City Manager Bryan Heck opened the ceremony by thanking the many members of city staff and city commissioners central to the efforts to update fire and rescue infrastructure.
“We’ve been diversifying our economy, and part of that diversification has happened right out here with Prime Ohio 1, Prime Ohio 2, and Silfex,” Heck said in opening remarks. “We now have Bridgewater and Melody Parks housing developments. We have a lot of momentum … a lot of great things are happening … a lot of them are happening on the east end.”
Funding for new fire stations was originally part of the 2021 renewal of a tax levy passed by Springfield voters, but local funding allowed for only one or two new fire stations to be constructed to replace aging facilities.
When money became available, city officials opted to tap additional funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) from the federal government to build additional stations. Heck said the choice was a strategic decision by city leaders, along with the decision to locate one of the new fire houses in an area experiencing rapid growth and development.
“We have to be strategic in our investments, in our thinking and in our envisioning as we look to invest in public infrastructure … We’re being strategic in our thinking by putting this station out here to better serve where our community is currently growing,” he said.
Based on the length of service of fire stations being replaced, the new facilities are likely to serve the community for the next 50 to 100 years.
Mayor Rob Rue told assembled fire and police division personnel that the City Commission is committed to giving safety staff of the city “the best, including salary packages. That’s what we’re interested in investing in.”
He noted that Springfield is expanding and growing like he has not seen in his lifetime.
“As we’re doing that we’re committed to investing and expanding our services in the safest way possible. This is an example of a way we are using the ARPA federal dollars so that we are not burdening local taxpayers … We’re excited with you all to have these new stations.”
Heck and Fire Chief Jacob King thanked former Fire Chief Brian Miller for laying the foundation for the advances that are now coming to fruition with new fire stations, a diversified rescue workforce, expanded recruitment efforts and upgrades to equipment.
In addition to housing fire division services, that new building will also include a satellite substation for police officers who also serve the area, which Police Chief Allison Elliott highlighted in her remarks.
“This collaboration demonstrates a remarkable commitment to fostering a seamless partnership between the fire and police divisions,” she said. “It signifies the strength of our partnership and our shared commitment to serving the Springfield community … together we will continue to uphold our commitment to excellence and serve our community with dedication and professionalism.”
Projections call for completion of the facility in a 12 to 15-month timeframe, putting the opening between late spring and early summer of 2025.
Fire personnel recruitment underway
From now till March 26 those interested in pursuing career opportunities with the fire division can visit the city’s website to submit an application. Firefighter/EMT recruits will earn salaries ranging from $56,000-$62,553 and the Firefighter/Paramedics from $58,000-$85,330 annually.
For the first time, the city is offering several advance Field Day physical agility preview days on March 23, April 3 and April 6 to introduce candidates to the physical requirements of the positions before taking the official test.
To sign up for the field day experience, visit the city’s job opportunities page on the city website (https://government jobs.com/careers/springfieldoh?). Select the Firefighter/Paramedic listing and to locate and enroll through the Field Day Sign Up option.
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