Akron is getting a new fire station on the city’s west side – the third new station in five years.
Elected officials, city employees and dozens of Akron firefighters attended a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the future Fire Station No. 12 at 112 South Hawkins Avenue in the Wallhaven neighborhood Tuesday.
Mayor Dan Horrigan thanked Akron voters for approving Issue 4 in Nov. 2017, which raised income taxes .25% to support police, fire and roads. Since then, Akron has replaced Station 2 in the Middlebury neighborhood and Station 4 near downtown.
“I know there’s a pretty aggressive schedule because of the infrastructure needed, and the things you need to do your job properly,” Horrigan said.
The new facility will come with equipment upgrades and more space, he added.
“And a different design too, with more bedrooms, and you know, you can do more staffing, and I think it’s important where you work that you’re showing that support for those people that go out and put their lives on the line every single day," Horrigan said.
The current Station 12 is 72 years old and poses health and safety concerns, said Clarence Tucker, deputy mayor for public safety.
“Now, this is a station that will not add to having carcinogens in the same area where you sleep," Tucker said. "It brings the newest technology, the newest everything that we can bring to this station to help them do the job they need to do."
Currently, the living quarters and bedrooms are right next to the garage where the fire truck and EMS vehicle are stored, causing firefighters to inhale fumes when the trucks are started up, Tucker added. The new facility will have two levels, keeping the bedrooms entirely separate from the garage, he said.
The current building is “literally falling down around our ears,” Akron Fire Chief Joe Natko added.
The new structure will have nine bedrooms and three equipment bays to store at least one fire engine and one medical unit, he said. It will also include equipment decontamination facilities and an air-drying hose tower.
A crew of six firefighters will be stationed there, and with the bigger space, staffing could potentially expand if need be, Natko said.
“Last year, they ran almost 3,000 calls. Three thousand calls is a large number. Some of our surrounding cities see that for their whole city, with two- or three-men units,” he said.
The new station will be just under 15,000 square feet and cost approximately $9.5 million, according to a press release. Kenmore Construction and Metis Construction Services will collaborate on the project.
Akron operates 13 fire stations across the city. Officials are currently evaluating which fire station is next in line for replacement.
The new Station 12 is expected to open by summer 2024.
