News Flash

Humane Educators of Texas recognizes Animal Control Officers as skilled professionals who serve their communities on animal-related issues. 🐾🐶👮

Through interactive, CEU-accredited courses, the organization promotes learning, collaboration, and stronger connections between animal control, law enforcement, and the communities they serve. These classes are designed for animal control officers, law enforcement personnel, and anyone in animal welfare seeking to expand their skills and knowledge.

City of Orange Animal Control will host the following classes at the Central Fire Station (501 N 7th Street) on April 20–24, 2026:

🐾 April 20–21: Basic ACO – 16 hrs🐾 April 22: Compassion Fatigue – 8 hrs🐾 April 23–24: Dangerous Dogs – 16 hrs

Register today at http://www.humaneeducatorsoftexas.com/register

The City of Orange Fire Department partnered with the Sabine River Authority (SRA) to conduct a Swift Water Rescue Technician course, held on SRA canal property for an ideal setting for realistic, hands-on water rescue scenarios.

The training was facilitated by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), a recognized leader in emergency response education. Firefighters from across the state, including participants from Port Arthur, McAllen, and the Dallas/Fort Worth area, came together to strengthen their skills in swift water rescue operations.

This multi-agency training enhances regional preparedness for flood and water-related emergencies, ensuring that first responders are equipped with the expertise to conduct safe and effective rescues in hazardous, fast-moving water conditions.

Thank you to the Orange Fire Department, the Sabine River Authority, and the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service for providing a realistic training environment that is critical to maintaining readiness and safety. Special thanks to all the firefighters and emergency responders who participated in this vital training to ensure they’re prepared for any emergency situation.

The Orange Fire Department welcomed more than 500 guests to its Annual Open House last week, celebrating this year's Fire Prevention Week theme: "Charge Into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home." 🧑‍🚒🔥🔋

The event offered fun for the whole family! Children enjoyed fire station tours and explored the ambulance, fire truck, and rescue truck. They also tested their abilities on the agility and obstacle courses, created crafts, and enjoyed hot dogs, popcorn, and goodie bags filled with frisbees, helmets, and coloring books. 🚒🌭🍿⛑️

A special thank-you goes out to the Stark Foundation and Acadian Ambulance for their participation and support in making this event a success! 🚑🎨

Congratulations to our gift basket winners - Jayci Hernandez, Darius Guillory, and Nicole Dawsey - and to our door prize bicycle winners - Hazel Childs, Brynlee Jenkins, Calder Peevey, and Dakota Jefferson! 🚲

The City of Orange and the Orange Fire Department would like to congratulate our dedicated firefighters on reaching the one-year milestone in their firefighting careers!

Mayor Spears and Chief Bilbo recently honored these firefighters at a city council meeting, recognizing their hard work and commitment throughout their rookie year. They endured extensive training tailored to the Orange Fire Department and the City of Orange, covering everything from rules and regulations and standard operating procedures to mastering the department’s full range of apparatus and equipment, and becoming thoroughly familiar with the locations of streets, addresses, and over 800 fire hydrants across the city. These individuals underwent extensive physical and technical training, ensuring they have the skills and abilities to handle even the most demanding fire and EMS incidents effectively.

After successfully completing their one-year probationary period, Chief Bilbo presented them with badges for their helmets signifying their official position as firefighters for the City of Orange Fire Department.

Join us in thanking these firefighters for their hard work and dedication to keeping our community safe!

Pictured L to R: Mayor Larry Spears Jr., Lance Hodgkinson, Jacob McFarland, and Chief Bilbo

After a recent audit by the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office, we’re proud to announce the City of Orange Fire Department has retained its Class 2/2X Public Protection Classification (PPC) rating!

This achievement places Orange among the top fire protection communities in the nation — only a small percentage of cities earn a Class 2 or better! 🚒👏

The PPC rating, evaluated by the Insurance Services Office (ISO), measures key factors such as:

💧 Water supply🚨 Emergency communications🧑‍🚒 Staffing, training & equipment🚒 Pre-fire planning

What this means for our community:

📈 Confidence that your Fire Department meets high national standards💵 Potential for lower insurance premiums🧯 Continued investment in public safety and fire protection

Thank you to the City Council and supporting agencies for their cooperation in maintaining this level of protection! Property owners are encouraged to check with their insurance provider to see if this classification benefits their policy. 🧑‍🚒🚒🔥

The City of Orange Plans & Inspections Division is responsible for the inspection of construction projects to determine compliance with the building codes and ordinances as well as the approved site plans.

The City of Orange has adopted the 2021 International Building Codes (IRC, IBC, IFC, IECC, IPC, IMC, IFGC, IEBC,  IPMC, and ISPSC) and the 2023 National Electric Code, which can be viewed here: https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes/i-codes/2021-icodes

Humane Educators of Texas recognizes Animal Control Officers as skilled professionals who serve their communities on animal-related issues. 🐾🐶👮

Through interactive, CEU-accredited courses, the organization promotes learning, collaboration, and stronger connections between animal control, law enforcement, and the communities they serve. These classes are designed for animal control officers, law enforcement personnel, and anyone in animal welfare seeking to expand their skills and knowledge.

