BREWSTER – The inhabitants of the village are invited to visit the fire station newly renovated space during an open house from noon to 3 p.m. on October 9.
Emergency personnel will be on site while visitors can tour the facility, located at 110 Main Street SE.
After the open house, the firefighters will organize an Oktoberfest from 4 p.m. to midnight at Bimeler Park with the group 77 South. The event will also feature bouncy houses, food, crafts, and an outdoor cafe.
âWe want to show our residents the new facility and how we can staff the station,â said Fire Chief Chris Colucy. “Without a festival for two years, (Oktoberfest) will be a fundraiser but also to go out and have a little party.”
The village taxpayers and their commitment to the department are the reason they have an expanded and renovated station, the chief said.
Officials announced their intention in 2018 to solicit taxpayer money to redo the station, improve firefighter safety and possibly provide 24-hour service.
In May 2019, Brewster voters approved an income tax increase of 0.5% for eight years. The increase will bring in approximately $ 400,000 per year for the fire department.
Renovation work begins the following year.
Modifications to the station addressed security and space concerns and allowed the department to begin staffing the station around the clock.
The 7,645-square-foot, two-story addition includes three new vehicle bays, showers and a separate area for storing firefighter response equipment. The new second floor has offices. A new roof has been installed over the entire structure.
To accommodate the addition, the building was enlarged to become a gravel parking lot adjacent to the station to provide space for the three new bays.
The building was also extended on a hill behind the station for the addition of the second floor.
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Mayor Chuck Hawk said residents will be impressed with the renovations and the way their tax dollars have been used.
The tax funded the prize by nearly $ 1.5 million. Hawk said the building will be refunded when the tax expires in 2027.
The mayor said the additional space for emergency vehicles is coupled with a system to remove vehicle exhaust from the facility as well as additional space to properly clean and store firefighters’ clothing.
âIt’s a really great situation,â said Hawk. “We had a few security issues but they were resolved.”
The layout before the renovation had response equipment stored next to the vehicles, and the vehicles were parked a few feet from the kitchen, exposing food and firefighters to diesel fumes.
âOur residents are going to be impressed,â he said. “It’s a state-of-the-art place.”
The biggest benefit to taxpayers is the addition of staff available 24 hours a day. A paramedic will be on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The department has seen a steady increase in calls over the past three to four years, Colucy said. Officials believe the 24-hour staffing will mean faster response times and better crew availability.
For the past 14 years, the fire department has had a paramedic available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Now the ward has a nurse for 12 additional hours overnight. If a doctor is not available, the shift will be filled by an emergency medical technician.
Colucy and Hawk both hope to add another paramedic to cover the station around the clock.
This is the third addition to the station, which was built in 1933. The original station was added in 1972.
Hawk said part of the old building will be converted into a meeting space that will be used by first responders and the community.
âAs this progresses, it will be good to have another person there 24/7 and not miss any calls,â Hawk added. “For a village (our) size, we are lucky to have what we have.”
Contact Amy at 330-775-1135 or [email protected].
Wanted Craft Merchants
The Brewster Fire Department is looking for craft vendors for its October 9 Oktoberfest at Bimeler Park. Interested suppliers should call Chef Chris Colucy at 330-767-4212.