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Fillmore Fire comes home to new station
FILLMORE -- When it came time to officially open the new Fillmore Fire Station on Saturday, a ribbon cutting simply wouldn't due.
Instead, two lengths of fire hose were strung across the middle bay door on the station's east side. But the hose wasn't simply there because there's a lot of it lying around the new 8,125-square-foot facility.
Fillmore Community Volunteer Fire Department President Charlie Martin explained the significance.
"Back in the days of our training," the veteran firefighter began, "we were told if we were ever lost in a fire, the find the hose. If we could find a coupling, we could follow the male couplings all the way to the truck and back home.
"Symbolically, we are following this coupling back home."
With that, Martin and Fillmore Town Council president and retired FCVFD firefighter Alan Jones uncoupled the hose.
"I'd like to welcome all of you to the new station and declare this station open for business," Martin said.
The grand opening of the new station coincided with day two of the Fillmore Fire Department's annual chicken barbecue, bringing a larger-than-average crowd to town to witness the grand opening festivities.
Besides the official uncoupling, the ceremony included the presentation of colors by the Reelsville-Washington Township Fire Department Honor Guard, as well as the first official American flag raising by Reelsville Honor Guard member Dorman Owen and Greencastle Fire Chief Bill Newgent.
Martin and Fillmore Fire Chief Mike Davies were also presented a clock by Brent Bush of the Indiana Volunteer Firefighter Association.
The new station, a massive upgrade from the department's old, outdated facility, was made possible through a Community Development Block Grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs that funded $400,000 of the $732,400 project.
Also present for the ceremony were project architect Timothy Henning of Architecture Plus and State Rep. Jim Baird.
Not present Saturday for the grand opening, but vital to the project's completion were Kristy Jerrell of Jerrell Consulting & Grant Administration Services and representatives of the Putnam County Community Foundation and lead contractor Keymark Development.
The project brings to completion 30 years of planning by members of the department. Having outgrown the old station years ago, the department purchased the adjacent land in 1985. It took decades of saving -- including funds raised by the annual chicken barbecue -- to finally secure the funding last year.
The weekend also brought to fruition a promise the fire department made during last year's barbecue. Many community members were upset upon hearing that 2014 would be the last chicken barbecue hosted by the department.
For years, the barbecue took place under a tent in the exact spot where the new station stands. The solution was easy, though, as the festivities were moved inside the building.
As a result, 2014 was the last Fillmore Fire Department Chicken Barbecue ... under the tent.