Station 211, the Jerome Township Division of Fire’s first new fire station in 31 years, is pictured above. The firehouse is located at 11840 Ewing Road, off Ravenhill Parkway.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Kayleen Petrovia)
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Jerome Township Division of Fire Chief Doug Stewart gestures toward the bay, which can be seen through an opening in the training mezzanine. Firefighters can repel and rope train from the mezzanine using tie-outs on the floor of the bay.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Kayleen Petrovia)
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The kitchen area of Jerome Township’s second fire station, Station 211, is pictured above. The open concept room is intended to allow crew members to spend time together while preparing and eating meals.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Kayleen Petrovia)
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When it comes to the Jerome Township Division of Fire’s new station, Chief Doug Stewart thinks the things you don’t immediately notice might be the most impressive.
“The little things are going to pay dividends,” Stewart said.
“One of the best things,” he says, is the front porch of the building. Already, Stewart said local families and children will stop by to hang out on the bench and Adirondack chairs on either side of the station’s front door.
The front porch and the open bay doors reflect Stewart’s vision that Station 211, JTFD’s second fire station, will serve as a “community firehouse” – a hub where residents and families can gather and become involved in their fire department.
“When I grew up, everyone was at the firehouse,” he said.
JTFD will hold a dedication ceremony for Station 211, located at 11840 Ewing Road, at 2:11 p.m. Saturday. An open house will also be held from 1-4 p.m., during which there will be station tours and opportunities to meet the firefighters.
The interior of Station 211 is essentially split into two sides, one of which is “clean,” meaning that no turnout gear or firefighting equipment is brought into that area to avoid contamination.
The heart of that area is a large, open concept kitchen with a dining table and communal area with sofas and a TV.
“A lot of the public doesn’t realize that we cook all our meals here,” Stewart said, adding that the “wide open” area allows crew members to spend time together while one might be cooking.
From the kitchen area, there is a doorway into the physical fitness room, which includes a bench, free weights, treadmill, stationary bike and rowing machine. The chief said it was “designed by the crews” based on what equipment they desired.
In the adjacent room is a laundry area specifically for “clean” items like uniforms and bed linens.
The laundry room is next door to the bunk area, which is divided into five separate rooms and a private restroom (including a shower) on each end.
Stewart explained that most firehouses have a more communal bunk area in which individual beds are divided only by curtains. However, he said he wanted to “plan way out,” especially in light of more and more female firefighters joining the department.
Separate rooms afford them privacy in general, and ensure female firefighters have lactation areas when necessary.
Each bedroom has a bed with built-in storage space underneath and a study area with a desk. Stewart said many of the crew members are working on college classes or other continuing education.
The rooms also have blackout shades and a ceiling fan to ensure firefighters can sleep comfortably.
Station 211 will begin with three firefighters on each shift, but Stewart said it will eventually expand to five. The lieutenant’s office was designed to fit a fold-down Murphy bed, so the station can sleep six.
The main hallway of the building has office space for the township’s Public Safety Officers, provided through a contract with the Union County Sheriff’s Office, and JTFD’s lieutenant and community safety lieutenant.
There is also a training room that seats 12, though the larger table can be separated and reconfigured so the room can accommodate more active trainings like CPR or car seat installations.
After leaving the training room, before entering the bay, there is also a “watch room” through which firefighters can see the apparition bay and the road. There, Stewart said they can work on reports or go through individual trainings.
Station 211 has two and a half bays and houses the only bariatric truck in the county.
Within the bay area, there is a room for turnout gear as well as a decontamination area with showers and sinks.
The bay was also designed to allow firefighters to undergo specialized trainings within the firehouse.
There are tie-outs on the floor and wall so that firefighters can practice repelling and rope training. The training mezzanine is separate from the station’s HVAC system so that firefighters can “smoke the room up” and practice searches.
On the opposite side of the bay, the turnout lockers and tool room, which also function as the building’s tornado shelter, were designed to accommodate confined space trainings.
Since the room would already be there, Stewart said a chute-type opening was included on the top of the structure so that crew members can train for rescues from tanks or sewers.
He said it is clear that “everyone had input” on the design of the new station, as his crews are “beaming ear to ear” when they walk through.
“I want them to be able to make it their home,” Stewart said.
He noted that it has been 31 years since a fire station was constructed in Jerome Township. He said he anticipates Station 211 will serve the community “for the next 50, 60, 70 years.”
“We have a 19-year-old firefighter,” Stewart said. “She’ll retire in 30 years and this will still be here.”
While he has already seen the positive effect of Station 211 on his crews, Stewart said he is looking forward to seeing it benefit the community.
He encouraged residents to stop by, even if they can’t make it to the dedication ceremony.
“If the doors are open, we’re here,” Stewart said.