July 8, 2000

New fire station welcome addition

       For years, White River Township firefighters winced at their response times to parts of the district.  Now, a new $1.3 million fire station is finally on its way to service everything west of Morgantown Road, so firefighters can reach residents more quickly, said Eric Brown, division chief.  Ground was broken for the new firehouse Friday at 850 S. Mullinix Road, which is at the junction of State Road 37 and Smith Valley Road.  At least $150,000 of the money is coming from the Build Indiana Fund.  The new station, designed by Prince Alexander architects of Indianapolis, is expected to be completed by January.

         Brown said it takes anywhere from eight to 11 minutes to respond to emergency calls in what is called the “western corridor,” or west of Morgantown Road.  For example, in Oak Meadows mobile home park, response time is more than 10 minutes.  A good response time is four minutes, Brown said.  Mike Lain, a resident of Oak Meadows, said he’s glad to see a new fire station being built.  He didn’t like the long response time.  “Oh, heavens, yes, I’m glad,” Lain said.  “I wish it was already done.”  Brown said the long response times are “ridiculous.”  But firefighters’ hands were tied as the township’s growth outpaced the fire department.

         Now, the new fire station will help increase fire and emergency protection for White River Township residents, Brown said.  “It feels good to get this started,” he said.  The new four-bay station will have four fire trucks and six firefighters, with three on duty 24 hours a day.  A paramedic will also be at the station.  It will also have a Johnson County Sheriff’s Department substation and a community room that residents can use for meetings or other functions.

         Once the new station is built, the current fire headquarters on Runyon Road is expected to be closed, leaving White River Township with two fire stations.  But Brown said the Runyon Road firehouse’s future could change.  The current headquarters was built in 1952.  At the time, it was the best location for a fire station to meet the needs of residents.  One idea is turning it into an ambulance station, but demand or growth changes could keep it open, he said.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)

 

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