New fire station opens in northern Monroe County. What to know

Monroe Fire Protection District‘s newest station is open in Washington Township at 478 E. Chambers Pike. You can tour the station — and enjoy some hotdogs and hamburgers — at their open house on Saturday, May 24.

When is the fire station open house?

MFPD will host the open house on Saturday, May 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Attendees can tour the facility, meet firefighters and enjoy grilled burgers and hotdogs.

Where is the new fire station?

Station 26 is at 478 E. Chambers Pike, about 10 miles north of Bloomington.

MFPD battalion chief and public information officer Jason Allen said in January that the new station will cut down on response times for the county’s north side by five to 10 minutes; Allen says it previously took up to 15 minutes for first responders dispatched from Station 25 at 5081 N. Ind. 37 to get to the county’s north end.

“The biggest thing is, how can we get help to people in a reasonable amount of time?” Allen said.

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What will the new fire station have?

In a press release, MFPD said two EMT-certified firefighters will be staffing Station 26 around the clock.

Station 26 is opening with a rescue engine for fires, alarms, and motor vehicle incidents, a brush vehicle for wildland fires and EMS calls and a water tender to supply water to firefighters in locations without hydrants.

MFPD Assistant Chief Jeffrey Combs said Station 26 will help the district to better respond to rural emergencies.

“With shorter response times and increased resources, we can better protect lives and property while strengthening our ability to serve the residents of Monroe County,” Combs said in the press release.

Reach Brian Rosenzweig at brian@heraldt.com.

This article originally appeared on Evening World: monroe fire protection district opens station 26 on chambers pike