All emergency services can be reached by dialing 9-1-1.
The Fire Department responds both to fires and requests for medical assistance. Lorain County has an "enhanced" 9-1-1 system, thus the address of the caller appears on a monitor along with any personal information submitted by the resident. A printout of this information is also immediately transmitted to the Columbia fire station.
Columbia has only a few fire hydrants; nevertheless with the water carried on Columbia's trucks, there is plenty of water for minor fires. For major fires, the department utilizes a well-practiced water shuttle using tankers from other townships.
Nearly all of Columbia's fire personnel are trained as EMT's or advanced EMT's, and some are more advanced paramedics. Columbia's first-line rescue squad contains state-of-the-art equipment including special heart monitoring equipment and radio contact directly with the hospital.
Southwest General Hospital is the primary destination for the Columbia Rescue Squad. The hospital provides training for members of the Columbia's fire departments.