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Time for a New Home

Middletown plan would build four new stations for City’s fire department

BY CORINNE MINARD

As in all communities, the fire department of Middletown is an integral part of the city. In 2021 alone, the Middletown Fire Department answered 12,590 calls for service, ranging from fires to EMS and other needs of its citizens.

The fire department has been taking care of the community for decades, but it now may be time for Middletown to take care of the fire department. All four of the city’s fire stations do not meet current safety standards and codes of modern-day stations. The newest stations were built in 1977 and the oldest still currently in use was built in 1953.

For example, the fire stations do not meet the Ohio Building Code for fire suppression and none of the stations have sprinklers. They also do not meet today’s accessibility requirements or other requirements for an essential facility.

To address this need, the City is looking to take advantage of economies of scale and build all four new stations at the same time. The projected cost is $16.8 million. Each station will move from its current location to a new one that takes into account response times, roadway accessibility, neighborhood type and land availability: - The Fire Headquarters/Station 83 will relocate from Roosevelt Boulevard to Yankee Road and Cherry Street, site of the former Garfield School. - Station 81 will move from North Clinton Street to Charles Street and Henry Avenue, the site of the former Jefferson School. - Station 82 will move from Dixie Highway to Atrium Boulevard and Ohio 122. - Station 85 will move from Central Avenue to Sophie Street and Stolz Drive.

In addition to making the fire stations safer for fire department personnel, the City believes the new facilities will help the fire department be more competitive and attractive when it comes to recruitment and retention of employees.

Middletown residents will have the opportunity to vote on this issue on the May 2022 ballot.

More information about the Middletown Division of Fire and these fire stations can be found at MiddletownFireStations.com. n

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