Austintown, Bristol fire departments get construction grants

Austintown’s Fire Station 3 hasn’t been renovated since it was built in 1952.

By Elise Franco

Two local fire departments have been awarded more than $2.5 million in federal grant money for renovations.

U.S. Sen. George Voinovich announced Wednesday that Austintown Township Fire Department in Mahoning County and Bristol Township Volunteer Fire Department in northern Trumbull County were among five Ohio departments to be awarded a total of more than $7 million in grant money.

Voinovich said the fire-station-construction grants will be used to expand station coverage, replace equipment and renovate stations throughout Ohio.

“Our firefighters need the proper resources to protect their communities,” he said in a news release. “These funds will help Ohio’s first responders carry out their vital missions.”

Austintown was awarded $333,000, which Assistant Chief Andy Frost III said will be used to renovate Station 3 on Raccoon Road.

“We’ll be putting a second story on it and a pitched roof over the whole thing,” he said.

Frost said the station, built in 1952, never has been updated.

“It’s in really bad shape. It’s just extremely old,” he said. “None of the amenities are there. We’re having such bad roof issues that the ceiling is collapsing inside.”

Frost said the station is part time, and Lane Ambulance is dispatched from the building 24 hours a day. He said construction should begin on the station within the next six weeks.

“In the future, we’d like to have some staffing during the day and maybe even around the clock,” he said.

Bristol was awarded more than $2.2 million to build a new station.

Other departments that received grant money were Wayne Township Fire and Rescue in Clermont County, $820,000; Pomeroy Volunteer Fire Department in Meigs County, $811,750; and Toledo Fire and Rescue Department in Lucas County, $2,995,603.

Bristol Assistant Chief Steve Craiger said the current station was built in 1946 and isn’t equipped to meet the department’s growing needs.

“It’s been added onto twice, but we currently keep one truck outside because we don’t have room for it,” he said. “Six years ago we started staffing the station 24 hours, but it never had bunk rooms or lockers or facilities for showering.”

Craiger said getting the grant money not only benefits the department, but also the entire community as well.

“I think it definitely sets the tone for the future of the department,” he said. “It definitely takes a lot of pressure off, and it’s a great boost for our community and the county as far as the construction and the jobs it will bring.”

efranco@vindy.com