narcotics, searched buildings and protected fellow deputies across Champaign County. On Aug. 14, law enforcement officers from across the

07/23/2026

Please help us honor this local first responder on his last day with his officer.

It is with heavy hearts that Chad and I share that it’s time to say goodbye to our K9 Cop, Arco. Arco lived an incredible life and loved serving Homer—from demonstrations at the Homer Fire Station to visits with the Boy Scouts and Camp Drake.

Please join us in honoring a true hero for his final procession:

🗓 When: August 14th ⏰ Gathering: 9:00 AM – 9:45 AM (Homer Community Building for stories) 🚔 Procession Departs: 10:00 AM 📍 Route: West toward Main St. ➔ Left on Main St. ➔ Right on First St. ➔ Out of town toward A&E Animal Hospital

Please line the streets to give Arco the hero's send-off he deserves. Thank you all for your love and support over these past 12 years.

07/12/2026

07/12/2026

⛳ THANK YOU! ⛳

Despite a rainy start to the morning, the weather cleared up and we were able to enjoy another incredible day at the 11th Annual Homer Fire Protection District Golf Outing!

We want to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who made this event a success:

🏌️‍♂️ All of our golfers who came out to support us
🤝 Our generous hole sponsors and event sponsors
🎁 Businesses and individuals who donated raffle prizes
🙌 Our volunteers who worked behind the scenes all day
❤️ Everyone who continues to support the Homer Fire Protection District

Your generosity helps us continue providing the equipment, training, and resources needed to serve our community.

We truly appreciate everyone who spent the day with us, and we hope you had as much fun as we did! We can't wait to see you all again next year.

Thank you for making our 11th Annual Golf Outing another great success! 🚒⛳



📸 Check out a few photos from this year's outing below!