City of Orange Animal Control will host the following classes at the Central Fire Station (501 N 7th Street) on April 20–24, 2026:

🐾 April 20–21: Basic ACO – 16 hrs🐾 April 22: Compassion Fatigue – 8 hrs🐾 April 23–24: Dangerous Dogs – 16 hrs

Register today at http://www.humaneeducatorsoftexas.com/register

The City of Orange Fire Department partnered with the Sabine River Authority (SRA) to conduct a Swift Water Rescue Technician course, held on SRA canal property for an ideal setting for realistic, hands-on water rescue scenarios.

The training was facilitated by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), a recognized leader in emergency response education. Firefighters from across the state, including participants from Port Arthur, McAllen, and the Dallas/Fort Worth area, came together to strengthen their skills in swift water rescue operations.

This multi-agency training enhances regional preparedness for flood and water-related emergencies, ensuring that first responders are equipped with the expertise to conduct safe and effective rescues in hazardous, fast-moving water conditions.

Thank you to the Orange Fire Department, the Sabine River Authority, and the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service for providing a realistic training environment that is critical to maintaining readiness and safety. Special thanks to all the firefighters and emergency responders who participated in this vital training to ensure they’re prepared for any emergency situation.

After a recent audit by the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office, we’re proud to announce the City of Orange Fire Department has retained its Class 2/2X Public Protection Classification (PPC) rating!

This achievement places Orange among the top fire protection communities in the nation — only a small percentage of cities earn a Class 2 or better! 🚒👏

The PPC rating, evaluated by the Insurance Services Office (ISO), measures key factors such as:

💧 Water supply🚨 Emergency communications🧑‍🚒 Staffing, training & equipment🚒 Pre-fire planning

What this means for our community:

📈 Confidence that your Fire Department meets high national standards💵 Potential for lower insurance premiums🧯 Continued investment in public safety and fire protection

Thank you to the City Council and supporting agencies for their cooperation in maintaining this level of protection! Property owners are encouraged to check with their insurance provider to see if this classification benefits their policy. 🧑‍🚒🚒🔥

The City of Orange and the Orange Fire Department would like to congratulate our dedicated firefighters on reaching the one-year milestone in their firefighting careers!

Mayor Spears and Chief Bilbo recently honored these firefighters at a city council meeting, recognizing their hard work and commitment throughout their rookie year. They endured extensive training tailored to the Orange Fire Department and the City of Orange, covering everything from rules and regulations and standard operating procedures to mastering the department’s full range of apparatus and equipment, and becoming thoroughly familiar with the locations of streets, addresses, and over 800 fire hydrants across the city. These individuals underwent extensive physical and technical training, ensuring they have the skills and abilities to handle even the most demanding fire and EMS incidents effectively.

After successfully completing their one-year probationary period, Chief Bilbo presented them with badges for their helmets signifying their official position as firefighters for the City of Orange Fire Department.

Join us in thanking these firefighters for their hard work and dedication to keeping our community safe!

Pictured L to R: Mayor Larry Spears Jr., Lance Hodgkinson, Jacob McFarland, and Chief Bilbo

The Orange Fire Department welcomed more than 500 guests to its Annual Open House last week, celebrating this year's Fire Prevention Week theme: "Charge Into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home." 🧑‍🚒🔥🔋

The event offered fun for the whole family! Children enjoyed fire station tours and explored the ambulance, fire truck, and rescue truck. They also tested their abilities on the agility and obstacle courses, created crafts, and enjoyed hot dogs, popcorn, and goodie bags filled with frisbees, helmets, and coloring books. 🚒🌭🍿⛑️

A special thank-you goes out to the Stark Foundation and Acadian Ambulance for their participation and support in making this event a success! 🚑🎨

Congratulations to our gift basket winners - Jayci Hernandez, Darius Guillory, and Nicole Dawsey - and to our door prize bicycle winners - Hazel Childs, Brynlee Jenkins, Calder Peevey, and Dakota Jefferson! 🚲

Keeping important contact phone numbers on hand can be extremely beneficial in situations requiring immediate communication. 

Essential numbers for the City of Orange include: 

• Emergency: 9-1-1
• Non-Emergency Police: 409-883-1026
• Customer Service: 409-883-1081
• Animal Shelter: 409-883-1056
• Code Enforcement: 409-883-1070
• Economic Development: 409-883-1010
• Explore Orange CVB: 409-883-1011
• Human Resources: 409-883-1030
• Library: 409-883-1086
• Planning & Zoning: 409-883-1034
• Public Works: 409-883-1900
• Recreation Center: 409-883-1072

View the complete City Directory here: https://orangetexas.gov/directory.aspx

STAN, the Southeast Texas Alerting Network, is a messaging and notification system that keeps the communities of Southeast Texas informed about emergencies and other important events in the area. Through STAN, industrial companies and emergency management officials can notify you about emergencies, industry, or weather events occurring in Southeast Texas.

STAN has been upgraded and previous accounts registered before September 15, 2023 are now inactive and will need to re-register on the new system.

Register now for the new and improved STAN at www.thestan.com!