Hoping to help with response time and also lower property owners insurance in Miami Township, the New Waverly Fire Department is expanding its services and adding a new location.

Assistant Fire Chief Kyle Anderson said the newest location, which is being built off Logansport Road in front of Speedway Redi-Mix, a concrete business, should benefit community members.

“It’s helping our insurance rating for the property owners in Miami Townships,” he said.

Building coordinator Brian Sparks added in order to have a good ISO rating, which helps determine insurance costs, the fire station needs to be located within five miles of the coverage area. The current station, however, is about one mile short of the west side.

“That is why we started looking for property,” Sparks said. “That was the only place that would sell land, but it’s a good location. We can shoot down 875 to Lewisburg and better serve Walton and Onward fire departments.”

He also said the main station in New Waverly was also running out of storage room, which helped influence the decision for a new site.

The new location will also allow the fire department to have trucks on both sides of the train tracks which run through New Waverly, which Sparks expects to help out with response time.

Anderson added the trucks will be able to access both new and old U.S. 24 easier with the two locations.

Since the fire department is member-owner, the members made the decision to expand the fire department after taking a vote.

Construction started in August. While there is no set time frame for completion, both men said the plan is to be finished before the weather changes.

“We want to be in it before snow flies,” Anderson said.

Sparks said the structure must be completed before winter to store the new trucks.

So far, the foundation has been poured for the building.

Anderson said the floor should be poured next week, which will allow for the walls to start going up shortly after. The floor will have hot water heat. Brady Saylors was hired as the concrete contractor and Jim Baker as the building contractor.

Work is being done on the parking lot.

Several department members are helping out in order to save money. One of the firefighters works for Logansport Municipal Utilities and will be completing the electrical portion. Sparks plans on completing the grade work. A number of members also helped fill and compact the sub-grade of the floor.

The building will be approximately 40 feet by 40 feet and will house an engine and a tanker, Anderson said.

The department has four trucks, but Anderson said the additional vehicles will be brought into service within the next couple weeks. Those trucks will be stationed at the new location.

The other four trucks will remain at the main station in New Waverly.

Anderson said the department has wanted to build a second location for several years, but had to put the project on hold until it could acquire enough funding.

The money for the building is coming out of the department’s budget. Anderson said the township pays the department for fire protection, which is used for the budget.

In addition to just a storage building, Sparks said the department has further plans if things work out as hoped.

“We put in for a grant to put the rest of building up through our president’s stimulus package,” he said. “It could take up to a year to find out about that.”

If the grant goes through, the department will take bids for the rest of the building project.

Future plans for the building include an additional 6,500 square feet, and a second floor.. Sparks said other plans include adding living quarters, restrooms and shower facilities for men and women, as well as an administration area.

New Waverly Fire Department employees two full-time firefighters who work at the station from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. After 5 p.m. the fire department utilizes volunteers.

The department has 23 members and Anderson doesn’t expect to add any new members with the addition of the second station. Those living in town will catch the trucks at the main station and those on the west end will respond to the new location.

Sparks said the residents of Miami Township have been in favor of a second location.

“We appreciate everyone’s support in the community,” he said.

• Denise Massie is a staff writer at the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at (574) 732-5151 or denise.massie@pharostribune.com