City looks to pin down firehouse location

City-owned property at the corner of Devon Drive and Douglas Street was recommended Nov. 19 by the Vermilion Firehouse Committee as a new firehouse location.

If City Council approves the location, the Firehouse Committee plans to solicit builders after Jan. 1 and crews will start building in 2019, said Vermilion Mayor Jim Forthofer.

The firehouse would replace the current station one at 5467 Ohio St., Forthofer said.

Station two will operate as is, he said.

Forthofer said since the city owns the property and is located on the west side, it would allow for a costeffective transition without compromising response time.

“The primary factor in locating the fire department is to get water to a fire quickly,” he said.

“There are some other considerations like having affordable property and planning for the future to guess the needs of the city 40 years from now because a building will last that long.

“But nothing is more important than having it at the right place.”

Since the Fire Department is volunteer-based, proper location is key to allow firefighters to quickly get to the station, Forthofer said.

The Fire Department’s second station is located on the east side of town and firefighters quickly can access the south side of the city because of the Highbridge Road Bridge restoration.

The firehouse’s proposed west side location would allow for fast response times on that part of the city as well, Forthofer said.

Other locations that were under consideration for the new firehouse would have required additional purchasing of land or demolition costs, he said.

The building is projected to cost $3.7 million with about $2 million funded from the fire levy capital fund and an additional borrowing of $2 million from incoming tax flow, as determined by finance director Amy Hendricks.

The fire levy was passed in the 1960s and has been used sparingly, Forthofer said.

A floor plan blueprint from Poulos and Schmid Design Group indicates the new building will be 15,787 square feet with five bay doors and rooms for gear, bunks, administrative offices and a multipurpose room, among others.

Forthofer said the firehouse will put three buildings’ worth of equipment into one.

“This will put everything under one roof, which is why it’s so huge,” Forthofer said.