Box 15, Inc.
Welcome to the Box 15, Inc. website. We are a 501(c) (3) organization dedicated to Firefighters serving Columbus, OH, as well as most other area fire departments in Central Ohio. Our existence dates back to 1947 - yes, we've been in service for 78 years.
Box 15, Inc. is a volunteer organization in Columbus, Ohio dedicated to providing rehabilitation and decontamination services to fire fighters, at no cost to the recipients. Without Box 15, Inc. first responders would have to provide self-care at fire scenes and potentially distract from their mission of saving lives and property. During firefighting, rehabilitation entails providing essential nutrients and liquids for the re-hydration of exhausted firefighters, as well as assisting them to return to normal core body temperatures during active fire-fighting duty.
Box 15, Inc. also provides decontamination equipment and services for firefighters to remove carcinogens from their gear and body. We make cooling and heating equipment available to prevent firefighters from succumbing to hyperthermia and hypothermia. Additionally, we assist displaced residents until the Red Cross can arrive at emergencies.
The organization’s services are available 24/7 and its volunteers respond to all 2-alarm or greater fires. Its volunteers are made up of professionals with varying backgrounds and experience, such as retired firefighters, paramedics, corporate professionals, and more. 100% of its funding is from public donations and self-raised revenues. No governmental grants or donations are received.
"It’s gratifying to know that Box 15 has the backs of firefighters every time they are dispatched to an active fire scene." - media journalist
A little about our history...
Our beginning started on an early Sunday morning, March 30, 1947, with the temperature in the upper 20’s with 25-30 mph winds and heavy snowfall, Columbus firefighters were on the scene of a 3-alarm blaze at the Fruehauf trailer facility on Fletcher Street. Less than 24 hours later, they fought a 4-alarm fire at the Ohio Furniture Co. on E. Main Street. Max Haverman, a long-time fire buff was at both incidents. Following that second major fire, he approached (acting) Fire Chief Clarence Ogburn with the idea that the firefighters could really use some relief from the elements. He mentioned that there were other groups that helped the firefighters, the closest of which was Box 21 in Dayton. Box 21 had been formed in 1935 and was greatly appreciated by the Dayton firefighters. Max, a pharmacist with the Wendt-Bristol Co. worked just a block away from Fire Station #3 (at S. 3rd. St. & Capital Alley) and was friends with most of the firefighters at the downtown stations.
Chief Ogburn was receptive of the idea and gave Max the go-ahead to come up with a plan. Less than three months later, on Tuesday, June 24, Max and 14 other interested people met at Columbus Fire Station #4 (then located at Russell & Hamlet Streets) for the first time and decided to form up as a group. The initial intent was to “support Columbus Fire and Columbus Police in every way possible”. They named it Box 15 – “Box”, referring to the (then) common fire alarm boxes located on nearly every street corner of the city, and “15” referring to the number of people in the initial group. Mostly businessmen, they ranged from Max, the pharmacist, to Fred Dunn, the Auditor for Franklin County, William Feil, a funeral director and several others.
That was then - (over 7 decades ago); Today, our mission and passion remain the same. We have the backs of firefighters.