Recently the new Bazetta fire station has opened for business. This new building is modern with large, glass doors that showcase the station’s trucks. It’s new crisp, clean brick that stands tall and proud while it waits to serve the community.

Now you may be thinking why was it necessary to build a new one? Well, there are many reasons, one of which is a more centralized location. Originally, there were two stations, one in the most northwest corner of the township and the other in the most southeast corner. That means that there was no location in the middle that would reach most of the township in an equal amount of time.

Bazetta Fire Chief Dennis Lewis said, “Our current response time is about five minutes and thirty seconds, but now we will be able to cut that down to about four minutes.” Of course, there are still parts of the area where it will take a little longer, but for the most part response time has improved.

Another benefit of the new location is being able to modernize the building. The new station is fully equipped with a kitchen that features three refrigerators, one for each party that is on duty, a living space with four recliners, and bedrooms. These are big improvements because, as Chief Lewis said, “In the old days, fire stations were for volunteers and weren’t designed for paid staff. There were no living quarters. There were bathrooms, but no showers, bedrooms, or anything like that.”

The building also features less square footage than the other two put together, so that means that the station can pay less on utilities and more on ways to improve the way they help the community. Overall, the new station is a great addition to the community and will be around for years to come.